A Short Story-- Stadium Seats by Vinnie Starkes

        Brunhilda stared out her kitchen window leaned against the sink, and scrubbed the saucepan slowly. Her little Border Terrier, Fritzi, stared at a thick bush. He was poised, and only the light hairs on his back and neck fluffed in the afternoon breezes. He remained rigid because he had tracked and cornered a lizard.
        She was unaware of the soapy film surrounding her hands, and for a short moment, her thoughts were only of her small pet whose rust brown and black colors made him quite visible in the bright sunlight of the early afternoon day.
        Her thoughts were only of her trusty protector. She smiled again. Fritzi was indeed a dog that possessed impeccable guard-dog instincts except when he caught site of an alligator lizard. The lizards seemed to tease Fritzi as they scrambled quickly from sight, running along sidewalks and the tops of block wall fences. He stared for long periods of time and finally turned and ran to another part of the yard as another lizard disappeared from his view. He found another place to guard.
        She rinsed the pan and placed it in the drainer. Glancing up at the mouse wall clock she wondered what Morgana had in mind when she shouted on the telephone, “Please Brunhilda..Please! You’ve got to come over at three this afternoon. I’ve got one of the most interesting surprises to tell you.”
        Noting that it was almost three o’clock, she wiped her hands on a towel, placed it over the few dishes and pans in the drainer, started out of the kitchen. She checked her face in the small wall mirror and walked into her dining room.
        She picked up her purse and hurried to the front door, locked it, and moved quickly across the street. “What does the woman have in mind?” she thought about her best friend. She’s nutty sometimes, coming up with stark and frightening plots and alleged conspiracies_not one of them has proven to be true. I just hope this time...”
        Brunhilda stepped up the three front concrete stairs of Morgana’s front porch and was startled as Morgana swung her door open wide.
        “I’m glad you’re on time, Brunhilda, darling. Hurry! Come inside quickly. It’s too hot to dally.”
        Brunhilda frowned and turned and looked at Morgana. She wore a new black jogging suit and Brunhilda wondered why.
        “What’s that for?” she asked, feeling the fleece.
        “You’ll see, and I’m certain you’ll understand.” Morgana led the way into the kitchen.
        “What’s up, Morgana. For heaven’s sake. Isn’t that suit too tight for you? I’ve not seen you this excited since...”
        “No time for small talk, my dear,” Morgana said. She pulled a chair away from the small round table and motioned Brunhilda to be seated. “Do you remember all the hassle about that Government Insurance Program we went through some time ago?”
        “You went through, darling,” Brunhilda said. She looked down at the cup of coffee and watched steam rise from it.. “For me?” she asked.
        “Of course,” Morgana said as she moved the sugar bowl and a small cream pitcher close to Brunhilda.
        “Thanks.”
        “Well, anyway, I have always contended that strange things are going on at that new theater complex, down by...”
        “Yes, dear, I know,” Brunhilda said as she poured milk and two teaspoons of sugar and stirred slowly. “Something going on down there, as you put it, besides showing movies.” She tasted the coffee. “Your coffee is always heavenly, Morgana. Always.”
        Morgana smiled and arched her eyebrows. “Well you know what I mean about that place.” She stiffened her back. “If you remember the puzzlement by the entire community when those old people disappeared...”
        “Morgana, what in heaven’s name are you talking about? Sometimes, you get going and I don’t understand anything you’re talking about.”
        “Brunhilda!” Morgana said pressing back against her chair. “Do you or do you not remember the stir when old Mr. Ehlers, the Baxter twins, Frank and Sarah Garabaldi and who knows how many other people disappeared...”
        “How do you know they disappeared? Some people say they left town and...”
        Morgana interrupted. “And others, myself included, believe there is a conspiracy to...”
        “Morgana, please,” Brunhilda said. “I don’t want to talk about that. Even the thought is so hideous. It upsets me to even think about it. My gosh, Morgana, even the Feds didn’t find enough wrong to start an investigation...”
        “Well, Brunhilda, my dear, I wrote and wrote, here and there, and finally got a response from none other than the President.”
        “...of the U.S.?” Brunhilda asked.
        “None other.”
        Brunhilda’s mouth fell open.“What kind of response did you get?”
