Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

Selma Calling

New York City

1973

Dena was in the editing room working on the interview with Bella Abzug when her secretary buzzed and told her that she had a long-distance call from a Mrs. Sarah Jane Poole.

“Who’s that?”

“I don’t know but she says it’s urgent.”

“Well, please find out what she wants. I’m in the middle of something.”

Five seconds later her secretary buzzed again. “She says you know her, that she’s a close, personal friend. Mrs. Sarah Jane Poole?”

“Oh, Christ … I have no idea who that is. Put her through.”

An excited woman’s voice was on the other end. “Dena?”

“Yes, this is Dena Nordstrom.”

“It’s me!”

“Who?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your old roomie, your college roommate, Sarah Jane Simmons Krackenberry from Selma, Alabama?”

“Sookie?”

“Yes!”

“Oh, for gosh sakes, why didn’t you say it was you? How could I forget you, crazy thing. How are you?”

“Fine!”

“Are you still busy fighting the Civil War?”

Sookie screamed with laughter. “Of course, honey—you know me, never say die!”

“How is Earle?”

“He’s fine. But I am mad at you.”

“Me? Why?”

“Why? My mother-in-law read where you were coming to Atlanta to get some big award and you didn’t even call and tell me you were coming.”

Dena was confused momentarily. “Award? Oh, you mean the AWRT thing.”

“Yes. Why didn’t you let me know? I want to see you while you’re here.”

“I thought you still lived in Alabama.”

“I do, silly, but I’m not going to let you get this close without getting a chance to see you.”

“How far away are you?”

Sookie laughed. “Dena, I know you think I live way out in the boonies, but we do have superhighways down here. I’m only a couple of hours from Atlanta. I could run over there and pick you up and bring you here for a couple of days and we could catch up on old times. Earle and I would love to have you. We haven’t seen each other in ages.”

“Oh, Sookie, that would be great. But unfortunately I’m only going to be there for one night, just for the dinner.”

“You can’t stay even for one day?”

“No, I really can’t. I’ve got to get back.”

“Can’t I see you at all? Maybe before the dinner or after?”

“I’m coming in and going straight to the dinner, and those things go on for hours. It could be one o’clock in the morning before I’d be free.”

“Well, what about the next day, then?”

“The next day I get right back on a plane.”

“What time?”

“Oh, I don’t remember, nine or ten, something like that.”

“Well, I’m coming anyway. I don’t care if I see you just for five minutes. I know you, Dena Nordstrom; if I don’t hog-tie you while you’re down here, who knows when I’ll ever see you. So, you’re not going to escape. We can at least have breakfast or a cup of coffee together, if nothing else.”

Dena was caught. “Well … I’ll probably be exhausted and—”

Sookie interrupted. “Listen, you, it’s not going to kill you to lose an hour’s sleep for an old friend. You can sleep on the plane. We’re both getting too long in the tooth not to see each other when we can.”

Dena had to laugh.

“You know, all you rich and famous people have to put up with people who knew them when, so you’re going to have to put up with me for life. That’s your cross to bear, honey. That’s what you get for being a star. Besides, can’t you get a later plane?”

“I would love to but I can’t. I have to tape some spots back here at five.”

“Well, all right, but I’m still coming. I need to lay my eyeballs on you in person. Anyhow, don’t you want to see me? I would think you would be pining away to see what I look like now that I’m old and feeble.”

She had to give in. “Oh, all right. I can see you’re not going to take no for an answer.”

“That’s right. Now, tell me where you are staying and I’ll come to wherever you are and we can meet there, OK?”

“OK, but I’m not in my office and I don’t know where they put me. I’ll have to call you and let you know where and what time.”

“Now, you better call me back because you’re not getting off the hook. I’m going to keep up with you whether you like it or not, Dena Gene Nordstrom!”

“All right. And Sookie …”

“Yes?”

“You are still the silliest girl I ever met.”

Sookie laughed. “Well, at least that’s something.”

When Dena hung up she had to smile. Of all the girls she had been in school with, Sookie had been her closest friend, so maybe it might not be so bad. It could even be fun.