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23
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The next day after more poses, more progress and more Mr. Potter, the phone began to ring. Clutching his back, Ed made his way over to the telephone table. He picked up the receiver and answered, "Hello?"
"Hello, Mr. Wood," A female said from the other line. "I'm calling from West Side Insurance Agency because you're behind in your insurance fees and we have not received any money from you even after another of my colleagues has informed you of your tardiness. I'm sure you've already been told that your insurance plan will be terminated at the end of the month if your behavior keeps up. And, I'm also sure that you've been told of the fee caused by this termination. Mr. Wood, it is very important that you pay your fees. The termination fee that will result is not a very pleasant sum and I would hate for you to have to pay it. So please, you have to pay your insurance fees very soon."
Ed blinked several times, remembering all about the fees he had completely forgotten. "Oh gosh golly gee. I'd plum forgotten. Thank you very much, Madam, for informing me. I'll get on it right away!"
"I hope you do, Mr. Wood. I really hope you do. Goodbye." She hung up.
Ed hung up as well and quickly, clutching his back, made his way to the kitchen. He went over to the counter and picked up his bankbook and checkbook. Flipping through the bankbook, he gulped at seeing that he only had a sad sum of thirty-two dollars put away.
"Oh my... oh my," He said nervously, holding his face. He could clearly remember the insurance fees being one hundred dollars; sixty-eight less than what he needed to pay off the insurance company. "What am I going to do?" He asked himself. "What oh what am I going to do?"
He put his books down and looked at them. Slowly his gaze began to pull off to the side and he noticed a spoon sitting next to the edge of the sink. He picked it up and held it in front of him.
"Gosh-darn it on you, Mr. Spoon! Gosh darn it on you. It's because of you that I hurt my back. What do you have to say for yourself?"
The spoon obviously had nothing to say regarding its actions; it simply stood in his grip, silently.
"Just as I thought... too cowardly, to even take responsibility for its own actions. Well, Mr. Spoon, I want you to know something: I am very disappointed in your behavior. You've displeased me greatly and I'll never think of you the same way again."
The spoon stood, speechless.
"Fine. Be that way. Just know... I'm watching you." He slowly put the spoon back on the counter and turned around to leave.
All of a sudden he bolted back around again and shot a glance at the spoon. Surprisingly, the spoon was not doing anything more suspicious than just lying on the counter, minding its own business.
Ed raised a finger, pointed to his eyes, then to the spoon, as if to say 'I've got my eye on you'.
He turned back around and marched, clutching his back, out of the kitchen and back to the living room, obviously without any mental instability whatsoever...