by Rachel Monniger
It was the end of a long and busy day for Andrea Chavez. She let out a sigh as she got ready to close up her sandwich stand. Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke out of the darkness. "This is a voice from your past, Andrea." Andrea looked around, suspicious, and suddenly, very alone.
"BOO!" said the voice.
Andrea gasped, and when she turned around she was face to face with... "Scott Sherwood!" she exclaimed, "You nut! I haven't seen you in ages!"
"Hey, Andi," said Scott. "Long time no see."
Still recovering from the shock, Andrea said, "I haven't seen you since..."
"1932."
"Right! So what's new in your life?"
"Have some time to reminisce?"
"For you, of course! Want a cup of coffee?"
********************************************
"...so now I'm on my way back to WENN," finished Scott.
"Wow!" said Andrea, breathless even though Scott had done all the talking.
"So, what's new with you?" inquired Scott.
"Um..." searched Andrea, "I bought a new dress yesterday."
Laughing, Scott said, "Oh, come on, Andrea! Much more must have happened to you!"
"Actually, no. But you sure have had an exciting life! Wow, WENN! I listen to that station every day! Say, do you by any chance know Mackie Bloom, the Man of a Thousand Voices?"
"Sure do."
"Wow!" repeated Andrea, "But, you know Scott? There's just one thing I'm not too clear on."
"What's that?"
"After you were kicked out of WENN..." she paused for a moment, then continued, "Well, then...why did you go back? I mean, you've always been the kind of guy that when kicked out of something or somewhere, you just moved on. Why did you go back?"
Scott suddenly looked a million miles away. He stared into space, idly stirring his coffee. "Well," he said, still somewhat disconnected, "I probably would have stayed away if it weren't for a girl at the station..." he trailed off.
"Do you like her? Well, obviously so, or else you wouldn't have gone back. I know you. Just liking some one's never stopped you from going on with your life. Take me, for example. But do you...?"
"Without a doubt, Andi."
"Have you told her?"
"Ha!" laughed Scott, "She'd never go for a guy like me. She's too...innocent. Besides, I've got stiff competition as it is."
"With who?" asked Andrea, her blue eyes getting wider by the second.
"With a stiff. Victor Comstock, a casualty of war. She is forever his 'widow.'"
"You know, Scott, I think you should give it a shot anyway." Hesitantly, she continued, "Because, well...something did happen to me in my life after you left. See, I met this terriffic fella. He had looks, talent, everything. We dated a few times. I soon fell in love with him. But I didn't tell him that. He met a better gal. They've been married for three years now..." she heaved a sigh.
Anyway," she continued, "I really think you should tell this girl how you feel about her. After all, you never know, she just might feel the same way about you."
"Yeah," said Scott, still slightly dazed, "Maybe..."
"Hey, Scott!" yelled a voice from across the street.
Andrea and Scott both looked as Mackie ran towards them. After autographing a napkin for Andrea, Mackie said, "C'mon, Scott, what's taking you s'long?"
"Just met an old friend," smiled Scott, "Say, Mackie, why don't we go back to the station for a minute... to tell Betty what we've found out."
"What about the odorless gas?" gaped Mackie.
"Coward," said Scott, "Bye Andi! See you later!"
"OK, Scotty boy!" waved Andrea.
"Coward?" said Mackie indignantly, "Who are you calling a coward, Sherwood?"
When they reached the station, Mackie went to look for Betty in her office, as Scott entered the Green Room.
OK, Sherwood, this is it, Scott thought.
"Buy Barley's Futures..." he muttered as he remembered what he was supposedly there for.
As he entered the room, he came face to face with a gun, and it's owner,
"Victor Comstock, you're alive," said Scott, with a rather surprising calmness.
Now or never, Scott...
"Hey, Betty," he said, looking Betty straight in the eye, "I love you."
"Buy Barley's Futures." said Betty in a fragile, feeble, yet, like Scott, calm voice.
So many thoughts ran through Scott's head, but ultimately, none of them prevailed. What happened next captured all of his attention.
A gunshot rang out.
The End
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