Circus in Three Rings (Sylvia Plath)
Sunday afternoon, Irene Frederic took the train from her home in the borough of Queens into Manhattan and walked directly into Central Park. She could have had her driver, Andrew, take her, but she believed everyone deserved a day off.
She brought with her two cushions, a thermos of coffee, and a thermos of tea, and walked until she found the spot where the dog training class was taking place. Then she parked herself on a low-level bleacher seat and waited for Myka and Helena to show up. Myka's surprise was quite evident, but Helena walked over and sat on the second cushion as if she seemingly expected it …and the woman who put it there.
"Can you believe I've been reduced to attending classes to teach animals how to behave?" she said with all the Victorian repugnance she could muster.
"Well, hopefully he won't be as stubborn as some humans I know, and you won't have to come often," Irene smiled.
"Oh no, he's quite stubborn. I didn't dare tell Myka, but I think there's very little hope of this dog learning anything," Helene said, when Myka went to check in.
"Well I have learned, Helena, never judge a book by its cover when it comes to what individuals will do with the right motivation," Irene said, smiling at Helena who wondered if there wasn't another message in her words. She decided there was.
"Bandit, say hello to Mrs. Frederic," Myka said when she returned, and the dog howled. "Would you mind?" Myka asked, taking off her hoodie and handing it to Irene to hold. The weather had warmed up considerably in spite of the crisp leaves underfoot.
"You named him…Bandit? Shouldn't you have saved that for ….. never mind," Irene said, thinking it was a more suitable name for the android who had stolen him.
"It's a perfect name, actually," Helena said. "As he seems to have stolen Myka's heart." Helena wanted it to sound like a joke, but the disparagement on her face showed her real feelings.
The dog trainer called everyone to gather in a circle and Myka and Helena joined them.
"Some dogs will need more encouragement than others," the trainer said and then chose Bandit as an example of a breed that was very intelligent, but needed more discipline.
"That should be no problem for Myka," Irene said into her cup of coffee.
The instructor gave some basic commands and asked the pet owners to follow suit. "Speak gently, yet firmly, " he told them.
"I can vouch for that method," Irene said to no one in particular, until the person near her asked if her pet was there.
Irene watched the photographers on the hill with their zoom lenses taking pictures as was expected. There was little that the engaged couple did that didn't get the attention of the media, so this would be no exception.
"Sometimes the dogs will need a toy or other objects in your absence as a security blanket," the trainer suggested and it was the last straw for Helena who thought the entire dissection of animal behavior was over the top. She was asked to take her negative energy and sit down. Irene looked down at her watch. She was pleasantly surprised that Helena lasted as long as she did.
"This is utterly ridiculous," she complained as Irene poured her tea. "I simply do not understand why people tell their dogs to say hello to someone. Suppose he actually had said hello? Wouldn't we all be amazed? But he's incapable of speech. THAT is why he's lower on the food chain. They do not possess the ability to articulate," the scientist said, exasperated.
"Deep breaths, Helena," Irene said, handing her the tea.
"Security blankets for dogs," Helena said mockingly, drinking the tea without question.
Irene looked down in her lap at Myka's jacket. "Would you mind holding this?" she asked, handing it to Helena – who seemed to stop moving around and calmed down. "Well, what do you know," Irene mused quietly.
Myka spent time after class asking the trainer for tips on how to get the puppy to sleep in the crate at night and he gave her some helpful ideas. When she came back to Irene and Helena, the dog was excited and tried to jump on Irene. The woman pointed her index finger at him and calmly, yet firmly said his name and 'no'. He stopped immediately. "Lots of practice," Irene winked at Myka. Myka knew immediately what Irene meant.
That night, as the puppy lay quietly in his designated area, Helena and Myka snuggled up in bed.
"I guess the class was worth it," Helena said, grateful for the peace and quiet.
"Well, I think he's a very smart puppy," Myka said.
"And if that is proven otherwise, he will no longer bear my name," Helena said, smiling as she lay in Myka's arm.
It was a good thing that Helena got such a sound sleep that night. She was going to need her wits about her on Monday morning.
Helena found more reasons to like the new addition first thing that morning when Myka suggested they both take him for a walk in Central Park. There in the early morning frosty air, Myka held Bandit's leash in one hand, and stuck her other hand into Helena's jacket pocket. They walked along the pathway alone until a jogger and his Great Dane approached. The large dog pulled his owner and began barking, making Myka jump. Bandit pulled to get closer to the large dog and howled at him, the fur on his back standing up in an aggressive stance. It was almost comical to see the small dog barking at the offender who towered over him. But Bandit didn't back down – and Helena smiled, appreciating his protectiveness for Myka.
"That's a good boy," Helena said, bending down and petting the dog. "Good Bandit."
Myka smiled thinking the dog had finally met Helena on common ground.
