Fifi really couldn’t be expected to wait any longer. Really! She’d reapplied all her makeup over and over again until she couldn’t even remember how many times she’d done it or whether or not she’d remembered to put that special stuff the Botox doctor had told her to put under her “Super Pink” sparkled lipstick on or not. She’d even got through that whole long, complicated article about what was new in Plastic Surgery in the National Inquirer. Really!
So Fifi took action. She got the really big mirror out of her purse and brushed her hair…and firmly decided that, the next time they didn’t get her hair pink enough, she was going to let them know. Then she redid her makeup…and was sure she remembered to put the stuff the Botox doctor had told her to put under her lipstick this time. Then she pulled her sparkly boots up and her skirt down, just enough to cover her butt. Who said a 44-year-old couldn’t look sharp! Really!
Then Fifi got out of the passenger seat of the car, nodding to herself sharply. So there! She’d even noted where her boyfriend went this time, so she just followed him into the building. Really!
Immediately she looked around for someone who could help her. Independence felt good! She was proud of herself when she spotted what must be an employee. Fifi cleared her throat, reminding herself to speak in a high voice. “Excuse me?”
The employee jumped, which seemed odd. It was then that Fifi noticed his rainbow platform sneakers and couldn’t help explaining, “Nice!”…though she forgot to keep her voice high.
“God-awful!” he exclaimed, looking back at her, though Fifi couldn’t imagine what he was talking about.
It was then that Fifi noticed…enviously…how skinny he was in his skinny jeans as he skittered behind the counter. He’d been trying to pry a strongbox open with a ragged piece of metal. Poor thing must have misplaced the key.
“I can only help you,” he now said from the other side of the counter, “if you pay your bill first.”
That sounded reasonable to Fifi…though she wasn’t sure what bill he was referring to since she’d never been in there before. But she remembered to keep her voice high. “How much?”
“Fifty.”
“But I only have fifteen.”
“I’ll take it.”
Fifi gave him the fifteen. She was taking action. Really! “So I’m looking for my boyfriend who came in here a really long time ago, looking for his daughter Imogene…”
