Di Blythe and Persis Ford were to set up house keeping in a flat on Lloyd
Street. The flat was not a luxurious one and the walls were bare, the paint
showing its age with cracks. Some mildew was apparent in the bathroom and
the electric wiring looked a bit unsafe. After a few minutes of settling in
Persis said, "Well, it's a blank canvas." "It's wired for electricity, back
at home we've only just been wired", Di pointed out another advantage to
the flat. Stretched to find more advantages, they contemplated the wisdom
of unpacking their clean possessions and putting them away in the old,
musty wardrobes. "It's no use Persis, we'll have to have help to clean and
repair the place to make it liveable." Said Di, sitting down on a rather
unstable chair. "We'll never be able to do this alone, Di and we have to
sleep here TONIGHT." Replied Persis, declining Di's motion to her to sit on
a chair beside her. "Aha, I have an idea," said Di. "Felix got us into
this, he's going to have to help us. I'm going to find a telephone and call
him to come over."
Di's idea, was not as simple as it sounded, for no 'phone was available on their floor, or any other visible place in the building. "If my mother knew were I was living," muttered Persis. "Just be grateful she doesn't," was Di's comforting response. After a search lasting the better part of an hour Persis said, "I rather hoped it wouldn't come to this, but it has. I think we should tackle the landlady." "I'd almost prefer to live in the flat as it is rather than tackle the land lady," said Di.
Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell, christened Mrs. Triple C by the girls was an interesting lady, to put it mildly. She was nearly as wide as she was tall (admittedly, that is not saying very much since she measured 4 feet nine inches in her heals), her gray hair was covered by a green and purple befeathered. It was impossible to estimate Mrs. Triples C's age, the girls guessed anywhere between forty and a hundred. Mrs. Triple C had her own sense of fashion, believing long flowing gowns never could go out of style (or perhaps she couldn't find dresses to fit her vertically lacking form). Mr. Triple C appeared to be out of the picture for some time, but she did not live alone. A whole brood of cats lived in the first floor flat along with the landlady.
The girls had met Mrs. Triple C that morning while getting their keys; they didn't quite know how to stomach the lady. Di knocked on the door using the large brass knocker shaped as a Siamese cat. No one came to the door, Persis tried a second time, and this time they heard movement form within, a cat growled and a sound of shattering glass. The girls looked one at the other, as if saying, perhaps we should come back later. "I'll knock one more time and if no one answers I guess we'll have to go find a 'phone somewhere else," said Di and knocked one last time. Seconds later Mrs. Triple C came to the door, "Oh, it's you," she said. The girls couldn't tell if she was disappointed or relieved.
"I'm so happy we caught you, we thought no one was home," said Persis.
"What made you think that?" asked the landlady, clearly confused.
Di looked at Persis and Persis looked at Di, they were each hoping the other had something to say by way of explanation that would not sound rude. Persis couldn't take the silence, "We knocked, three times and when no one came to the door we assumed that no one was home, I'm sorry, that was pretentious."
"I never answer the door before the third knock," said Mrs. Triple C, nonchalantly. "That's how I know it it's really important, if you really need me you'll wait 'till I come, if you don't wait, then I reckon it 'aint important enough. Now what do you new girls want?"
Di thought they might be invited in, but Mrs. Triple C gave no hint to the fact, so the girls remained standing in the corridor.
"Mrs. Triple C, can we please-" began Persis before feeling a pinch in her back (rather too strong a pinch, she should think) and a glare from Di. Mrs. Triple C stared at Persis blankly, not understanding the reference or the cause for the startled look in Persis' eyes. Di took it upon herself to patch things up, "Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell, is such a long name we thought Mrs. Triple C was an easier name to remember. No offence was meant, you must believe us." Di's last words were said with urgency.
Mrs. Triple C laughed a hearty laugh; the girls could not believe such big sounds were coming from such a small person. "I assure you no offence was taken, what a clever idea. Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell is quite a long name for such a small me. You have my permission to call me by that name anytime you like. Now girls do you need anything else or did you come just to acquaint me to my new name?"
"We'd like to use the telephone," Di said.
"Really? Why'd you come here then?" Mrs. Triple C was confused.
"Can we please use your 'phone?" reiterated Di.
"Of course you'd be able to use my 'phone, what kind of landlady do you think I am, not letting my tenants use the 'phone, really what you must think of me," Was Mrs. Triple C's response.
Di was beginning to loose her patience at this point (a search party was already formed to find Persis')."May we come in and use your 'phone?" Di could not think of a better way to put the question.
"I never let tenants in before I'm properly acquainted with them and I haven't been properly acquainted with you," answered Mrs. Triple C.
Persis could take it no longer she pulled Di's sleeve and said to her, "it's no use let's go find a 'phone somewhere else." Di, agreeing with Persis joined her as they started towards the front door.
"You should try Mr. Green's confectionary shop down the corner of the road, that's where most of my tenants use the phone." She yelled after them and to herself she added quite audibly, "those new fangled telephones, couldn't catch me near one of those, they likely will steal your soul."
The girls still did not know what to think of their landlady, it was impossible to like the woman but harder yet to dislike her. Judgment was suspended to a time when they were at leisure to way the evidence. This was getting to be an emergency; they must find a telephone and call Felix.
Mr. Green's confectionary shop was hard to miss, a large green sign read just that: Mr. Green's Confectionary Shop. Mr. Green was middle aged, balding and budging around the middle. His face had a broad smile on it making him look almost handsome. "What can I do for you ladies?" he asked with a seductive twinkle in his eyes. Persis and Di could not lift their respective eyes from the large selection of confectionary on display. Persis began pointing at various colorful looking piles dumbfound. Di had to use force in order to remind her they were there on a mission. "Do you have a telephone?" One could not be to clear.
