vector’s bitch

"Excuse me, sir?" Betty began. The gentleman looked up at her. "Sorry to bother, but you've been standing in that spot a minute and I was wondering if there's anything I can do for you?"

The man smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, sir, this is a library you're in," answered Betty, "are you looking to check out a book?"

"Oh! Well, no. Actually I'm looking to return one." The gentleman slid a nondescript hardcover book across the desk. Betty grabbed it and sat it atop the pile of books that needed to be re-shelved. "Thank you, sir," she said.

"No trouble at all," he said. "Say, we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Elwood P. Dowd." (Here he reached into his breast pocket.) "Here's one of my cards-- if you wanna call me, make sure to call me at this number. Don't call me at the other one, that's the old one."

With a little bit of confusion, Betty took the card and put it in her pocket. "Pleased to meet you, Elwood. I'm Betty." She smiled at him.

Elwood smiled back. "Betty, that's a lovely name," he said. "Say, I'm entertaining some people this evening down at Charlie's Place. You're welcome to come, have a drink or two."

"Well, I don't drink, but I'd love to come," said Betty. "What time?"

"Around eight," replied Elwood. "It's a lovely place, and with such great people there too. You'll love it."

Betty smiled. She had barely met this fellow, but she was already terribly fond of him. He seemed such a sweet, soft-spoken guy, and he had the innate ability to befriend anyone anywhere. He was the kind who could light up a whole room just by walking in.

"Lovely," she said. "My shift ends at six thirty, so I'll be sure to rush home and get ready. I'll see you there."

"Looking forward to it!" said Elwood with a tip of his hat. "Good-bye, my dear." And with that, he walked out the door.

Betty drummed her fingers on her desk, and looked at the clock. Just three more hours to go. All of a sudden, it felt as though time was moving slower than normal. She felt incredibly antsy, impatient for her shift to end.

This man that she had just met had a sort of magnetic effect on her (as he did on everybody he met, but she didn't know that). He was a bit strange, there was no denying that, but he had this sweet, gentle disposition that made him impossible to dislike. Betty, who wasn't too keen on people in general, was already enchanted by him.

She looked at the clock again. Two hours and fifty minutes before her shift ended.