        “An invitation to attend a very special and very private and secret meeting. I’m already violating one of the rules by telling you about it...” She stopped talking and screwed up her mouth.
        Brunhilda knew she was thinking hard.
        “It’s all very strange,” Morgana said, in a tone that told Brunhilda her friend was puzzled about something she wasn’t talking about.
        “In what way, darling,” Brunhilda asked.
        “I just had the thought that the squeaky wheel gets greased. Can you believe that one?”
        “I know that thought must have meaning, but...”
        “Hmm!” Morgana said.
        Brunhilda sipped her coffee. “But, Morgana, tell me about this invitation, or response, or whatever it is.”
        “I can’t. I really can’t. It would spoil everything. But you’ll know soon enough.”
        “Did it come in the mail?”
        “UPS,” Morgana said.
        “Oh?”
        “Yes, just this morning.”
        “Well, Morgana, can I go with you?”
        “No, darling. I just wanted you to know, just in case...”
        “In case what, Morgana?”
        “Just in case, my dear. You’re my dearest friend and...”
        “Are you feeling OK, Morgana?” Brunhilda set her empty cup down in the saucer.
        “Yes, of course,” Morgana said. Her yes was not convincing.
        Brunhilda knew from Morgana’s attitude it was time for her to leave.
        “Well, let me know what happens, whatever is going on,” she said, stood and stretched backward. “My back has been bothering me more and more. Did you ever believe we would live to be seventy years?”
        “We’ll see,” Morgana said as she followed Brunhilda back into the front room. “We’ve only got eight more years to find out.
        Brunhilda stood at the front door and frowned as she looked at her friend.. “Morgana, are you sure you’re feeling OK? You look preoccupied with...”
        “Yes. Don’t worry. I’ll show you the invitation soon, probably tomorrow.”
        Brunhilda shrugged her shoulders and opened the door. The hot summer air rushed into the hallway. “When is the meeting?”
        “Tonight. I guess I forgot to mention that, didn’t I?”
        “Oh!” Brunhilda folded her arms and appeared defensive.
        “It won’t be like going to a movie, you know. Those damned stadium seats in that new theater complex. I hate them. Climbing the stairs and all!”
        Brunhilda relaxed and smiled at her friend as the door closed behind her. She hurried down the stairs, shrugging her shoulders and talking to herself. Moving across the lawn and sidewalk she stepped quickly across the street. She noticed a car and two figures sitting in it in front of the Simpson’s house. She didn’t recognize the car and she couldn’t see inside the vehicle to identify the people inside. She knew they were men. They’re strangers, she thought. Yep. Strangers.
        She unlocked her front door and hurried inside, locking the door. She was out of breath. She rubbed her fingers together and thought about what she had to do. She would let Fritzi in and trust he had finished chasing and staring at lizards. She rushed through her house and opened the rear door. Fritzi sat up and held a piece of cloth in his mouth. She reached down, took the cloth from him as he wagged his tail, and recognized it as torn trouser material. Probably from a pant leg. She stepped outside and asked Fritzi where he got the cloth. She looked at her back fence and noticed a broken slat. When did that slat get broken? she wondered.
        Her heart beat rapidly. She touched her neck and felt her pulse. Maybe someone’s in the house? No. Can’t be. House was locked while I was at Morgana’s.
        Fritzi followed her into the rear hall and she closed and locked the back door. She decided to quickly search the house and satisfied herself that she was alone. Her breathing returned to normal.
        I love Morgana, she thought, but she gets me excited and for nothing. I’ll never understand that woman! It’s one mystery after another!
        She walked to the sink, took out the dishes and pans, put them away and decided to have an early dinner. I hope Morgana has an interesting night at her meeting. Where was the meeting to be held? Oh, I don’t remember. Did she say she got an invitation to that new theater complex? It couldn’t have been there. What did she say about those stadium seats?
        Coughing, she felt confused as she walked around the kitchen table to the refrigerator and opened the door. I bet she’ll have more fun than I wherever she’s going. I’m tired. I’m going to eat something that’s easy to fix, have dinner and go to bed. I’m tired. I’m almost sixty-two years old, same as Morgana, and I deserve to be tired. She looked through the refrigerator shelves. Sixty-two and I’ll soon be seventy. Woe!
