[Faye185]

Ted was pacing in front of the large window in the hospital room. The bed where Myrtle had been a rumpeled reminder that he needed to do something and quickly. Running his hand through his hair he happened to look out the window and saw a half naked Myrtle being pulled into a black limosine. But wait, looking closer to the window, was he saw something shiny flash in the car. Could it be a gun

[Bonnie]

Pastor Eccle gaped in disbelief at the phone, hearing faintly in the distance the beep of the ended call.
The blonde woman driving the car, the one Harriet had said rented it, was, none other than Vicky, Myrtles best friend! The pastor was shocked. Why? He thought, why would Vicky do something like that to her best friend? What was her motive?
Why would she kidnap her best friend, her trusted companion?
Pastor Eccle was confused. He felt like he was in a movie. The characters changing right before his very eyes.
Who were these people he thought he knew so well?
' I have to do something' he thought. His mind raced with possibilities.
'Okay so Vicky is involved, but why?' Maybe Vicky had something to do with the missing money' he thought. 'There is a lot more to this than I realized' he said aloud.
His mind felt murky, like the bottom of a muddy pond. He reached for a pad paper and a pen and began to jot down details. He would need to get the police involved at some point, and he would need information.
Myrtle's Husband, Ted is having an affair with candi with an "i". Ronald and Ted used to work together. Ronald is supposedly a woman, or is he? The money is missing. Where is the money? Vicky was driving the limo- why? And how is she involved?
He stuffed the paper into his back pocket, too many questions still unanswered and headed out the door. He had one thing on his mind, and one person he had to confront...he had to find Myrtel. And he had an idea where she could be...

[catmiller]

a couple of years ago, Vicky had attempted to start her own business on the outskirts of town. It was on of those scrapbook getaway kind of places, a bed and breakfast specifially set up for those crazy women who couldn't get enough of all that paper and scissors . . . Pastor Eccles had thought it a crazy idea. Who in their right mind would want to spend their weekend playing with paper and glue? He'd heard though, that she'd had some relative success. That is, until that strange accident with the scissors . . . He tried to remember the details of that, maybe there would be a clue there . . .

[Kimmistil]

Ronald sighed, shaking his head and slapping his computer moniter, 'I know I can do this.' he thought to himself. 'I just have to concentrate, Candi is counting on me to finish the story. Now, where was I? hmmm, oh yeah..... Vicky's accident.'....

'No', thought the pastor, 'that was just some dumb kid running with scissors, who fell on them. EVERYONE knows you don't run with scissors.
Hey, WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!! who's kid was that?'......

[Bonnie]

It was a year ago when Myrtle had been enjoying a morning of scrap booking. She was sitting in her dining room, at the table. The curtains were opened out onto the street, the pretty floral fabric framing the bay window. Gypsey the cat lay curled up against a rose printed cushion on the window seat. Myrtles's papers, glue, photographs, embellishments lay sprawled out all over the floor on the table, cascading down onto the floor around her feet. She really was a messy worker.
She had just lifted her 4th cup of coffee to her lips when the door bell rang.
She scraped back her chair and went to the door to see who it was. She gazed through the peep hole.
"Vicky!" she smiled as she opened the door.
"Hi Myr" said Vicky enveloping her in a big hug. "Just thought I would pop by for a visit. How are you?" she asked as she came inside, hanging up her coat on the hook next to the front door.
"Yeah, fine, great, you know, just catching up on some scrapping, would you like a cup of coffee, it's fresh." Said Myrtle.
"Sure thanks" smiled Vicky.
She went over to the table to look at Myrtles current project. Happy beaming faces smiled up at her from pretty frames.
Myrtle called from the kitchen, "Oh don't touch that page, it's still wet. I was trying some podge on a serviette to go over the photos, you know, something different".
Vicky smiled, Myrtle was so creative. Unlike herself she thought.

