The morning warmth foretold a hot day. Janine stepped through
the door of the Ghostbusters headquarters and rubbed some sweat from her
forehead. Everything was quiet - surely the guys were still asleep. Maybe
they had been out on a mission in the middle of the night.
......The book she had brought smelled old
and dusty. No one seemed to have read it in a very long time, and still
the librarian had said she really should borrow it. Janine opened the
book and was met by letters made by an old fashioned printer. Every letter
had sunk into the paper and the color was reddish brown.
......"No," she muttered to herself. "I don't
understand."
......"What is it you don't understand?"
Egon's bass voice was heard from behind the filing cabinet, and he showed
up with a notepad in his hand.
......"Just this book," said Janine. "It
seems to be in a foreign language."
......"Foreign language," Egon echoed and
picked it up. "Yes, Latin. Don't you speak Latin?"
......"No, I don't," said Janine with a sigh.
"We receptionists don't usually have to learn languages that no sane people
use when they want to talk to each other."
......"The Malleus Maleficarum," mumbled
Egon thoughtfully and gave the book back to Janine. "Why did you get it?"
......"I was recommended to read it. I'll
take it back and ask to get some readable book instead."
......"Did you buy it?" Egon asked.
......"No, borrowed it," Janine answered.
"A small independent library a few blocks from here that I spotted yesterday.
Look, what a pretty library card!"
......She opened her purse, took out her
wallet and pulled out a card from it. With neat and precise style it had
been printed with what seemed to be the same kind of old fashioned printer
as the book had been printed. Esmeralda's Books it said at the top of
the card, beneath Janine's name in maroon ink and at the very bottom she
had written her signature in red ink.
......"Yes, quite original," said Egon and
nodded. "Did they have any more books of this kind?"
......"Oh yes," said Janine. "Lots."
......"Would you mind if I gave you a list
with titles for you to look for?" Egon asked.
......"Okay," said Janine. "I'll do it for
you. I'll go back there tonight."
......"Good. Thank you," said Egon.
* * *
Small brass bells chinked when Janine stepped into the library. No one
seemed to have dusted, even as it was really necessary. Two white cats
looked at her with alert yellow eyes and huddled even more.
......"Miss Melnitz!" enthused the little
short woman she knew by the name Esmeralda. "Have you already finished
the book? What did you think about it?"
......"I don't speak Latin," said Janine
and put the book on the counter. "Besides, I have a list here with books
I'd like to borrow."
......"Oh, let me see," said Esmeralda with
her thick British accent and joyfully studied the dozen titles. "These
are rare books. Are you sure you didn't look closer at the Malleus Maleficarum?
If you try, maybe you'd fancy it.
......"As I said, I don't speak Latin."
......"Well," Esmeralda stressed it and opened
the book, pointed with a reservoir pen and handed it to Janine. "Read
out loud for me."
......"I wish I could," said Janine.
......She let her eyes sweep over the lines
and almost got a shock when she realized that she actually understood.
It was still Latin, but she comprehended every old fashioned sentence.
......"I can read it!" she said in surprise.
......"Of course," said a pleased Esmeralda.
"Sometimes things aren't as hard as they seem."
......"But why?" asked Janine. "This can't
be!"
......"Come here," said Esmeralda and walked
into a small dark room behind the counter. "I've got something for you."
......"More books?" asked Janine.
......"Here," said Esmeralda and handed her
a big gray cat. "His name's Figgins."
......"A cat? I don't want a cat! I can't
take care of him. I'm almost never at home, I work all day."
......"I'm sure he'll be fine. It's just
for a week. I have no one else to ask with this short notice."
......"I'm gonna baby-sit a cat?" wondered
Janine. "Are you serious?"
......"He likes you," beamed Esmeralda as
the cat purred and rubbed its head against Janine's chest. "I'll be leaving
and I can't take all cats with me. Actually, I'm in a bit of a hurry already.
I knew you'd come back tonight and take care of Figgins for me."
......"So you're some kind of oracle," Janine
joked. "Okay, but just for a few days. What does he eat?"
......"Cat food from cans, and the small
nibbles. Here, take this money and buy him food. You're a dear. Now I'll
look for the books for you. Can you wait a second?"
......"Yes, of course," agreed Janine and
put the cat on the floor. Promptly the cat continued to purr and rub its
side against her leg. "I hope it won't be a problem to find them."
......A few minutes later, the plump woman
had found eight of the titles and seemed very proud to write Janine's
name and the date when they should be returned on the first page of the
book.
......"Hope you'll find them interesting,"
said Esmeralda and pushed the pile of books towards Janine on the counter.
"I knew it was meant for you to stop by, when I saw you yesterday."
......"Well, yes," said Janine in confusion
and tried to return the reservoir pen to the woman.
......"No, no, keep it," said Esmeralda and
waved her hands in front of her. "It's a gift to dear customers. I see
you have taste in books," she explained and nodded in the direction of
the books.
