Comments, complaints and just plain talk to sheryl_martin@tvo.org or sheryl_martin@daystorm.com
Comicsby Sheryl Martin
Dana Scully looked over the screen of her laptop at the man sprawled across his desk at the other side of the room. He yawned, stretching his long lanky legs out even further across the floor, if that were possible. Reaching over, she wadded up a piece of paper, expertly sending it over to land in his lap, disturbing his reading.
ÒHey!Ó Fox Mulder tossed it back. ÒIÕm busy...Ó
ÒReading a comic book?Ó She pushed her glasses further up her face. ÒMulder, reading Mars Attacks hardly qualifies as research, in case you were interested...Ó
ÒYah, but all the women look like you...Ó He joked. ÒBesides, comic books have been shown to be great teaching tools for children.Ó
ÒAnd whatÕs your excuse?Ó
ÒI like to look at the pictures.Ó Fox put the comic down. ÒDonÕt tell me you never read any when you were younger.Ó
ÒOf course I did...Ó
ÒLet me guess...Ó He put a finger on his chin, frowning. ÒBarbie? Archie? Romance Comics?Ó
She chuckled. ÒWay off, Mulder. My brothers lived for Sgt. Rock and Easy Company; Superman; Tales From The Crypt...Ó
ÒWhich explains where you learnt to do autopsies...Ó She stuck her tongue out at him at this comment. ÒI used to read a lot of Peanuts... always wondered when Charlie Brown was going to get that kite out of the tree...Ó His eyes went distant. ÒUsed to read a lot of things...Ó
Dana snapped the top of her laptop down with a bang. ÒRight... IÕm out of here. I canÕt finish this report right now... want to grab a bite before I drop you off?Ó
ÒSure... IÕll meet you at the car. Just let me lock up here.Ó
She nodded, picking her coat up from the chair and leaving the office. Fox walked around, turning off the few lights. He stopped to stare at the poster, remembering where he had found it... and how many times he had wondered if he wasnÕt just chasing footballs to have them pulled away at the last minute...
ÒThe little red-haired girl.Ó He spun to see Dana standing in the doorway. She repeated herself. ÒCharlie BrownÕs girlfriend - the one he never got to kiss - the little red-haired girl.Ó
ÒWell, he did try...Ó Fox smiled, reaching for his coat. ÒBut it was just never the right time...Ó
ÒKeep reading those comics, Mulder... you never know what youÕll find in the funny pages... even Charlie BrownÕs got to get lucky someday...Ó She held the door open for him with a smile.
ÒSomeday.Ó He grinned, walking out. She closed the door silently, turning the key in the lock before joining him.
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