Myrtle came back with a cup of coffee and placed it on a coaster on the little coffee table near by. "Sorry, don't want any accidents near the scrap stuff "she said apologetically.
"Myr, ...." Said Vicky, " I came by to speak to you about something important." Said Vicky, she looked at Myrtle and then nervously darted her eyes around the room, as if looking for something.
"Yes? What is wrong?" aksed Myrtle. Sensing that something was amiss.
"Myr...You know I love you. You are my oldest and dearest friend and nothing could ever change that. You are the nicest person I know." Vicky reached for Myrtles hand.
"I was sleeping with Ted. Oh Myr, I am so sorry...please forgive me, I promise it is over now. I just couldn't bear to hide it from you anymore." Vicky looked emploringly into Myrtle's eyes.

Myrlte snatched her hand away as if burned by a hot plate on a stove.
She laughed, a high-pitched sound that didn't sound at all human.
"Come on Vicky!"she said, "It's a bit early in the year for tricks, espcially mean ones like that!" she said and jumped up to go get some more coffee, laughing.

"Myrtle!" Vicky said loudly. Standing up. "This is no joke. This is hard enough for me to do as your best friend to tell you I have been sleeping with your husband. For once, take what I have to say, seriously!"
Myrtle spun around, stunned. The cup slipped from her hand and crashed into pieces, spraying under the furniture. She didn't seem to notice.
What she did next suprised even herself and still to this day, suprises her when she thinks about it.
As if running on automatic pilot, she reached for the large scrap booking scissors on the table and lunged at Vicky's face, rage written all over her face. Her lips twisted into an ugly snarl. Her eyes dark with fury.
Vickey screamed and threw her arms infront of her face. The scissors tore at the skin on Vicky's arm and blood sprang to the surface, dripping to the floor.
"Myrtle! Please!" shouted Vicky in horror. " I am sorry! Please!"

As if awakening from a dream, a nightmare, Myrtle dropped the scissors and looked at her friend. No, she thought, her enemy. Vicky was no longer her friend.

She grabbed her coat and keys and ran outside to her car, leaving the front door wide open.

She got in her car and drove off leaving a sobbing Vicky lying on the floor clutching her arm, blood staining the carpet.

[LacyT]

So much has happened during that last year thought Myrtle, as she stared at the crimson gown. The crimson is the same color as the blood on the scissors.

How could she have done that to me? She was my friend? And Ted... was she the first he 'strayed' with? I have been so stupid not realizing what he has been doing behind my back. He cheats on me, his wife, and sets up his best friend.... Ronnie. Why did he bring me here? What was it he said?

This is ridiculous! My mind just keeps going in circles. It must be that lump doing it. Where did Candi "with an i" get the idea I am pregnant? Why on earth would she say such a thing? They must have been talking about someone else, certainly she could have been saying that about me! Ted would never believe it anyway, he knows I cannot have any more children.

Dresses, children, kidnapped, scissors, money... money... where is that money I had in my hand? Where did it come from? I don't remember having that kind of money, there was so much of it!! Those were 500 dollar bills in my hand and now where is it? It must have been the money Ted had hidden from Ronnie, but where did I find it? I need to get out of here, see if I can figure out what is going on. Maybe the fresh air will help!

But, as Myrtle tries to leave the bedroom, she finds the door is locked! Frantically looking around for something to try and pry open the door with her mind is whirling... with unanswered questions. Just then she hears a key in the lock and the knob starts to turn....

[varanda]

On the outskirts of town, Ted is fumbling for his keys to the storage unit. As he unlocks the rusty padlock, he glances about furtively and assured no one is watching him, he slips inside.

He switches on a dim light and stacks of cash greet his eyes. Ronnie, gagged and tied to a chair, fidgets to free himself. But Ted, tired of all the insanity, slugs him/herin the face and Ronnie is out cold.

Ted reaches around to behind his left ear, where he finds a tiny zipper. He drags the zipper across the back of his neck. Reptilian scales shimmer in the light as he peels the mask forward, the mask of Ted.