......"Thanks," said Janine and put the nice-looking
reservoir pen in her purse. "Now, what do I do with the cat? Can I have
a cat cage?"
......"Here," said Esmeralda after having
bent down behind the counter and found a leash. "Figgins is such a nice
cat, he'll follow along like a well mannered dog."
......Janine attached the leash to the collar
and was given the eight books in a brown bag with handles, made of fabric.
On the outside, the name of the library and the street was sawn upon the
side.
......"Thank you, and goodbye," said Janine.
"I hope you'll have a nice journey."
......"I surely will," nodded Esmeralda with
a smile. "Hope to see you soon, dear!"
......"Well, I have to return Figgins, won't
I," said Janine. "See you."
......The little brass bells chinked again
as she close the door behind her. She looked in the direction of the subway
and thought of how Figgins really wouldn't like to go down the subway,
no matter how well mannered he was. Instead, she walked back to the Ghostbusters
headquarters.
......Winston and Peter were standing next
to Ecto-1, discussing something about Peter not shifting the tires like
he'd promised to. They silenced when they saw Janine with the bag and
the cat.
......"These are for you, Egon," she said
and gave Egon the bag. "And this is Figgins."
......"You got yourself a big cat? Feeling
lonely?" Winston asked.
......"No, I'm babysitting him," said Janine.
"Actually, you are. I can't leave him in my apartment. Surely it won't
be a problem to keep him here for a week? Guys?"
......"We already got a pet ghost," said
Winston with a smile and looked at Egon. "Whaddaya say, big guy? Can we
keep a cat here?"
......"Why not," agreed Egon and patted Figgins
after having taken the books out of the bag and put them on Janine's desk..
"As long as he doesn't enter the lab. That could be dangerous."
......"It's Esmeralda's cat," explained Janine.
"The library woman."
......"You seem to be good friends already,"
said Egon and looked at the books in amazement. "I can't believe she actually
had these books! They are rare."
......"So she said," agreed Janine and nodded.
......"Can I write down a few more titles
for you to look for when you return these?" asked Egon.
......"Sure," Janine answered. "I have a
pen right here. Isn't it pretty? It's a gift from Esmeralda."
......Egon had already grabbed a pen from
Janine's desk and was writing a list of books with a pleased expression
on his face. Janine looked at Esmeralda's pen and weighed it in her hand.
......"I'll be reading these tonight," said
Egon and patted the pile of books on her desk with his left hand, still
writing with the other hand.
......"I wish you could take me to the movies
tonight," Janine said before she knew that thought had turned into spoken
words.
......"If you want to, I will," said Egon
and looked at her with an odd glance.
......"You will?" asked Janine and looked
at Winston in surprise.
......"Yes," said Winston. "I would take
you, too."
......"I can't go with both of you!" laughed
Janine. "I know you like movies, Winston, but I asked Egon first. Is it
a scientific movie you wanna see tonight, Egon?"
......"Anything you like," answered Egon
and put down the pen.
......That was odd. He must be in a good
mood because of the books, Janine thought.
......"Or dinner?" she asked and could barely
look at Egon anymore, as she thought she was on thin ice.
......"What would you like to eat?" asked
Egon and didn't even fold his arms in a self-protective gesture.
......"Come on, Egon, what's the matter,"
asked Janine and smiled shyly.
......"The matter? Nothing," said Egon. "I
just want to do what you want."
......"Then kiss me," smiled Janine and put
her arms out as a joke.
......She froze when he walked the four steps
toward her, put his arms around her and kissed her.
......"Egon!" she gasped when his warm lips
had left hers. "Are you crazy? What did you do that for?"
......He said nothing, but looked at her
and was still standing too close for being Egon.
......"Winston, could you excuse us?" Janine
asked him and put her arms around Egon's waist. "We're busy."
......She leaned towards him and put her
lips against his. He didn't seem to follow and she whispered that she
wished he'd do it again, and more than that. He kissed her back, put his
hands under her blouse and whispered that he loved her.
......Janine could barely stand up. It was
too strange to comprehend. From somewhere across the room she heard Peter
approach them, stop dead and probably stare.
......"Doctor Venkman?" she interrupted the
kissing and asked in a sharp tone. "We're actually busy here."
......"Janine, you're back? What are you
doing?" he gasped. "Egon!"
......"Yes, Peter?" Egon asked.
......"You're making out with Janine!"
......"Affirmative," responded Egon.
......"You're all crazy," said Peter and
walked up the stairs, stopping shortly only to see how the two continued
to kiss.
......"They're gone," breathed Janine and
zipped his coveralls open. "I don't believe this."
......Before she knew it, they were on the
floor between her desk and the filing cabinet. Figgins jumped up on the
desk and groomed himself a bit before tucking his feet under his body
and seemed to fall asleep.