        Taking a small steak from the freezer, she opened the microwave and set it on defrost.

        Before Brunhilda realized the passage of time, she stood once again at the kitchen sink and finished placing the last dish in the drain. She covered them and decided she would put the silver, dishes and pans away in the morning. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and heaved a sigh.
        Morgana was heavy on her mind. She turned off the kitchen light and shuffled, rubbing her hip briskly, to her bedroom.
        She undressed, once again thought about why she lived alone, and pulled her cotton nightgown over her head. She pulled her under panties up to under her breasts and was satisfied she was ready for bed. She lay back and covered herself.
        Morgana! Why is she so much on my mind. Is she healthy? I mean, really healthy? I wish, I really wish I understood what we talked about this afternoon.
        She turned off her bedroom night stand light.
        Why wouldn’t she confide in me? What is going on? She doesn’t take no for an answer, and I don’t understand about that damned meeting or response or invitation, or...
        Brunhilda coughed a few times, cleared her throat and dozed. Soon she was in deep sleep.



        Brunhilda sat up in her bed, startled by the ringing telephone. What is it? she thought. Oh! Damned telephone!
        She coughed as she reached for it.
        “Yes?” she said.
        “Brunhilda?”
        “Yes. Who is this? Mary Jane?”
        “Yes. Did I wake you?”
        “Yes, but that’s OK.” She cleared her throat. “What do you want?”
        Brunhilda imagined the last time she had seen Mary Jane. It certainly wasn’t recently. The vision was clear. She had taken snapshots of Mary Jane and Morgana, arm in arm. She remembered thinking how much Mary Jane resembled Morgana. They could be twins if there weren’t forty years age difference. Both overweight, plump, well...
        “I can’t get Aunt Morgana on the telephone, and I thought she might be at your place.”
        “At this time of day?” Brunhilda asked and reached for her glasses. “What time is it, anyway?”
        “It’s almost one o’clock. It’s afternoon, Brunhilda.”
        Brunhilda gasped. “I can’t believe I slept this long.”
        She threw her covers off and rolled over to sit on the edge of the bed, scratching her side.
        “Mary Jane. Are you telling me that Morgana isn’t at home?”
        “No. And her front door is locked. I’m concerned.”         “You have a key don’t you, Mary Jane?”
        “I’ve misplaced the darned thing...”
        “Well, I have a key. I’ll go over with you and we can open the door together, if you want to. Where are you now?”
        “In my car in front of Aunt Morgana’s house.”
        “Oh. You’re on your cel phone, huh? And you’re across the street?”
        “Yes.”
        “Is it hot today?”
        “No. I can wait for you in my car.”
        “I’ll hurry, honey,” Brunhilda said and hung up. No time to get cleaned up, she thought as she fumbled the phone back into the cradle.
        She stood up and stretched. “Wish my back didn’t ache, but oh wow,” she said as she stepped out of her nightgown. “I’m gonna’ hate being sixty-two with aches and pains and...”

        Mary Jane closed her car door as Brunhilda crossed the street. Brunhilda watched as Mary Jane glanced at the car that was still parked toward the end of the street.
        Who are those creeps? Brunhilda thought. It was strange that Mary Jane wasn’t smiling at her as she hurried up to her. She couldn’t figure out why the men just sat and stared.
        “What’s going on? Where’s your aunt?” “Hurry, Brunhilda. We’ve got to get into the house and fast.”
        Brunhilda frowned as Mary Jane took her arm.        They walked up the front walk to Morgana’s porch.
        “Here’s my key,” Brunhilda said. “You can open the door.
What are you doing?” she asked as Mary Jane looked at the key. “And, don’t walk so damned fast.”
        “This is the key, all right...”
        “Well of course it is,” Brunhilda said, as she followed Mary Jane onto the porch.
        Mary Jane opened the door and sighed.
        “You act like you’re happy,” Brunhilda said. “What is it you’re not telling me?”
        As Mary Jane shut the door and leaned back against it, she seemed anxious, but a quiet and mounting terror spread through Brunhilda. She stood back far enough to see through the front windows as the two men approached the front porch. She backed slowly into the livingroom and thought that Mary Jane looked wild-eyed.