Fully exposed, his cycloptic eye blinks slowly and his forked tongue flicks the air. He grabs a fistful of cash and begins to feed hungrily until.....

[LacyT]

As the door swings open, Myrtle breaths a sign of relief. There stands the Pastor. He takes one look at her and says "Lets go, we need to get you out of here before Ronnie returns."

"But... but.... " sputters Myrtle.

"No time to talk, I think I got lucky as there was no one here and the front door was not locked. We need to get you to someplace safe, and have that bump on your head looked at."

"I don't really remember how I got here, but I do remember there was a lot of money in my hand and it is now gone!" exclaims Myrtle.

"Money?? Where would you have gotten a lot of money? Don't tell me that Ted really did set up Ronnie?!!" says the Pastor to Myrtle. "We don't have time now to worry about money, we need to get you safe."

As they reach the door, the Pastor looks through the window to make sure no one is around.

"Lets go! Run." Shouts the Pastor as he races ahead, dragging Myrtle by the arm. "I am taking you to a place you will be safe and we can talk more there." The Pastor slams the car into drive and races away. But were they seen? Is it a trap???

[DreamsNJ]

As they race away Myrtle feels faint and passes out in the passenger seat. Good thinks the Pastor. This will make things much easier. He speeds along and pulls into a storage unit place. Ted greats him at the door and says ....

[LacyT]

Just then Candi comes into the office to see if she can find some 3x5 cards to make notes on. All of those photos are piling up and she needs to make some notations before she forgets what, when and where the photos are about. As she passes Ronald, she glances over his shoulder and is reading….

“Good Heavens!!” Candi squeals. “Now what are you going on about. First the girl scouts and the thin mints, and now a reptilian in a human costume?? Who eats Cash??? Has the last few working neurons in that head of yours started cross-firing? What did you eat for lunch? Did you even stop and eat anything?” As Candi stops for a breath her mind is still forming the next set of questions she wants to ask. “Are you feeling ok? Are you having some kind of low blood sugar attack from not eating…? Have you been watching too many of those SciFi movies again?” Maybe that could explain what is going on, she thinks to herself, again pausing for another breath.

Ronnie turns and looks up at her, with a vacant look in his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

She looks down at him, gives him a gentle kiss on the forehead and sweetly says, “Honey, you may want to read your last couple of pages and see if you have really meant to say what you wrote. I would not want you to loose track of the thread of this story as it seems to be coming along so well.” With that, she spots the 3 x 5 cards, takes part of the package and leaves Ronnie again engrossed in what he was doing before she came in.

[bumpkin]

Candi (with an I) stepped into the kitchen to make Ron a tuna sandwich- he obviously needed some protein- sighing, she added some protein powder to the tuna mixture- that man really has had too much caffeine today, she thought. As she looked up, she saw a flash of crimson out of the corner of her eye, as someone rounded the corner of the house, outside the window.

[Ro]

Trying again, Ronnie begins to type....

The brown dog jumped over the sly red fox. The sly red fox ate the brown dog. The brown dog danced with te sly red foxes wife.


Pounding his typewriter Ronnie screams to no one at all, "Oh, man. I have totally lost contol of this story. How did I do that??"


Let's see.... I think I better start a new one. This one is completely lost. I ran it off in the ditch somewhere.

Completely new characters. New setting. Nothing is the same, I tell you. I do not want to hear anything about Ted, Myrtle, or the name Ronnie. It is gone. Gone. Gone!!!

New story. I have to start again....

Okay. Let's go.....

Ronnie begins to type...


Motionless, the George, red-haired elderly man, sporting a nose like a bird-bill sat at his desk and stared out the window.

He had just had the misfortune of learning that his selfish son, Tom, was seen purchasing a ticket to Brazil by his elderly assitant, Carol.

He had sent Carol out for his daily Bagels with cream cheese, but instead of coming straight back to the office as he had ordered, she had veered through the new shopping mall that had been built on the other end of the block where his ramble-shack brick building had stood for nearly 50 years.

