Golden Ticket by Kathy Murphy

I don't usually publish stories by other writers. This particular story is on the Dragonfly Books Short Stories site. It is particularly significant to me since it is about me… in a way. I hope it amuses you as much as it tickled me.

GOLDEN TICKET by Kathy Murphy

For more short stories, check out Dragonfly Books Short Stories. https://dragonflybooksshortstories.weebly.com/

It was 1985. My friend Edna was scheduled to be admitted to the hospital for surgery but she insisted we had to go to Radio City Music Hall to buy a ticket for Elizabeth. Barry Manilow was going to do a show on New Year’s Eve and Edna wanted Elizabeth to go with her and the family to the party after the show. It was a super secret mission. Nobody could know. Not even Elizabeth. This was going to be a surprise. Okay, so I tried to talk her out of it. There was no talking her out of it. I offered to get the ticket but that was a no as well. If there was one thing you could say about Edna it was that she was stubborn. After she threatened to go by herself I gave in. I asked about her surgery. She told me she was going to the hospital at one o’clock. She told me to leave the house like I was going to work, so Liz wouldn’t know. I got off the subway at the wrong stop and had to run several blocks but I was only a few minutes late. Edna, who always called a car service and never waited on the street, was standing on her corner well away from her building. I should have been suspicious but was too out of breath to pay attention. Like the typical New Yorker she was, she hailed a taxi as soon as I was within running distance of the corner. She got in before I’d even reached it and as soon as my butt hit the seat the taxi was on its way to Radio City. We got out of the taxi, and the fans who were lined up waiting for the box office to open immediately recognized the mink coated Edna Manilow. Edna ate it up. She loved Barry’s fans and she loved that so many came to her shows as well. She waved and smiled as we approached the doors. They were locked. There was a man inside and undaunted, Edna knocked on the door. When the man ignored her, she just knocked harder. And kept on knocking until the man opened the door. “We’re not open yet.” He said gruffly. “I’m his mother.” She answered. “Who’s mother?” “Barry’s and I need one ticket for New Year’s Eve.” “They don’t go on sale until 10 AM.” “It’s okay, I’m his mother. I only need one.” “Ma’am, I can’t sell any tickets before 10, I can’t even get them before 10.” “Well,” she looked over at me. “I guess we’ll just have to wait. I need to come in and sit down, I’m having surgery later.” The man stepped aside and then after locking the door, he got her a folding chair. And we waited. I knew I was in trouble. I knew when Barry found out his mother was running around buying tickets, he’d be pissed. I’d never met the man. I’d never spoken to him. But I knew he’d be mad because if it was my mother I would have been. I just hoped he’d remember how head strong she was and that it was probably better for her to be with me, than for her to be there on her own. Edna called me and Liz her “cops”. We were there whenever she made a public appearance. We started and ran her fan club. We went to social events in her place when she was unable to go. It was up to me to make sure she was safe during this insane adventure.

She looked up at me. “I have to make a pee.” She laughed. “You’re kidding right?” I responded, which just made her laugh harder. She wasn’t kidding. I asked the man where the ladies' room was, and he pointed to the stairs leading down to the lower floor. Of course it was down that long staircase! The railings were covered with balloons for an event that evening. We slowly and carefully made our way to the ladies' room with Edna holding my arm for support. We climbed even more slowly back up to the ticket window. The clock moved at a snail’s pace but eventually it was ten o’clock and Edna purchased the very first ticket. “This is a good seat?” she asked. “I want her to have the best seat.” “It is.” He handed her the ticket, and the deed was done, or so I thought. We stepped outside and the people lined up called to her, she couldn’t resist talking to them as the line entered the building. Not only did we talk to the few people at the front of the line, she walked all the way down the block to the end of the line, saying hello to everyone. When Edna was satisfied that she had spoken to everyone on line, and had her picture taken with several people, she grinned at me. “Now, you go on to work. I’ll get a taxi home. I’ll call you girls later after I’m in the hospital. Don’t tell Liz about the ticket. I’ll tell her. She’s going to be so excited!” she said as she hailed a cab. “I’ll ride with you then go back to work.” I offered. I was sure she was just worried about me getting to work so late. “No, no. You go on, now. I’ll talk to you later.” She got in the taxi and waved goodbye as it pulled out. NOW I WAS SUSPICIOUS! Normally she sent us home in a car. Normally she would have wanted me to stay with her until she was in her apartment. A few hours later I found out the truth. Her assistant Joey had been frantically searching for her. Everyone was worried, including you know who. She was supposed to be at the hospital at 8 AM. She lied to me! That’s why she was waiting on the street. She was avoiding Joey. As soon as she arrived home, she was hustled back into a car and taken to the hospital arriving three hours later than scheduled. Edna found the whole adventure hilarious. I did not. Elizabeth was surprised at the news of the ticket and the invitation to the party. Edna loved every minute from the trip to Radio City to buy the ticket, up until the ride home after the party. Elizabeth looked beautiful that night. I knew Edna, Jewish mother that she was, was trying her hand at matchmaking. Elizabeth and Barry had a brief conversation at the party and that was that, no romance flourished but Edna would try again, I had no doubt!

The ticket adventure remains one of my favorite memories. There were lots of other adventures with Edna, always fun and very funny. Maybe I’ll write a book one day. She would have loved to have a book written about her. I loved her. I still do. I miss her. May her memory be a blessing, I promise you it is for me. https://dragonflybooksshortstories.weebly.com/golden-ticket-by-kathy-murphy.html

To read more short stories, check out Dragonfly Books Short Stories. https://dragonflybooksshortstories.weebly.com/

WE, OF THE CINNAMON ROLL COALITION. 😄 •