A/N-This chapter is based off the show, 'Manhunt', Mary Jo had asked Suzanne to help her, well, get a man. They went grocery shopping, joined a auto advance class, even stood outside a man's bathroom. She even met Quinton's single male teacher but I guess things didn't work out because they never showed him again.
I don't understand why the show never did let Mary Jo get with another man but in my previous chapter, chapter 64-NO-I did have Mary Jo start a blossoming friendship with a former client, D.P. LeBoof and even tho' he wasn't in the show I'm writing about he will be in my chapter.
Mary Jo was working feverishly at her desk, filling out paperwork after putting in a long day's work. She stops working long enough to look at a picture of Julia and she smiles and says to her,
"Everything's fine Julia. It's just like it was when you left. I'm in charge, Carlene's still the secretary taking care of everything and running this looney bin. Charlene's back but she's doing the work more these days, she's really a good decorator. Bill's about to retire and Anthony is working in a law firm but he takes care of the legal things for us.
You don't have to worry so you don't have to come back"
She bends her head down and does some more work then some wind chimes cling loudly and the lights flicker on and off so she raises her head, purses her lips and flips the pencil then says,
"I told you you didn't have to come back Julia"
Just then Suzanne comes in and she has on a beautiful black/pink dress and she says,
"We're just going to have to do something about it"
Mary Jo just looks at her then asks,
"What?"
Suzanne gets a disgusted look on her face and swirls her hand and says,
"Oh, that old silly wind, it just came up all of a sudden, we need to do something about that"
Mary Jo asks her,
"What do you suggest?"
Suzanne thinks on that then says ,
"I don't know, we could build a big dome and put it over Atlanta and that way it would only blow wind in Mississippi where they need it"
Mary Jo rolls her eyes then says,
"We need it too Suzanne, without it we would suffer in the summer; did you think about that?"
Suzanne just shrugs her shoulders and sits down and says,
"But it messes up your hair, you think they could make wind and have it not do that"
Mary Jo just sighs then says,
"Maybe we can talk to God about that"
Suzanne just smiles and then looks over at Mary Jo then asks,
"What are you doing?"
Mary Jo says,
"Filling out the annual report"
Suzanne stands up and announces,
"No , you're not. You're going out with me...when was the last time you went out and tried to meet a man?"
Mary Jo sighs and says,
"Suzanne, you know I haven't met anybody since J.D., what does that tell you?"
She says without even blinking,
"That he was in prison or married...or both ! But he's out by now so come on!"
Mary Jo sighs then says,
"Well, there is this speed dating night a friend asked me to try"
Suzanne asks her,
"Speed dating? What's that? You met each other on the road speeding from the police?"
Mary Jo rolls her eyes then says,
"No Suzanne, it's where you go to a restaurant or someplace and they have these tables set up and they set a timer for so long and a series of men or women come by and you talk some then decide if you want to get to know that person later"
Suzanne thinks about it then says,
"Hmm, it sounds like the cattle sale barn down the road...now, get your purse and come on if you want to go, I haven't got all night Mary Jo"
Mary Jo sighs and gets her red handbag and goes and turns off the lights to Sugarbakers then Suzanne asks her,
"By the way, what is the name of this place that we're going to?"
"The 'Green Orchid'"
Suzanne thinks then says,
"Never been there but I'm sure it's a good place, I like orchid's"
Mary Jo smiles then they go to the car.
{
They go into 'The Green Orchid' bar/restaurant and look around and take in the pleasing surroundings and decorations of the restaurant and Suzanne says,
"I like it, good decorations, give it a A + , what's wrong with you Mary Jo?"
Mary Jo looks around the room with a careful eye then she whispers,
"Do you see anything that well, gives you the feeling of dega vu?"
Suzanne looks disgusted then says,
"Mary Jo, I don't even know what that means"
Mary Jo rolls her eyes then takes Suzanne off to the corner away from the crowds to tell her,
"Look at everybody"
Suzanne looks around then asks,
"What is it?"
"Those women, look at them...remember that auto class we took that time to meet men? Every one of them is those women from the class"
Suzanne peers at them then whispers,
"You're right and they still haven't done anything with their hair, they are dogs. You got this Mary Jo"
Mary Jo stomps her feet slightly then says,
"The teacher is even here"
Suzanne looks at her then says,
"This is could only happen to you Mary Jo, you just entered the dating Twilight Zone"
Mary Jo looks around then says,
"I'm afraid you are right"
Suzanne then hits her on the back then says,
"Well, good luck, I don't need this but you do. I'm going over to the bar. Oh, there's a good looking guy...well, bye Mary Jo"
She walks off primping herself and Mary Jo mutters to herself,
"We come to a speed dating event and she meets the only guy who isn't in. Sigh, well, here I go"
Mary Jo goes and signs in, gets a name tag and a timer then goes and sits down and waits for it to begin.
The first man to sit down is a 40 something man, he has brown hair that's groomed slightly crazy, he has a earring and Mary Jo smiles out of politness he says,
"Hello, my name is Tracie Carl"
They shake hands and Mary Jo looks at him and says,
"I'm Mary Jo Shively, pardon me, but you look familiar"
He laughs then says,
"I get that a lot"
She then says,
"I've been seeing people lately that remind me of long ago, anyway, hello"
He then says,
"Hello, I really just sat down here to start this, I can tell that you're too old for me"
Mary Jo raises her eyes then says,
"Oh?"