        “They’re gonna’ kill me,” was the thought that wouldn’t leave her. Mary Jane frowned and moved slowly toward Brunhilda.
        “What’s the matter?” Mary Jane asked. She walked toward Brunhilda.
        “What’s the matter with you, Mary Jane? That’s the big question here.”
        Brunhilda stopped talking as she heard the men’s footsteps on the concrete porch. The doorbell rang. Her heart jumped. She clasped her chest.
        Mary Jane put her finger to her lips. Be quiet! she mouthed.
        “What the hell should we be quiet about?” Brunhilda whispered. Her face flushed and her heart beat faster.
        “Step out of sight, Brunhilda. I don’t want them to see you standing there.”
        Brunhilda rolled her eyes and stepped out of sight. We’re both going to die right here in this front room. I know it. I know it. She listened.
        Mary Jane opened the door and said, “Good morning, gentlemen.”
        “Good morning ma’am,” a deep voice said. “We’re inquiring about Mrs. Morgana Celeste.”
        “Oh?” Mary Jane replied.
        “Yes, ma’am. You see, we’re from the Government and she had a special invitation to meet the President...”
        “The President?” Mary Jane asked.
        “Yes, the President, ma’am.” He noted her confusion. “The President of the United States, ma’am.”
        Mary Jane’s mouth fell open. “Why?” Mary Jane asked.
        The second man asked, “May I ask what relation Mrs. Celeste is to you, if any?”
        “She’s my aunt. My father’s sister.”
        “Ah! Well she didn’t show up last night, and we wondered why? If you could get in touch with her and tell her tonight will work just as well...”
        “Yes. I shall do that.”
        “The time is still 9:00 P. M. as it was last night, and...”
        “I’ll tell her,” Mary Jane said. Tell her? Hell! I’ve got to find her first.
        She closed the door. Brunhilda stepped forward and listened as the men’s footsteps grew fainter.
        “What in hell? Do you know where Morgana is?”
        “No. And, Brunhilda, now I’m really scared...”
        Brunhilda screamed.
        “Sh!” Mary Jane said and pulled Brunhilda close to her.
        “Why did you tell those men everything they wanted to know? You don’t know who they really are.”
        “They showed me I.D. And, yes, unfortunately I do know who they are.”
        Mary Jane caressed Brunhilda’s shoulders and let go of her. “I’m beginning to think Aunt Morgana had it right. Right on the nail’s head. I wish she wasn’t so damned smart. She sees through every plot.”
        “Mary Jane! You said that exactly the same way Morgana has said it me many times. You even sounded like her,” Brunhilda said as she followed Mary Jane down the hall toward Morgana’s bedroom.
        “Follow me in here,” Mary Jane said.
        “I am following you.”
        “In here, Brunhilda.”
        “What are you doing, Mary Jane?”
        “I’m looking for the invitation they talked about and ...”
        “Why are you looking in her bedroom?”
        Mary Jane stood up straight and asked, “Where do you think I should look?”
        “The kitchen.”
        “Why?”
        Brunhilda arched an eyebrow and remained silent. She was beginning to feel more comfortable with Mary Jane. They were almost a team.
        Mary Jane laughed. “OK! Where in the kitchen?”
        Brunhilda followed Mary Jane again. She stood in front of the range, put her hands on her hips and asked, “Where?”
        “Under the board under the table, I bet,” Brunhilda said.
        Mary Jane went to her knees and crawled under the table. She lay on her back and reached up. “What’s this board here for?”
        “Your aunt used it to make the table stronger several years ago. And I know she had hidden important papers there before, so...”
        Mary Jane jumped to her feet.
        “You still know how to do that, don’t you?”
        “Brunhilda, my friend, once a gymnast, always a gymnast. I may be twenty-two but I’m in good shape.”
        “Is that the invitation?”
        “I think so.” Mary Jane frowned.
        “What’s the matter?” Brunhilda asked.
        One thing’s wrong,” Mary Jane said.
        “What?” Brunhilda asked as she sat down in her usual chair.
        “Those men said that the invitation applied to tonight also...”
