#3

                               NEW WAYS- NO WAY

Joseph, whose Mom still insists on calling him, Yussel, unlocked his office door as usual the same way he did the other six days of the week- 9 a.m.-promptly 9 a.m. His portfolio tucked safely under his arm, he was anxious and ready to get the day moving. In his bones he was sure this would be the beginning of an upswing.

Wrong! Aging ungracefully, Miss Gladys was not at her desk. A guttural gasp shook him into shock. The desk top was helter skelter. Framed photos of grown children and her grandchildren were lying on the floor. Shards of glass almost sparkled when sunlight came thru the office windows. Miss Gladys' swivel ladder back chair was over-turned. Its attached pillows held on tightly. The phone was on the floor, silence filled the room, except for Joseph's heaving, wringing his hands.

 

In a turmoil he wept out loud, spouting words to Miss Gladys he had never dared say. 'Where are you? Where are you? I need you. You  are everything to me, my right hand, my very life.'

 

Trying to clear his mind, he reached to lift Miss Gladys' chair and pulled back. Mumbled words dropped from his lips. 'Stupid man. Don't touch anything. Call the police.' He pulled his perfectly folded handkerchief from his back pocket and lifted the phone, set it straight on the messed up desk  and got a dial tone. 411 answered at once and he babbled out what he could. Sirens sounded quickly. Kerchief still in his hand, he opened the office door and let the Captain in first. What seemed like a mob of officers followed the white hat. Each had his own notebook, pens and pencils in their jacket pockets. Captain Belmore assigned each man a small section and the two women officers were to classify the desk area.

 

My god, Jussel mumbled. 'Captain, Captain, my right hand is missing!' He bellowed. 'Gladys, Gladys, where are you?' His tears could not be held back.
The brilliant Captain looked at Joseph and declared Joseph's hand was ok, still attached to his arm. 

 

No one laughed when the Captain hit the floor.