"Would you like to use it? Step in side and I'll show you. The rate was set and Di continued to call Felix up while Persis made herself busy choosing from Mr. Green's merchandise. "We'll have something to serve Felix when he comes," rationalized Persis. Good-natured Felix was glad to be useful to the girls; he said he'd be over soon bringing some equipment and extra hands along. The girls returned to their flat, carrying Persis' spoils with them.
Di's idea, was not as simple as it sounded, for no 'phone was available on their floor, or any other visible place in the building. "If my mother knew were I was living," muttered Persis. "Just be grateful she doesn't," was Di's comforting response. After a search lasting the better part of an hour Persis said, "I rather hoped it wouldn't come to this, but it has. I think we should tackle the landlady." "I'd almost prefer to live in the flat as it is rather than tackle the land lady," said Di.
Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell, christened Mrs. Triple C by the girls was an interesting lady, to put it mildly. She was nearly as wide as she was tall (admittedly, that is not saying very much since she measured 4 feet nine inches in her heals), her gray hair was covered by a green and purple befeathered. It was impossible to estimate Mrs. Triples C's age, the girls guessed anywhere between forty and a hundred. Mrs. Triple C had her own sense of fashion, believing long flowing gowns never could go out of style (or perhaps she couldn't find dresses to fit her vertically lacking form). Mr. Triple C appeared to be out of the picture for some time, but she did not live alone. A whole brood of cats lived in the first floor flat along with the landlady.
The girls had met Mrs. Triple C that morning while getting their keys; they didn't quite know how to stomach the lady. Di knocked on the door using the large brass knocker shaped as a Siamese cat. No one came to the door, Persis tried a second time, and this time they heard movement form within, a cat growled and a sound of shattering glass. The girls looked one at the other, as if saying, perhaps we should come back later. "I'll knock one more time and if no one answers I guess we'll have to go find a 'phone somewhere else," said Di and knocked one last time. Seconds later Mrs. Triple C came to the door, "Oh, it's you," she said. The girls couldn't tell if she was disappointed or relieved.
"I'm so happy we caught you, we thought no one was home," said Persis.
"What made you think that?" asked the landlady, clearly confused.
Di looked at Persis and Persis looked at Di, they were each hoping the other had something to say by way of explanation that would not sound rude. Persis couldn't take the silence, "We knocked, three times and when no one came to the door we assumed that no one was home, I'm sorry, that was pretentious."
"I never answer the door before the third knock," said Mrs. Triple C, nonchalantly. "That's how I know it it's really important, if you really need me you'll wait 'till I come, if you don't wait, then I reckon it 'aint important enough. Now what do you new girls want?"
Di thought they might be invited in, but Mrs. Triple C gave no hint to the fact, so the girls remained standing in the corridor.
"Mrs. Triple C, can we please-" began Persis before feeling a pinch in her back (rather too strong a pinch, she should think) and a glare from Di. Mrs. Triple C stared at Persis blankly, not understanding the reference or the cause for the startled look in Persis' eyes. Di took it upon herself to patch things up, "Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell, is such a long name we thought Mrs. Triple C was an easier name to remember. No offence was meant, you must believe us." Di's last words were said with urgency.
Mrs. Triple C laughed a hearty laugh; the girls could not believe such big sounds were coming from such a small person. "I assure you no offence was taken, what a clever idea. Mrs. Clifton Clinton Cowell is quite a long name for such a small me. You have my permission to call me by that name anytime you like. Now girls do you need anything else or did you come just to acquaint me to my new name?"
"We'd like to use the telephone," Di said.
"Really? Why'd you come here then?" Mrs. Triple C was confused.
"Can we please use your 'phone?" reiterated Di.
"Of course you'd be able to use my 'phone, what kind of landlady do you think I am, not letting my tenants use the 'phone, really what you must think of me," Was Mrs. Triple C's response.
Di was beginning to loose her patience at this point (a search party was already formed to find Persis')."May we come in and use your 'phone?" Di could not think of a better way to put the question.
"I never let tenants in before I'm properly acquainted with them and I haven't been properly acquainted with you," answered Mrs. Triple C.
Persis could take it no longer she pulled Di's sleeve and said to her, "it's no use let's go find a 'phone somewhere else." Di, agreeing with Persis joined her as they started towards the front door.
"You should try Mr. Green's confectionary shop down the corner of the road, that's where most of my tenants use the phone." She yelled after them and to herself she added quite audibly, "those new fangled telephones, couldn't catch me near one of those, they likely will steal your soul."
The girls still did not know what to think of their landlady, it was impossible to like the woman but harder yet to dislike her. Judgment was suspended to a time when they were at leisure to way the evidence. This was getting to be an emergency; they must find a telephone and call Felix.
Mr. Green's confectionary shop was hard to miss, a large green sign read just that: Mr. Green's Confectionary Shop. Mr. Green was middle aged, balding and budging around the middle. His face had a broad smile on it making him look almost handsome. "What can I do for you ladies?" he asked with a seductive twinkle in his eyes. Persis and Di could not lift their respective eyes from the large selection of confectionary on display. Persis began pointing at various colorful looking piles dumbfound. Di had to use force in order to remind her they were there on a mission. "Do you have a telephone?" One could not be to clear.
"Would you like to use it? Step in side and I'll show you. The rate was set and Di continued to call Felix up while Persis made herself busy choosing from Mr. Green's merchandise. "We'll have something to serve Felix when he comes," rationalized Persis. Good-natured Felix was glad to be useful to the girls; he said he'd be over soon bringing some equipment and extra hands along. The girls returned to their flat, carrying Persis' spoils with them.