Sleeping Beauty
(excerpt)Behind the wicket a little bald headed man sat behind a desk, his nose grazing the page of a register. The young woman cleared her throat. Without looking up the little man dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
‘Excuse me!” she said, clearing her throat again.
Once again he waved her off. The third time she cleared her throat the little man bolted from his chair and rushed over to the wicket.
“What!” he cried in a squeaky irritated voice.
For a moment she was lost for words. His sudden response had startled her.
“Come on! Out with it!” he cried impatiently. She said. “I’m looking for Mr. Bumble.”
The little man stood on his toes and looked out over the wicket to get a better look at the young woman. His face turned sour with disappointment.
“Not much to look at, are you?”
“Excuse me,” she responded not knowing how to respond to the little man’s rudeness.
“I’m Bumble!” her barked.
“I was told that you could help me.1~
Mr. Bumble looked at the girl suspiciously, than glanced behind her to see if she had any accomplices.
“By whom,” he asked haughtily, “were you given this information?”
The young woman was taken back.
“By the innkeeper at the cafe across the way.”
“Lumb?” he asked.
“I don’t know the gentleman’s name. He told me that you might be able to find me lodging. And…”
“Lumb knows I’m busy! Practical joker, that’s what he is. I should put him on file. Lodging and what else?”
“I’m looking for my grandfather. I think he might be living, in the village.”
Mr. Bumble polished his baldhead with the palm of his hand as he muttered something inaudible to himself. Then suddenly his face bolted upwards, his eyes aimed at the young woman as if his head were a gun.
“What!”
The young woman’s voice saddened.
“Then you haven’t seen…”
“Egads woman!” Bumble cried. “When would I have time to see a stranger? What do you think we’re running here? Some kind of day care for the elderly?”
The young woman was taken back by Bumble’s antagonism.
“Perhaps you have a place that I could rent, a room or a flat?”
Bumble rubbed his chin considering the young woman’s request.
“Follow me!” he cried and stepped out of his office, leading the girl towards a second door.
The second door led into a large warehouse. There were five floors of heavy mesh like steel floors with cast iron railings and sculptured fences. On each floor were rows and rows of filing cabinets. The young woman followed Bumble toward an old cast iron elevator, which rattled back and forth as it slowly carried the odd couple up to the third floor. The two journeyed through a maze of filing cabinets before they reached their destination.
Bumble smiled proudly. “Pretty damn impressive, eh! It’s the history of the planet on file, indexed and cross-indexed. Took generations to compile. We know everything about everyone who ever was or almost was. What do you think?”
The young woman didn’t know how to respond.
“Takes your breath away, eh?” Bumble sighed with satisfaction.
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