As Told by Ginger copyright Viacom.
Chapter 9: Claire Gripling
Claire Gripling listened with feigned interest to the speaker, who just happened to be Euphrasia Weinstein, the Protected Pines Charity Committee President. Claire was almost over losing the position of President to her a few months before. Though she had to admit that she hadn't done a very good job listening, as she had no idea what Euphrasia was talking about. Not that it mattered of course. That woman just liked to hear herself talk. But it was a nice day to sit outside on these benches.
Soon it was time for questions. "What do you propose to do about the losing funds into projects that lead nowhere," a balding man in a dark suit asked.
Euphrasia smiled. "The charity of this committee should not lead nowhere," she said with confidence that Claire knew Euphrasia shouldn't have possessed. "Like I had alluded to earlier, we should take stock of where all our charitable efforts are going." Euphrasia smiled a second time. "Perhaps then we would can be sure that we know how to handle the problem. Like we had with every problem we had faced in the past." When it had became clear that she had finished, there was an applause throughout the audience. Claire did not join in.
Instead she snorted. She could make empty statements like that as well as Euphrasia could. Why couldn't she still be President of the Protected Pines Charity Committee? Just because she had cheated to get the job...
After the applause had died down, a rather large woman with a blue dress and pearls stood. "What do you suppose can be done about the still current memberships of Carl Foutley and Robert Bishop? They remain an unpleasant remainder of a certain woman's, let me say, indiscretions." I'll indiscrete you, Claire thought. Though even she could how pathetic that thought was. She didn't know what it could possibly mean.
"I hardly think that the actions of another should be used to penalize two fine boys such as Carl and Robert. In fact, I'm going to invite those two young gentleman here so that not all upper class women are like some of us here." The committee looked out of their corners of their eyes toward Claire. They all knew that it was all her fault, even though Carl and Robert had fully participated. It had even been their idea.
She scowled. She could Claire's game now. Euphrasia was hoping to win points with the committee, so she could win a second term as President. But what Claire didn't get was this rancor that Euphrasia was holding against her. Wouldn't she had done the same if she had been in Claire's shoes?
Well two could play at that game...
"I propose that we give the two boys lifetime members to the Country Club." Listening to Nomar did pay off after all.
"Why would the hell would we want to do that for?" Euphrasia smirked from the podium. She wasn't the only one who was staring at her with naked disdain. The whole committee looked at her like she was a dead giant squid that had floated ashore and had rotted awhile. Claire had to think of a response. And quick.
"Because they know all about extraterrestrials," she blurted out. She winched when she realized what she had just said. Her son Blake talked about them all the time, albeit very despairingly, so she was quite that was true, however. No, she had been planning on waiting until the perfect opportunity to share about the gray alien. Long after he had left this planet for parts unknown.
This hadn't been that time.
"Extraterrestrials, huh?" Euphrasia didn't sound at all convinced. Which gave Claire an opportunity to back out.
But she was a Gripling, and a Wellington. And neither Griplings or Wellingtons backed down from anyone. "Yes, Euphrasia. Extraterrestrials. If you would follow me, I'll show you all where one is right now. But first you must prepare for hiking."
She was greeted by laughter. "That's a good one, Claire," the large woman in the blue dress said. "An UFO deep in the woods, like I find in the tabloids, discovered by some rednecks drinking themselves silly."
"You read those tabloids that make fun of people like us." Euphrasia had never sounded so scandalized.
"No, not people like us," the other woman said self-righteously. "I'm sure that none of us would do any those things."
There were murmurs of agreement among those gathered. Liars, Claire thought. But she murmured her agreement anyway. She didn't any more ridicule to directed her way than necessary. She had a very hard sell.
"No, of course not," Euphrasia said. "I just was surprised. That's all. I had just thought only desperate, lower-class housewives read those things. Learn something new everyday, I guess." She turned to Claire. "Getting back to business, I'm pretty sure that none of us is willing to trounce around the woods looking for some supposed alien spacecraft," Euphrasia snickered.
"But it's quite real. I've seen it. Touched it. Been inside of it."
The other members laughed.
Claire got up in a huff. "You want proof? I'll give you proof." She stormed off. She'll give them all the proof that they'll want. And then some.
---
Lois Foutley found it a bit ironic that it was easier for her to treat Binorial patients than to treat human ones. What she had in mind when was learning how to be a nurse was helping humans, not aliens. But all and all, she was still thankful that she had the day off. She had to admit that this encounter with a being from another world had been less frightful than she would had thought. Is he sending off waves of telepathic energy to calm my fears? she wondered.
Are you sure that Claire will back at 3:30 local time? Nomar asked. He was on his bunk.
"I never known her to make a lie," Lois replied from a gray metal fold-out chair. "And I've known her awhile. But something might come up."
That's the way these things usually work out.