"Carol never could stand to pass up a good shoe sale," he sniffed.

But on the way to Sears where she had planned to buy that set of red pumps she had been eyeing all season, she had spotted Tom talking to a travel agent and had managed to wiggle herway into the adjoining cubical where she could clearly hear his plans.

"What a complication!" he angrily thought. He had suspected for some time that Tom was running a scam and just when he was close to figuring how it all worked, the lout was planning on skipping out on him. Well, he would show him. Yes, he would.

"I'll turn the tables on the boy," he said, rubbing his hands together.

Suddenly, the phone rang and when he picked it up, he was surprised to hear a young, female voice saying....

[LacyT]

Hello George. You don't know me, but I am Tom's fiancee. My name is Paula. Has he mentioned to you yet that we are thinking of getting married?"

George thought to himself "Ok girlie, I will play along with your game."

"No.... Paula you said? No, Tom has said nothing about that" replies George.

"Oh" sighs Paula. "He promised me he would talk to you about it last night. I hope he won't be too upset when he finds out I talked with you."

Again George thinks to himself, I will just play along and see what she does next. "Paula, I will not say a word to Tom about your call. Give him a chance to tell me himself."

"Oh thank you! You are every bit as understanding as Tom said you were!" a breathless Paula replied. "Thank you so much!"

As George hung up the phone he wonders if Paula is part of Toms scam or if she is also being duped by Tom. "Me? Understanding? Now I know if Tom told her that, he is scamming her as well!" thought George. I must put my plan into action soon or it will be too late. My next step will have to be....

[bumpkin]

...to call the airlines. George dialed the local airport. "Hello? Yes. THis is George Rich, and - ... Yes, THE Mr Rich. Ok. Of course! Well, I wanted to tell you that my limo driver spoke today of having lunch in town, and while he was there, he said three men were talking quietly at the next table. My man has hearing aides, and he often hears more than he'd like, but he said they were talking or hijacking a plane that was routed for Brazil! Do you know of any flights or connecting flights that will be going to Brazil in the near future? ... The police? ... No, I haven't... I wanted to check it out in case my driver mis-heard- you know, to save him some embarassment if he misunderstood..."

[scrapsoflife]

'Well, sir, normally we could only offer the most basic of information in a matter such as this, but since I can assure you none of our commercial flights are heading anywhere near Brazil for the next week (mainly due to that coffee embargo thats been threatened about in the news--but that's none of my business, I'm more of a tea man myself) I think your driver must have misheard.'

George thanked the chatty airport attendant for the information and hung up. He was stymied. How could Carol be so misinformed all of a sudden, that woman was usually at the top sides and bottom of any gossip that there was.

It occurred to him, however, that what one person might not know another might, so dialed the airport again in hopes that a new person would answer.

His hunch was right. A perky voice laden with a southern accent answered the phone. He repeated his question, toning down the hijacking and instead playing the part of an impending vacationer.

'Certainly, sir,' the syrupy voice replied. 'While I don't see any of our commercial flights going down there, I do notice a private company was chartered for such a trip three days from now. I could call over and see if they'd be willing to make another run, 'specially since those private planes are small an' those customers usually don't take so well to sharin' their space.'

George replied...

[chicmimi]

"Get me a plane...not a seat on someone else's plane,a real plane!I don't care what it costs or who flies it!" I need to be in Brazil asap and I know you can do this for me...I will make it worth your while...oh, and by the way, can you connect me with someone in your security department? I have some sensitive information that I'm sure will be of interest....
The syrupy-Southern belle was only glad to transfer George's call after giving him her home address so that he might send a small "token of his appreciation" directly to her.She wasn't in the habit of taking bribes but a girl's got to have a bit of play money...
"Mr Rich? This is Maxwell Adams,chief security officer for "Private Planes Going Places".Did I hear correctly from Annabelle that you have some information I need to hear?
George smiled and began to speak slowly and carefully...

