interest. On something like this, who could really care?”
“Who, indeed?” Cora said.
The young mom with the stroller came down the block. At the sight of Cora, her face lit up hopefully.
“Oh, how cute,” Mimi said. “You puzzle peopletalking together. Oh, you darling!” she added, as Cora handed her the paper. “Just in the nick of time. I hope this helps.”
Mimi flashed them a dazzling smile, and wheeled her stroller into the bakeshop.
“What’s that all about?” Harvey asked.
“Oh. She’s having trouble with her husband.”
“What did you give her?”
“A prescription for Cialis.”
Harvey looked astounded.
“Oh, for goodness’ sakes,” Cora said. “Get a sense of humor. She wanted a crossword puzzle for her husband. To smooth over a spat.”
“And you did that for her? You’ve got a heart of gold, Cora. A heart of gold.”
“Yeah, I’m the cat’s meow. About this bid . . .”
“Like I say, that’s all we can tell for the moment. Unless someone else bids on the item.”
“You know anyone would like some nice chairs?”
“Oh, I couldn’t have a friend bid,” Harvey said. “That would be dishonest.”
“Heaven forbid.”
“Was that intentional?”
“Was what intentional?”
“The play on the word
bid.
”
Cora wondered which answer would get her in more trouble. “Frankly, I didn’t notice.”
“It’s probably automatic,” Harvey said. “I bet you could do it in your sleep.”
Cora smiled. “That’s a hell of a straight line, Harvey, but I’m not gonna bite.”
Cora went home, logged on to the Internet, and checked out eBay. Harvey had done a nice job scanningin the picture of the chair. And he had one bid, for one hundred dollars.
It occurred to Cora it would be a shame if that was the only bid. After all, a hundred dollars was pretty damn cheap for four rattan chairs.
Cora bid $120.
C HUCK D ILLINGER SCOWLED. “ What’s this?”
“For you, sweetheart.” Mimi had placed Cora’s crossword puzzle inside a Hallmark greeting card. On the envelope she’d written
For my sweetheart.
He looked at her. “This is from you?”
“In a way.”
“In what way?” Chuck said.
Mimi could sense the irritation in his voice. He’d had a long day at work, he wanted a drink, and she’d hit him with a puzzle the minute he walked in the door. “Sorry, honey. It’s from me, but I didn’t do it. I mean, I didn’t make it. You’ll see when you open it.”
That explanation neither enlightened nor appeased Chuck. He appeared not sure what to say next.
The baby’s bawling saved him.
“Oh, dear,” Mimi said, and rushed for the crib.
Chuck flipped the envelope on the coffee table, went to the mini-bar, and poured himself a scotch. He took off his shoes, loosened his tie, unbuttoned his shirt collar. He sat in an easy chair, put his feet up on the coffee table. Took a huge sip of scotch, exhaled.
Mimi sat on the couch, patted the baby on her shoulder. “Hard day at the office?”
“Well, I didn’t make partner, and I didn’t get fired.”
Mimi was glad to hear it. That was Chuck’s whimsical response for an average day. He wouldn’t have said it if anything was really wrong.
“Did you open your card?”
“No, I made my drink. What’s the card all about?”
“Open it. I’ll tell you.”
The envelope wasn’t sealed, just had the flap stuck in. Chuck pulled out the card. “ ‘To a wonderful father.’ Honey, it’s not Father’s Day.”
“I know.”
Inside read:
With love,
signed,
Mimi.
“What’s this?” Chuck unfolded the paper.
He stared at the puzzle. “What the hell is this all about?”
“It’s a present. I had the Puzzle Lady make it special. Just for you.”
“You what?”
“Come on, dear, solve it. See what it says.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“No. Go on.”
“Mimi. I’ve had a long day. I’m in no mood to solve a crossword puzzle.”
“I’ll help you. In fact, you don’t have to do anything.
“Who, indeed?” Cora said.
The young mom with the stroller came down the block. At the sight of Cora, her face lit up hopefully.
“Oh, how cute,” Mimi said. “You puzzle peopletalking together. Oh, you darling!” she added, as Cora handed her the paper. “Just in the nick of time. I hope this helps.”
Mimi flashed them a dazzling smile, and wheeled her stroller into the bakeshop.
“What’s that all about?” Harvey asked.
“Oh. She’s having trouble with her husband.”
“What did you give her?”
“A prescription for Cialis.”
Harvey looked astounded.
“Oh, for goodness’ sakes,” Cora said. “Get a sense of humor. She wanted a crossword puzzle for her husband. To smooth over a spat.”
“And you did that for her? You’ve got a heart of gold, Cora. A heart of gold.”
“Yeah, I’m the cat’s meow. About this bid . . .”
“Like I say, that’s all we can tell for the moment. Unless someone else bids on the item.”
“You know anyone would like some nice chairs?”
“Oh, I couldn’t have a friend bid,” Harvey said. “That would be dishonest.”
“Heaven forbid.”
“Was that intentional?”
“Was what intentional?”
“The play on the word
bid.
”
Cora wondered which answer would get her in more trouble. “Frankly, I didn’t notice.”
“It’s probably automatic,” Harvey said. “I bet you could do it in your sleep.”
Cora smiled. “That’s a hell of a straight line, Harvey, but I’m not gonna bite.”
Cora went home, logged on to the Internet, and checked out eBay. Harvey had done a nice job scanningin the picture of the chair. And he had one bid, for one hundred dollars.
It occurred to Cora it would be a shame if that was the only bid. After all, a hundred dollars was pretty damn cheap for four rattan chairs.
Cora bid $120.
C HUCK D ILLINGER SCOWLED. “ What’s this?”
“For you, sweetheart.” Mimi had placed Cora’s crossword puzzle inside a Hallmark greeting card. On the envelope she’d written
For my sweetheart.
He looked at her. “This is from you?”
“In a way.”
“In what way?” Chuck said.
Mimi could sense the irritation in his voice. He’d had a long day at work, he wanted a drink, and she’d hit him with a puzzle the minute he walked in the door. “Sorry, honey. It’s from me, but I didn’t do it. I mean, I didn’t make it. You’ll see when you open it.”
That explanation neither enlightened nor appeased Chuck. He appeared not sure what to say next.
The baby’s bawling saved him.
“Oh, dear,” Mimi said, and rushed for the crib.
Chuck flipped the envelope on the coffee table, went to the mini-bar, and poured himself a scotch. He took off his shoes, loosened his tie, unbuttoned his shirt collar. He sat in an easy chair, put his feet up on the coffee table. Took a huge sip of scotch, exhaled.
Mimi sat on the couch, patted the baby on her shoulder. “Hard day at the office?”
“Well, I didn’t make partner, and I didn’t get fired.”
Mimi was glad to hear it. That was Chuck’s whimsical response for an average day. He wouldn’t have said it if anything was really wrong.
“Did you open your card?”
“No, I made my drink. What’s the card all about?”
“Open it. I’ll tell you.”
The envelope wasn’t sealed, just had the flap stuck in. Chuck pulled out the card. “ ‘To a wonderful father.’ Honey, it’s not Father’s Day.”
“I know.”
Inside read:
With love,
signed,
Mimi.
“What’s this?” Chuck unfolded the paper.
He stared at the puzzle. “What the hell is this all about?”
“It’s a present. I had the Puzzle Lady make it special. Just for you.”
“You what?”
“Come on, dear, solve it. See what it says.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“No. Go on.”
“Mimi. I’ve had a long day. I’m in no mood to solve a crossword puzzle.”
“I’ll help you. In fact, you don’t have to do anything.
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