......"Egon, don't stop," she gasped softly
and felt how he lowered himself over her, his hair tickling her forehead.
"Take off your glasses."
......He did so and she took off hers. When
he kissed her again, she dropped the pen she'd been holding. Egon opened
his eyes up wide and seemed to realize what he was doing.
......Something unarticulated came from his
throat and he couldn't get up on his feet fast enough. Janine, with her
blouse open and nearsighted, reached up her arms against him and begged
him to stay.
......"No," he mumbled and turned red in
the face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Please, forgive."
......She picked up her glasses and her pencil,
calling out to him that he forgot his red-rimmed glasses next to her.
He stopped a few steps from the stairs, having zipped up his coveralls,
and looked at her.
......"Come and get your glasses," she begged
him and almost started to cry. "Can't you at least do that?"
......She didn't believe her eyes when he
turned around, came back and leaned down to take his glasses from her
outstretched hand. She closed her blouse with her other hand and felt
hot tears trickle down her cheeks.
......"Why are you like that, Egon?" she
sobbed. "Why did you stop?"
......"Because I couldn't do it," he answered
and looked at her in a mystified way.
......"Please," she begged and wiped away
tears with the back of her hand before she reached out that hand for him.
"Come back. Didn't you like it?"
......He sat down next to her and she looked
at him. He was behaving very peculiar and she took his hand, caressing
it.
......"If you can't do it, then go," she
said.
......Without a word, he stood up and left.
......Figgins miaoed after him and then stared
at Janine. She was still crying and buttoned up her blouse. It was too
confusing and she didn't want to take him out anymore.
......"I don't know why he's doing that,"
she said to Figgins. "It was as if he looked at my face and was disgusted.
I wish I was pretty, Figgins. I wish I was drop dead gorgeous and maybe
he'd like me. Maybe he doesn't like my voice. I wish I sounded like some
singer. Maybe it's the glasses... I wish I didn't need them."
......Figgins put his head to the side and
she smiled at him, taking off the strap and putting it on the counter.
Careful tip-toe steps were heard from the top of the stairs and she sighed.
......"Go ahead, you can come down."
......She lost control of her voice, coughed
a bit and wished she'd look like she hadn't cried.
......"Hi," said Peter and had some silly
smile on his face. "Can I take you out?"
......"I already got two suggestions tonight,"
said Janine and smiled at him.
......"I'm sure you did, but three's the
magic number," Peter pushed it. "Dinner? Right now? I know you'd like
it."
......"Okay," she heard herself say. "I sure
need some company."
......She put the pencil on the counter and
took her purse. Peter seemed head over heels about taking her out and
she was happy that he was so nice, seeming to understand that she needed
some comfort.
......"We busted some ghosts today," he said
and ran a hand through his hair. "They were mean ones, and there were
six of them. I caught five. One grabbed me by the neck and threw me away
like I was a bag of trash. I caught it in my proton beam just when I hit
the floor!"
......Janine looked at Peter and saw him
describe how the bust probably didn't go. He put a lot of effort in making
himself look like the hero, and Janine had to giggle.
......"So what do you like? Mexican for a
hot lady like you? Indian? Thai?"
......"Peter," she smiled and grabbed his
arm friendly-wise. "You're so funny. Thanks for taking me out."
......Peter almost blushed and straightened
his back. He mumbled something and looked at a restaurant further down
the street.
......"This one looks nice," he suggested
and accompanied her into it.
......"This looks very romantic," she said
and giggled again. "You sure know where to take the ladies. An Italian
restaurant."
......"Ladies? What ladies?" asked Peter
with a large smile and let the waiter escort them to a table.
......She studied the menu and noticed how
Peter pretended not to look at her. He put down the folder and stretched
an arm across the table, taking her by the hand.
......"I'm sure you had a rough day. We'll
have a great time. Just relax."
......"Thanks," said Janine and made him
let go of her hand.
......"You're so pretty," sighed Peter and
appeared to lose himself in her eyes.
......"Peter," she said and studied him.
"I wish some more men would say that."
......"They don't?" he asked and looked surprised.
......"Could you excuse me for a minute?"
she begged and stood up. "I'm just going to the ladies room."
......"Of course," he genteelly agreed and
made a sweeping gesture with his hand.
......Janine went to the bathroom and turned
on the faucet. Cold water splashed out and she caught some in her hands,
rubbing it in her face. Her eyes still hurt from having cried and she
looked up and into the mirror. First, she got thoughtful about not wearing
her glasses, but not having noticed because the world seemed perfectly
clear. Then she backed because there was an unfamiliar face in the mirror.
The stranger stared at her with big green fawn-like gaze and her juicy
lips had parted in surprise.
......"That's not me," she whispered to herself.
"That's not me."
to be continued
Written October 21, 2003
By Campi of PKE Online: home.tiscali.se/spengler