[BetsyP]

Just then Myrtle's eyes began to flicker. Struggling to gain consciousness she spoke, "Where am I?" Dr. Candi asked Myrtle, "Who are you?" Myrtle replied "I'm Cindi with an i. I have no recollection except of my long lost twin. Her name is Candi with an i." With that Dr. Candi reeled backwards in disbelief knocking into a medicine cabinet. She cried, "You! Cindi? I have......

[princess7920]

[quote name='Ro' date='Mar 20 2006, 11:51 AM']
RULES

You have until 12 PM midnight on SATURDAY to join in on the fun. (Sorry that I mixed that up when I originally posted!) Everyone that adds a cohesive, unique addition to the story ( which must be at least one paragraph) will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 Gift Certificate for the Scrap Girls Boutique. The more posts you add to the story, the more chances you will have to win that prize (Posts can not be a row. You have to let someone else tell some story in between). So remember.... we are telling a story here and so random paragraphs about your dog or a tree (unless your dog or a tree actually belongs in the story) will NOT be counted. But you ARE allowed to take the story in completely different ways, as that is what makes these kinds of things interesting. LOL

--------------------

"Equality" the hermit muttered under his breath wandered the aisles of the grocery story while he was making his monthly sojourn to pick up peanut butter, bread, beans, and sugar, and koolaid.

He had been shuffling down the aisle of the store, determined to blend into the soup cans and cereal boxes, so as to not draw attention that he was there when he had suddenly come face to face with Myrtle Smearnoff, the wife of his former partner, Ted, who had cooked their books and made it look as if he, Ronald, were the guilty one.

After the IRS circled their dealership that day and seized the business, Ronald learned to his horror, that Ted had been carefully taking all of the cash out of the candy box he had hidden under his desk and was sending it off-shore where it was safe from prying eyes.

And so, once Ronald was released from Federal Prison for not paying the taxes, he locked himself in his run down 50's ranch that was smack in the middle of a neighborhood filled with soccer moms, church ladies, and pubescent teens who dared each other to climb his fence and pound on his back door to see if his would answer it.

But no, he would not answer that pounding. He didn't care how many birthday cakes stacked up on the porch or how many puppies were offered to him as potential companions. He would not answer that pounding.

Instead, he huddled in front of the television, watching game shows and plotted.... yes, he plotted. He was plotting his revenge and how he would recoup the money that Ted had stolen from the candy box.

And so, you can imagine his surprise when he heard Mytle say....
"Equality Hermit is it really you?" Equality turned towards Myrtle looked in her eyes and bowed his head he didnt want her to see the blaring deciept he held in his heart but with all the courage he could muster Equality looked Myrtle in the eyes and said...

[Ro]

STOP STOP STOP !!!!


Wrong story, folks.

Back to the other story.

No Ronald. No Candi. No Hermit.

Go up to BetsyP's post. That was the last post for the second story.

Make sure that you backtrack and find the story we are working on now.

[crazyscrapper1010]

chicmimi, on Mar 21 2006, 04:09 PM, said:

"Get me a plane...not a seat on someone else's plane,a real plane!I don't care what it costs or who flies it!" I need to be in Brazil asap and I know you can do this for me...I will make it worth your while...oh, and by the way, can you connect me with someone in your security department? I have some sensitive information that I'm sure will be of interest....
The syrupy-Southern belle was only glad to transfer George's call after giving him her home address so that he might send a small "token of his appreciation" directly to her.She wasn't in the habit of taking bribes but a girl's got to have a bit of play money...
"Mr Rich? This is Maxwell Adams,chief security officer for "Private Planes Going Places".Did I hear correctly from Annabelle that you have some information I need to hear?
George smiled and began to speak slowly and carefully...
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Meanwhile, after purchasing those red pumps at Sears that she had so much drooled over for so many months, Carol decided not to go back to George's office, but thought just maybe she should be just a little bit adventurous herself. She knew just how creepy and sleezy that no-good Tom was and she was tired of his always trying to get the best of George. She decided to flag down the next taxi she would see and then off to the airport to do a little detective work of her own. But first she just couldn't go looking like she was, Tom just might recognize her - after all, she pretty much stood wasn't just your average looking grandmother. First there was her....