He then says, "I mean, I'm to young for you. I'm sorry, I'm getting my words mixed up"
She shakes her head then says,
"I don't know why but I seem to see books around you and I don't know why"
He laughs then says,
"Well, I certainly don't read them. Haha"
Mary Jo gives a stiff laugh then he says,
"But I used to work in one, oh, about 20 something years ago, wow, I'm surprised you can remember that" "Well, it's very cloudy, I need my medicine to get the full picture"
Just then, the bell on the timer rings and he says,
"Well, good luck on the next person"
Mary Jo plasters a smile on her face then she says dryly,
"You too Tracie"
He leaves and Mary Jo says,
"Jerk"
A second later, another man sits down. A very handsome older gentleman and he puts out his han instantly and says very assure of himself,
"Hello, My name is Jack Muford"
Mary Jo says,
"Hello, I'm Mary Jo Shively"
She looks at him then says,
"I'm sorry, I've just been meeting people all night that I know and you...I know! We met in a grocery store!"
He laughs then says,
"That's me, I'm always in the store being I'm a cook, well, chef is the term but I wouldn't go that far"
She laughs then says,
"I never did give you that ratoutille recipe"
He laughs then says,
"Well, you can give it to me now"
He hands her a pen from his pocket and a piece of paper from his pocket and she begins to write down the recipe then she says,
"As I recall, you were married to some woman named...Fece?"
He snickers then says,
"Felicity and we're divorced now"
She smiles and says,
"Oh?"
He leans in and says,
"But you know the weird thing? That's her over there"
He points over to the blond haired woman talking to another man on the speed dating thing and he says,
"I wouldn't want to run into her, awkward"
The bell rings and Mary Jo gives him the recipe and she says,
"I hope you don't"
He goes off then a few minutes later, another man sits down and Mary Jo has to keep from throwing up and he says,
"Name is Homer Brown"
She tries to smile then says,
"Hi Homer"
This time he is the one studying Mary Jo and he asks,
"May I ask you to turn around?"
She asks him in a shocked tone,
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, I just mean to let me see the back of your head, there is something"
She sighs and does it for him then his eyes brighten up and he snaps his fingers then says,
"Of coarse, I remember you. You were leaving the bathroom as I was coming out years ago"
She then says,
"You have a better memory than me"
He smiles arrogantly then says,
"I never forget hair, I got a thing for hair..."
He reaches in and opens his shirt then says,
"Like my hair on my chest, it's very memorable, you want to look at it?"
She puts up her hand and waves her hand then says,
"Oh no, you don't have to"
He nods his head then says,
"Your loss"
Thank the Lord, the bell rings early and he says,
"I never caught your name"
She then says,
"That's because I never threw it"
He understands and goes on and she endures a few more men before the night is up but it is all finally over and she goes over to the bar to meet up with Suzanne and Suzanne asks her,
"Well, how was it?"
Mary Jo sighs then says,
"Well, I've been told I am old, that my hair is memorable and I'm pretty sure I was asked to do some things that I think is illegal in the state of Georgia"
Suzanne then asks her,
"You didn't meet anybody?"
Mary Jo smiles then says,
"Well, there is somebody, his name is Jack..."
Just then Jack comes up with Felicity, his ex-wife in arm and he says,
"Hello Mary Jo, this night has been so great. I met you again and got a great recipe and Felicity and I have decided to try again. Thank you Mary Jo for starting this night off on the right note"
She plasters a smile on her face and they leave and she says,
"I gave him my mother's ratouille recipe and he goes back to the blond rat"
Suzanne shrugs her shoulders then another handsome man comes up and he smiles and Mary Jo looks shocked and says,
"Mister Barringer!"
He then says,
"Hello Mary Jo. I ran into Suzanne and we were enjoying catching up and she told me you were over there"
Mary Jo then nervously says,
"Yeah, I was doing this speed dating thing"
He then says,
"Well, I'm going to go pay the bar bill then I'll be back Suzanne"
She smiles like a cat and he leaves and Mary Jo takes Suzanne's arm then says,
"I wanted him"
Suzanne sighs then says,
"Well, how was I to know that? He was at the bar"
Mary Jo stomps her foot then says,
"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. Go and have fun" "Are you sure?" "Yeah, go on"
Barringer comes back and Suzanne takes his arm and they leave and Mary Jo just stands alone.
{
Mary Jo goes walks back into Sugarbakers. Since she is now the head of Sugarbaker's, Suzanne lets her live there, she throws the car keys down on the coffee table and sits down on the couch for a few minutes then starts to go up to her bedroom when she sees the light blinking on the answering machine.
" Mary Jo? This is D.P. LeBoof. I'm sorry to call so late but I just got in from New Orleans and I was hoping we could meet for drinks at that bar, 'Ashley's Grill' ? Just call me on my cell phone and let me know if we can meet"
She clicks it off and smiles and looks at Julia's picture and Julia seems to smile even brighter and Mary Jo calls D.P. and says,
"Hi, I just got in. Yes, I'll be glad to meet you. No, it's not to late, goodbye"
She hangs up and turns around and all but skips out to meet D.P.