Invitation: Three
He became aware of her question.
• The following is a continuation of Invitation: Two.
The phone rang. The sudden alacrity of the sound startled Mr. Hanover and drew him sharply out of himself. He was not the sort of person that received phone calls.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Mr. Hanover? Edgar?"
"Yes?" He swallowed audibly, eyes at once expectant and searching.
"This is Sheila. From work?"
"Oh. Yes. Hello, Sheila." He fought back waves of nervousness and paranoia. How did she get my number? "How did you get this number?"
"It's in your file, at work. I hope you don't mind. I wanted to talk with you. Are you busy?"
He looked around the room. An oscillating fan in the far corner disturbed the envelope flap of the invitation steadily, predictably. He became aware of her question.
"Oh. I, uh, no. I don't mind."
Sheila was tall, much taller than Mr. Hanover. She was also direct, intense, and successful. She had auburn hair and wore nice clothes. She spoke with an edge.
"Good. I hoped you would say that. Listen, I have a question for you, Edgar." The edge disappeared. "May I call you Edgar? I keep calling you by your first name and I don't even know if it's OK. Is it? Because I can stay formal, if you want me to."
He froze. The air current began to wick the dampness from his eyes and play with his hair. The receiver was cupped around his left ear and the blood pounding through his head made it uncomfortably hot. Sheila's tone had turned, ever so slightly, flirtatious. Seconds passed. "Yes."
"Yes I can call you Edgar or yes you'd like me to stay formal?"
"Edgar. Please call me Edgar."
She laughed. The laugh was laced with pheromones. He let an unguarded smile run away with his mouth and his ears rose in turn with the corners of his eyes. Soon his whole face was involved. She was good.
"Have you ever done anything illegal, Edgar?"
He was confused. This was not where he thought the conversation was going.
"I, well, I'm... well... no."
"Would you like to?"
Mr. Hanover sat stunned, wordless. She continued.
"I'll make it worth your while... What do you want more than anything in the world?"
Respect, recognition, friendship, love. "I'm afraid I don't understand?"
"What do you want, Edgar. Surely you have wants, desires, needs."
He eyed the invitation on the countertop. "I want to know what you're really asking me," and then, without pause, "I want to know what happened to my life. My life is boring. I do nothing. I work. I come home. I sleep. I dream." His eyes found his feet. "It's been so long since I've spoken with anyone." He found an ounce of courage. "What are you asking me?"
"I'm asking you if you want in on a very profitable venture. And I'm asking you if you would like to meet to talk about it."
"Where? When?"
"Meet me at the seventh street bus station in twenty minutes."
"I... I don't have a coat."
"It's not that cold, Edgar. Just bring yourself. And your office keys."
continued in Invitation: Four