[Kimmistil]

Candi finished making the tuna sandwich and took it in to Ronald. After setting it down, she stood reading the new story over his shoulder. "See dear, I kinda figured you wouldn't like those last few pages. I like this second story SO much better. No girlscouts, no aliens and best of all, no Candi 'with an i', who can't figure out what profession she's in.", she laughed. "Now eat your sandwich Ronald, you need the protien and STAY AWAY from the coffee. So.... what's Carol gonna do first?"

[catmiller]

flaming red hair, which she wore in dozens of Shirley Temple ringlets, pinned to the top of her head. She thought she looked as young as a school girl, and to prove it she paired her hair-do up with all the latest styles she found in the junior department at the local JC Penney's. Fortunately for her, she had inherited the petite frame of her great-grandmother Pearl, so fit was never a problem when she was trying on the latest trendy fashions. Today, she wore hip hugging denim jeans, slightly faded in the thigh and rear and accented with rhinestone flowers around the hems. She paired that with a peasant blouse, of filmy white material. It accented her generous bosom nicely, as it criss-crossed her chest snuggly. The chartreause leather boots she wore were just perfect with this ensemble!

Oh, but she couldn't go out like this, that's right. Hmmmmm, she thought to herself. "I know! I've got just the thing . . ." In the back of her car she kept an old pair of overalls, just in case she ever had a flat tire. She pulled them on over her outfit, trading the boots for the old sneakers she had in there, as well. She had a leather jacket in the car, in case of cold weather, and pulled that on, too. "Not bad", she thought to herself, "this could be a new statement!" Last but not least, she had to disguise her hair, somehow. She unpinned the curls from
atop her head and instead pulled them back into a ponytail. Then she pulled on the baseball cap that she usually kept hanging from her rearview mirror. She only had it because it had been a free gift with the purchase of that swimsuit/beach toy package she had bought last year. She'd made a note to herself to never buy a bikini just because it was on sale and paired with freebies after that. Let's just say it was not her best look.

She was ready. She headed to the airport, ready to find out more about what her elusive boss, George, and his rotten son were up to. After all, George wasn't JUST her boss, he was her . . .

[Kimmistil]

George wasn't just her boss, he was her father's illegitimate son. She JUST couldn't bring herself to call him her 'brother'. ewwwwwwwww. Shame on her father, having that affair with his secretary while her mother was giving birth to her. "Oh well" she thought, "let's get to that airport." Putting the car into gear, she started to pull out and heard "thump, thump, thump". "Oh no" she thought. "I jinxed myself when I put on the overalls" Just as Carol starts to get out of the car to change the flat, who should pull up behind her but......

[Sherry_in_AL]

. . .the cute young salesman from Sears -- the one that sold her the red pumps she wanted so badly.

"Hey, sweet thang! What happened to you? And where are those lovely pumps that made your legs look so long and sexy!! And your gorgeous hair -- what have you done to it?"

Trying to compose herself, Carol tried to be cool and sexy (which isn't easy in overalls and a ball cap!!). "Why hello -- are you on your lunch break?"

"Actually", the young salesman stated, "I'm taking the rest of the day off. I have a plane at the airport, and my manager just called to tell me that someone booked a flight. I'm headed to the airport. But I see you have a flat. . . can I help you with that?"

"Oh, that would be so nice!!" Carol gushed. "But I don't happen to have a spare -- I took it to the dealer last week because it was losing air."

Carol was desperate. She couldn't have the cute young man see what she had in the trunk. What if he found out? She had to divert his attention, and quickly!! So she took off the ballcap and flipped her hair around her face and smiled up at him.

