“WHAT ELSE?!” Jimmy yelled.  After Sue’s lead on Doris, she became strangely silent as Jimmy pressed her for more information.

 ”Sigh” Sue sighed.  Sue was the type of sharpener that would say sigh as she sighed to ensure her listener knew she was in fact sighing.  Jimmy watched as her pencil shrapnel  fluffed up in a momentary whirlwind and defiantly waited for them to find their resting place.

 ”Fine”, Jimmy spouted as he decidedly started to leave his new found love, turning annoyance, to search out his lead.  Perhaps she had been listening to the others?  Jimmy knew what they said, and heard the snickers as he passed.  They failed to see him as a “real” appliance for he didn’t even had a cord.  He had also heard rumors of one of those new, overly hyped electronic  automatic staplers was moving into town.  Jimmy let the fear over take him for less then a second before vowing to solve this mystery.  It not to free Fred, but to secure his place in this humble town of theirs. 

***

Jimmy pulled out his list and quickly erased what he had only crossed out regarding Sue.  He could still see her faded name however; it seemed to scream at him so much that he looked around for chance she followed him.  As he looked around he came across a figure peering into him as if he had forgotten to close his staple holder.  He watched as Ethel moved toward him slowly and with such caution he looked around himself to ward off any other stragglers. 

 ”Listen Jimmy, and listen good” Ethel whispered in a harsh tone.  “Stay away from Doris, and leave Fred be.  We are all better off without that inks bum loser.  Or else…”

 ”Or else?” Jimmy probed.  “Look Ethel, I know that you and Doris are BFF’s now that the love object you both had in common has been whisked away.  I also know that you’ve always wanted to belong, to have a best friend.  Perhaps you planted the evidence ?  You never wanted a lover , you can have anyone you want.  Why Fred?”

 To be continued…