        “Yes?”
        “It doesn’t say that here.”
        Brunhilda’s heart began to pound. “Well what does it say?”
        “It says, ’At your convenience.’ It gives a time 9:00 P. M. but the date apparently is open. Not last night or tonight. An open invitation.”
        “Crazy damned thing,” Brunhilda said.
        “Something else here.”
        “What else, Mary Jane. I don’t know if I can take much more of this...”
        “It says, “Select the theater showing ’Big Scandal.’ Have you heard of that movie?”
        “No.”
        “How many theaters are there in the complex?”
        “Thirty different movie shows you can choose from. Why?”
        “I’m going there tonight.”
        “Why?”
        “To go to a show, of course.”
        Mary Jane strolled to the dressing table and sat down, drummed the glass top with her fingers, and stared at her reflection. “I’m going to wear the jogging outfit that Aunt Morgana bought for me_my birthday present you know.” She didn’t tell Brunhilda that she would make herself up to look like her aunt, Morgana.
        “What are you thinking?” Brunhilda asked. She squinted.
        “I’m wondering why one of the Government men has a tear in his pant leg...”
        “What?” Brunhilda screamed.
        “Yeah. Aren’t they always supposed to be dressed neatly?”
        Brunhilda trembled. “I’ve got to tell you this. I took a piece of material from Fritzi. It could have been from trousers.”
        “At least they didn’t kill Fritzi,” Mary Jane said.
        Brunhilda gasped. “They wouldn’t,” she bellowed. She went silent. “She looked at Mary Jane. “Wait a minute here. You mean they were in my house?”
        Mary Jane nodded. “Probably.”
        “Ach!” Brunhilda said. She swore in German.
        “Why?”
        “I’m not certain. It may be they were looking for the key.”
        “What key?”
        “This key!”
        “You mean my key to Morgana’s house?”
        “Yes. This key. And I think I know why.? Mary Jane took Brunhilda by the shoulders and walked with her back into the front room to the front door. “I want you to go home. Lock your doors; if you hear anything suspicious, then call the police, 911, OK?”
        “What are you going to do?”
        “I’ll call you later.”
        Brunhilda grabbed Mary Jane’s arm. How did they know I had a key?”
        “When I find out I’ll let you know.”
        Mary Jane couldn’t wait for Brunhilda to leave. She shut the door and watched her cross the street, walk up her front lawn and enter her house. She locked the door and ran to the back door. She ran quickly across the back lawn and opened the garage doors. Morgana’s car is gone! She checked both directions in the alley and ran back into Morgana’s house.
        She hurried through the house and peaked out through the front drapes. “They’re still sitting. Still waiting. Wonder if they are waiting for me?” she said softly. “One way to find out.”
        She walked out onto the porch, turned, locked the door and strolled casually down to her car parked at the curb. She pretended not to notice the two men in the car but she knew they watched her closely.
        Quickly climbing into the car, she started the engine, turned into Morgana’s driveway and drove away in the opposite direction, past the Government car. She accelerated to the corner and sped away.
        As she turned the corner, she saw the Government car. Slow drivers, she thought. She turned again and didn’t see them at the corner. “Aha,” she said and laughed. “They got caught by a red light. I wish I had noted their Government license plate identification.”
        She continued toward the alley, turned and quickly pulled into Morgana’s garage. “Good thing Auntie keeps her garage empty and parks her car in the front driveway.”
        She jumped out, closed the garage doors, and hurried into the house. She ran to the front room and opened the drapes enough to be able to see down the length of the block without being seen. “They’re not back yet. I’ve got to get ready.”
        She ran to her aunt’s bedroom and reread the invitation then took off her dress and slip and put on the jogging clothes. She sat and continued to glance at her face in the mirror. “They won’t look at my hands,.but, just in case...” She lit a candle and dripped wax on the backs of her hands. “There! They look a little older.” She looked at her wristwatch. “It’s almost two. Seven hours and I’ll be more than ready.”
        She looked into the mirror and ran her fingers over her face. “I have to age my face, like Morgana and I have done before. She thought about the many times they played Clown face and Makeup. They passed many hours having great fun together while Aunt Morgana told of different conspiracies by governments, people, businesses-- and had everything documented in her archives somewhere.