Suddenly, another voice spoke up behind her. . .

[LacyT]

‘I have never seen so many “old” people acting like they were in their 20’s!’ remarks Tom with a sneer on his face, looking over Carol's ridiculous outfit. ‘Carol, what are you doing here? And, who is this “boy-toy” you are trying to flirt with?’ he questions sarcastically.

‘What are you doing here Tom?’ Carol demands trying to dodge Toms questions. She never should have put on those stupid overalls and boots. The disguise obviously did not work and made things worse. Luckily he could not see what she had on under which was even worse!!

‘Did dad send you?’ questions Tom, also trying to avoid Carols questions. ‘I don’t understand why you and dad don’t both just retire and leave the business to me! After all, you are both over 60, have enough money, I am sure dad has set you up well after all these years!’ Tom remarks, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

‘Speaking of which,’ states Carol, ‘I am surprised you have never learned to show respect to your elders! I happen to have a flat tire and this nice young man was just helping me. Now that the tire is changed, I must take the bad one to get it fixed and finish the errands I need to run. Your father is expecting me back at the office and I am sure by now he will be wondering what has held me up.’

“Yes, well I need to go and pick my friend up from the airport’ Tom remarks, trying to avoid any other questions. ‘I will give dad a call later, if he asks.’

Carol watches Tom drive toward the airport and wonders how she what she will tell George. After all, she needs to let him know what is going on, but what will she say she was doing here? Should she try and follow Tom or go and let George know what is happening?? She gets into the car and says to herself “ok, I think I need to…

[lauragurrad]

get a real life, one of my own that is not so wrapped up in all this craziness. I am 60 now and not getting any younger. I have plenty of money in the bank and if I am ever going to take it chance, now is the time. What not me? Shake off this craziness and just start over. But where would I go, who would I be, how would I fill the blank page? Arriving at the airport she found herself filled with a sense of freedom that she not known since she was 21. She walked up to the counter and bouught a one way to ticket to....

[pinkunicorn]

get a pedicure. Bright red polish on suntanned toes and I can think and sort this mess out.

Carol closed her eyes as her manicurist released the days tension from her cramped calfs.

I need to clear my mind, I've never been one of those silly women that plunge into something willy nilly and without a plan.

My passport is valid and my penchant for foreign languages will certainly give me an advantage if I have to fly to Rio.

It wouldn't hurt to call Bryce over at State. He can certainly open some doors for me at the Brazilian consulate.

[LacyT]

Rio. That may just be the best idea I have had in years. I have my ticket now, my pedicure is done, all I need to do is grab a few things that I really need. I can always buy things when I get there. George has paid me well over the years and I have enough put away. Oh yes, I need my passport, definitely the passport. I had better check the regulations, I may need my shots updated.

With those thoughts in mind, Carol feels she has a purpose, a plan and begins to put that plan into action.

Tom on the other hand is very worried since his run in with Carol. 'What if she tells dad she saw me here? I think he is suspicious anyway, this will just add to it. I must figure out someone who can cover for me, back up my story for the airport. Besides, I only need just a few more hours and it won't matter any more! He can't do anything as long as I am in Brazil... and I am positive he has no idea I am going there. My plan has worked very well so far. I have all that money in an off-shore account, the women I have conned don't know who I really am. Just a few more hours, and I am free!!

At another location Maxwell Adams, chief security officer for "Private Planes Going Places" is carefully listening to George Rich tell him....

[pinkunicorn]

MPD! Why Mr. Rich, are you sure about that. I certainly have heard about the disorder but I really don't know what I can do to help you.

Have you contacted the physician that is treating your son.

George Rich doesn't suffer fools lightly. Get me your supervisor he bellows...

[lauragurrad]

with visions of beaches and fun clothes, new foods and new friends, neat places and the unknown dancing in her head, Carol decides to through caution to the wind for once in her life and make things happen instead of letting them happen. She hears salsa music in her head as she and her newly painted toes dance toward...