Fletch and the Widow Bradley

34

“M O X I E?”

“Fletch?”

“Hello.”

“Hey, we’re running through the last scene. Someone said I had a call from Juneau, Alaska, for Pete’s sake. I don’t know anyone in Juneau, Alaska.”

“You know me.”

“You’re in Juneau, Alaska?”

“Yup.”

“Boy, you can’t do anything right. You aim for Dallas, Texas and hit Juneau, Alaska, Fletch style. Linda warned me about you coming home from the office by way of Hawaii. At least she had a meatloaf to keep her company.”

“Stop a minute.”

“Are there dead people in Juneau, or what?”

“I was in Dallas yesterday.”

“Hey, Fletch. You’re not supposed to interrupt rehearsals, you know? I mean, suppose everybody got called to the phone. Opening night would never happen.”

“So why did you come to the phone?”

“Thought it might be dear old Freddy calling, demanding the presence of Ophelia again, or something. A lady with nerves of steel for his hard-times knife-throwing act.”

“I want to ask you something.”

“What? I’ve got to go back to rehearsal.”

“Have you ever been confronted with something you absolutely cannot understand?”

“Sure. My father.”

“I mean something which you just can’t put your mind around?”

“Sure. My father.”

“Where all the facts add up to something which simply isn’t possible?”

“Sure, My father.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

“I’m real serious, Moxie. When you prove out something which absolutely cannot be true?”

“No. I guess not.”

“If you were in such a situation, what would you do?” “Be very suspicious of my conclusion.”

“Yeah. I’ve tried that.”

“Doesn’t work?”

“No.”

“Well, I’ve got to go back to work.”

“I have another question.”

“What? When will you be home?”

“Maybe Friday night.”

“What’s your question?”

“How’s Rick?”

“Oh, he’s;—”

“I know. Bye, Moxie.”