        “ I’ve got to get the stuff from the makeup kit and my voice, I’ve got to sound older, weaker and...” She lowered her voice as she applied latex streaks to her face. “I know you’re nervous, Mary Jane, but the crime is horrendous too, if indeed it is a crime. Remember that. An ordinary citizen wouldn’t believe this was going on.”
        The telephone rang. She looked down at the extension on the night stand. It rang several times. She heard Morgana’s answering machine in the kitchen. She waited. The caller didn’t leave a message.
        She breathed deeply again and dabbed powder over her face and picked up the frames of her aunt’s old glasses. “We’re getting there,” she said. “I really do look like Morgana. I’ve gotta look like her and I’ve got the time before 9:00 P.M.” She giggled. “I wish my heart would calm down. I can’t believe I’m gonna’ do this, but I am.”
        She sat for a few moments and calmed herself. It’s one thing to speculate about plots and conspiracies. It’s another thing to try and prove a conspiracy,” she heard Morgana tell her, “and if the time comes that we are presented with more information about the large theater that had more than one purpose... they’re going to use that complex to do harm to Americans. I know it, especially, old people.”
        She heard her own voice, “...but how do you know?”
        “I have evidence. Evidence that is beyond dispute.”
        “Tell me what it is, please Morgana,” Mary Jane said.
        “No. I’ll tell you what we both must do when and if it is necessary to do it, but nothing more. I don’t want you to know, specifically. If you don’t know details, they can’t harm you then...”
        She stared at herself in the mirror again, knew she would imitate her aunt’s posture and manners-- she’d been doing it since she was a child-- stood and slowly stooped forward. She smiled again at her posture.
        Picking up a purse, she put the invitation inside and turned slowly to view herself again-- to practice. “Lookin’ good Mary Jane.”

        The afternoon hours went quickly as Mary Jane continued to act like Morgana. She drank juices and used the bathroom, but didn’t flush the toilet. She wanted to remain as quiet as she could in case they were listening.
        Satisfied that she was ready and had psyched herself into calmness, she saw herself in her gymnastic events with that same calmness. It’s all in the mind, she thought. You can be what you think you want to be.
        She walked slowly out the back door to the garage. She backed the car out of the garage, drove down the alley, then turned onto Fourth Street toward the theater complex.

        Mary Jane walked up to the usher. She handed him the invitation. “Oh!” he said. “Do you see that gentleman over there in the green suit and gray topcoat?”
        “Yes,” Mary Jane said. He was one of the men she had met in the morning. She hoped she could fool him.
        “Well. Oh look, he’s looking at us.” The usher waved to him. The man nodded and motioned for Mary Jane to come to him.
        She walked slowly, limping, and hoped her years of pretending with her aunt would prove valuable.
        “Please ma’am, here. Ah! You’re Mrs. Hastings, right?”
        “Yes, young man,” she said. “I couldn’t make the show last evening. And yes, I know you’re wondering where I’ve been today. My niece, Mary Jane Fellows, told me about your visit.” She watched as he perused the invitation. “You know young man, when you get older you can’t do things as fast as or exactly when you want to. I’m glad that I could come here tonight though...” She turned and noticed other older people walking toward them.
        “The invitation looks OK! Follow this young usher and he’ll take you to the correct theater.”
        “Thank you,” Mary Jane said and knew she had tricked the Government man. She followed the young usher to the theater, read the marquee sign, “Big Scandal,” and followed him into the theater. She sat in front and noted about twenty older persons already seated.
        Interesting, she thought. You were probably right, Aunt Morgana. Now what’s going to happen?”
        Mary Jane settled back in her seat and braced her arms hard against the armrests. She moved her leg nervously and waited for the show to begin or someone to appear and give a speech. She looked up at the changing signs on the large screen. Welcome Focus Group Number 10, flashed on and off. She read the message and instructions. There were now about forty people seated in the theater. The screen blanked and suddenly a picture of the President appeared. She felt a rumble as though a train passed underneath where she sat. She held on tight as the floor of the theater began to lower. We’re going down, she thought. Down! Down!

End of Excerpt from Stadium Seats

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