Later, while Helena showered, Myka read up on canines in the Victorian age. It seemed that Queen Victoria's love for her own dogs made it very popular among the social classes to own them. It became quite fashionable for the upper class to have portraits commissioned with their dogs. Myka smiled at the thought of Helena posing with Bandit. "Maybe after a few more lessons," she murmured.
The women were off to work and both were surprised to find Irene waiting at the elevator when they arrived downstairs in the lobby. She greeted them, got on the elevator with them, and purposely pressed only the button for the 17th floor - indicating that Myka was going with them.
"Now Helena, I want you to keep an open mind this morning….. and trust me. What I have done is not out of retribution, but because I believe it is the best solution. If you want this to be a temporary resolution rather than a permanent one, I will accept that," Irene said without any hesitation. Helena stood there, her arms crossed, her brow wrinkled as she listened.
The doors opened and the first thing – as Irene carefully planned - was Eileen. Done with her interoffice tour of departments, she was back on the 17th floor. She stood there smiling – holding Helena's tea. Helena stepped out and smiled, but her trepidation was evident. Myka looked at Irene who assured Myka it wasn't anything bad.
"I have no idea what you're talking…," Helena turned back and said to Irene…when she heard her new receptionist answer the phone. There was no mistaking that voice …..because she had designed it! Very little in life threw Helena Wells. Her brain processed what was going on faster than Sui's programs were assessing the new job.
The CEO cast her eyes down and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She wanted to ask Irene if it were her opinion that an entity capable of the highest mathematical calculations, which probably with a little more training, could perform surgery, and with no additional training, could operate entire sections of the IT department, was the best choice for the position. As if reading her mind, something the woman excelled at, Irene put her hand on Helena's arm and said –
"I think in time he will do the job almost as well as his predecessor."
It was Irene's simple request to trust her that made Helena smile, turn back around, and greet her staff. "Welcome back, Miss Sullivan," Helena said warmly. She missed seeing the woman on her floor.
"Mr. Generis, I can't say I completely understand Mrs. Frederic's decision, but for now, I will comply," the CEO said, walking into her office, her tea maker behind her.
"I did it to give her more time," Irene explained to Myka before she even asked. "She was making finding Ms. Sullivan's replacement a sport. This will give her time to decide what she really wants."
Myka walked into Helena's office to make sure she was really okay with all of this. "It's nice to see your door is back," Myka said, sitting on the couch with Helena. The CEO had hardly noticed, but there was the wooden door back in her office entryway. "You know you can do whatever you want," Myka said, as if there were any doubt. "I mean that as your Chief Counsel."
Helena smiled to think she had that support from her top legal aide …and her fiancée. "Anything? In that case, it's a good thing the glass door is gone," Helena teased, leaning over to kiss Myka.
"Irene is doing what she thinks is best," Myka said because Helena seemed almost too cooperative.
"Myka, I know her well enough to know whatever she does is in my best interest. However, the woman always tries to encapsulate a lesson in her actions," Helena said, smiling slyly.
"Well….," Myka said, not wanting to get in the middle of what was a Wells-Frederic established exchange.
"Remember, Myka, even she isn't too old to learn something," Helena smiled.
Myka knew that if Helena could joke about it, she was going along with things … for now. Feeling she was settled, Myka kissed her goodbye and went to her office. For the first time since she started, Myka was surprised that Millie didn't jump to her feet as she approached her office.
"Good morning, Millie," Myka said, pulling the woman out of her dreamlike state.
"Oh! Ms. Bering, I didn't hear you ….," the woman snapped to and accompanied Myka into her office.
Millie had hoped that being back at work would help her shake off this feeling that seemed to worsen after yesterday.
As odd as it seemed, Millie wasn't the only one who found the android charismatic. At that very moment, Helena had buzzed for her new administrative assistant, but he didn't answer. She marched to her door, opened it, about to ask him what the issue was when she saw for herself what it was.
In front of the new staff member's desk was a crowd of women – three deep – wanting to talk to him, ask his opinion about something, or hand him something for his boss. He was programmed to answer questions, and was doing his best to respond to everything that was being thrown his way. He stood there as his head turned in the direction of the questions answering – 'yes', 'I don't believe so', 'I will ask Ms. Wells', and 'Yes, I believe that color does look good on you.'
One 'ahem' from the CEO caught everyone one's attention and the crowd quickly dispersed.
"I am sorry, Ms. Wells, but each of them said it was urgent. Although I cannot understand how color selection is crucial," Sui confessed.
"What have you learned?" his Architect asked.
"I have learned that women find my facial features very attractive. I have been asked out on six dates," Sui reported. "I accepted because that is the polite protocol."
"Good, but you will need a chaperone. Make sure you tell Mrs. Frederic what your schedule is," Helena said, walking back into her office.
"Never too old indeed," the CEO smirked.