"Ms. Montgomery?" Penny's voice burst from the intercom on my phone, startling me out of a wonderful daydream that involved a book, a beach, and no reporters.
I jerked upright. "Yes?" Did my voice betray the fact that I'd been asleep?
"There's... someone here to see you," Penny said. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I think... I think he's blind."
For a moment, my mind went blank as I tried to imagine who my visitor could be. Not a reporter--or at least, not a reporter that I'd seen before. Someone local? A concerned citizen who wanted more books on Braille?
"Send him in if you don't think he's a reporter in disguise," I said. "What does he want?"
"He said he wanted to talk to you," Penny said. "And he looks familiar. He might have been at the Christmas party."
The Christmas party. My mind cast back, struggling to remember a blind...
"Oh." My heart leaped. What was he doing here? "Ask him what his name is before you bring him back."
I heard Penny's voice, distant now, as if she didn't sit just down the hall. "Sir, can I ask your name?"
I didn't hear the reply. His voice was too soft for the microphone to pick up.
Penny picked up the phone again. "He says his name is Malachi."
copyright 2004 Jennifer St. Clair
It looks like Budget Cuts might have a sequel... :)
I jerked upright. "Yes?" Did my voice betray the fact that I'd been asleep?
"There's... someone here to see you," Penny said. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I think... I think he's blind."
For a moment, my mind went blank as I tried to imagine who my visitor could be. Not a reporter--or at least, not a reporter that I'd seen before. Someone local? A concerned citizen who wanted more books on Braille?
"Send him in if you don't think he's a reporter in disguise," I said. "What does he want?"
"He said he wanted to talk to you," Penny said. "And he looks familiar. He might have been at the Christmas party."
The Christmas party. My mind cast back, struggling to remember a blind...
"Oh." My heart leaped. What was he doing here? "Ask him what his name is before you bring him back."
I heard Penny's voice, distant now, as if she didn't sit just down the hall. "Sir, can I ask your name?"
I didn't hear the reply. His voice was too soft for the microphone to pick up.
Penny picked up the phone again. "He says his name is Malachi."
copyright 2004 Jennifer St. Clair
It looks like Budget Cuts might have a sequel... :)
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