This story actually happened. During a flight in 1990 between Birmingham, England and Malaga, Spain.
What fun to involve Sally!
Okay, I didn’t believe it, either.
I’ll start at the beginning . . . Or maybe the end . . .
Sally had a movie job in Arkansas.
Mom and I (and definitely Mort) were a tad worried about all this.
I mean, with Covid and all.
But Sally reassured us she would be all right, that they were taking precautions. It was a great opportunity. She needed our support. She would be taking her lucky bamboo. Etc. Etc.
You have to know that Sally can be persuasive.
Anyway, a big car pulled up outside and honked and Sally, mask and face shield donned, hugged Mom and me, kissed Mort and ran out to meet it.
And silence descended.
Well, not totally so, because we do have Scary Gary living just up the street and if anyone can liven up a normal day in a quiet suburb—with Sally gone and Covid raging—my money would be on Gary.
In the three days since Sally left, he managed to let our neighbour’s pigeons out, crash his bike into the Mayor’s garage, and get his foot stuck in the manhole cover in front of his house.
That last was because he had found a crowbar and pried the thing up, intending to . . . I don’t know . . . maybe go exploring? . . . and it slipped.
For the first time in living memory, the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles had nothing to do with my family.
It was a wonderful moment.
Okay, well, not so much for Gary’s family, but you can’t please everyone.
Sooo . . . back to Sally.
She arrived back this afternoon. The same car, or something similar, dropped her out front and she sauntered in, Sally fashion.
When we tried to question her about her shoot, "absolutely nothing exciting had happened".
Of course we didn’t believe her.
She patted a hand with chipped and broken fingernails over a wide yawn.
Mom looked at that hand and frowned slightly. But knowing Sally's history (who doesn't) just smiled and said something to the effect of “maybe you should go take a nap” and Sally nodded and disappeared into her room.
A short time later, we could hear the unmistakable sounds of ‘Sally in Slumberland’.
Mom and Mort and I were just sitting down to eat when someone knocked at the door.
Mort did the honours.
The Mayor was standing on our front step. At least I think it was him. Have you noticed that even people you know well are nearly unrecognizable when they have their masks on?
True story.
“Is Sally here?” he asked.
We looked at each other. Mom got to her feet and joined the two at the door. “She is, Bill.” (Mom calls the Mayor ‘Bill’, because he’s her gardening buddy and let’s face it, you can’t call the man digging in the dirt beside you ‘Your Worshipfullness’. Well maybe you can, but it would sound weird.
Moving on . . .
“She’s taking a nap right now. Do you need me to get her?”
He put up a hand. “No. No. That’s all right. I’ll talk to her later.”
“Is there something we can help you with?”
He just raised his eyebrows. “Did she say nothing when she came home? About an incident on the plane?”
Mom shook her head. “Nary a word.”
He snorted softly. “Well, ask her when she wakes up. I’m thinking we need a celebration. As soon as Covid lets us.”
He smiled and left.
Mom frowned and looked from Mort to me. “She didn’t talk to either of you, did she?”
I shook my head.
“Nope,” Mort said.
“Huh. I wonder what that was all about?”
“I’m afraid to ask,” I said.
Mom shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out.” She looked over at the small TV on the cupboard near the table. “Switch on the news, Mort. Let’s see what’s happening in our catastrophic political scene today.”
Mort did so.
“You know, Sally should run for political office,” I said as he pressed buttons. “She can make a disaster out of almost anything!”
The weather forecast was on. It provided a soft background accompaniment to our meal.
Then, just as we were finishing, Mom’s head suddenly spun toward the set. “Did you hear that?”
Mort and I looked at her. ”What?”
“They just said Sally’s name.”
“Seriously?”
“I’m sure!”
Mort turned up the volume.
“. . . At the very least a citizen’s award of some sort? Things like this do not happen every day.”
“Oh, no!” Mom whispered.
“Shh,” Mort and I said together.
He turned up the volume again.
But the report was over.
Whatever it was that may or may not have had to do with Sally had finished.
Maybe we’d never know.
Pffff . . . Who was I kidding?
A short time later, Sally joined us, once more glowing with freshness. Mom warmed her meal and set it in front of her and she happily started to chow down on spaghetti.
“So, Sal, honey,” Mom started out. “Anything happen while you were gone?”
“Nope. Oh, the shoot was fun. A bit awkward because of the restrictions, but we got through. Anything happen here?”
I lost patience. “Come on Sally! The Mayor was here talking about you and everything!”
Sally wrinkled a smooth brow. “Really? Huh. I didn’t think he was speaking to me after the Halloween party.”
I shuddered. “Apparently, he’s willing to let it slide.”
“Oh, good.”
“Sally! What happened?!”
She shrugged. “Maybe they’re talking about the pilot on the plane?”
“Yes . . .?”
Sally sighed. “Well, we were up in the air and the big front window of the plane popped out and he got sucked out. And I was there having a tour and I managed to grab his legs and hold on till we could land.” She shovelled more spaghetti into her mouth.
We three just stared at her blankly.
“Whaaaat?” Mom said.
“Yeah. The whole thing was just too weird.” She held up her cleaned plate. “Any more spaghetti?”
Use Your Words is a writing challenge.
Karen’s followers supply a few words every month. Then those words are re-distributed among said followers. You don’t know who’s going to get your words or what they will do with them.
We have a blast! Sound fun? Join us!
My words this month were:
blank ~ history ~ support ~ opportunity ~ freshness ~ lucky bamboo
And given to me by my Good friend, Tamara at: https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/
Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:
Baking In A Tornado https://bakinginatornado.com/
Wandering Web Designer https://wanderingwebdesigner.com/blog
Climaxed https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com
Part-time Working Hockey Mom https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/
P.S. I've had requests for a recap of Sally's Adventures!
If you're interested, here they are, beginning at the...beginning:
Truth,
Forgiveness and Chocolate
