February 26, 2024

Written by BPlusWriter

Have Fun, Oliver!

Watching Signed Sealed Delivered again and again really is miraculous. New thoughts and connections come to mind enriching the viewing experience for me every time. I have always considered the Pilot rather sacrosanct but decided a short foray into Oliver's thoughts during that first week with Shane in the DLO would be fun. I hope you enjoy. As always, I do my best to stay as close to the original canon where I am most comfortable. My profound thanks to SSD creator/writer/producer Martha Williamson for allowing POstables to enjoy visiting her characters in prose. I know I speak for all of us when I say I would much rather have new SSD movies than new fan fiction stories but for now we'll enjoy fan fictions and look forward to new movies soon! Thank you to those of you who read and comment. Reviews welcome.

Oliver suddenly realized he was having fun. It wasn't a good day. Pretty bad in fact. The letter mystery the DLO team has been trying to solve now found the letter recipient in jail waiting for trial for murder and suffering with a broken heart; the letter writer is dead and the Dead Letter Office is dead. No, not a good day.

To top it off, he had just sat beside the newest and soon to be last Denver DLO employee, Shane McInerney, when for some reason he had poured out his sad tale of woe, his wife leaving him at the National Post Office Pony Express exhibit. Not something he usually told. At all, actually. Well, a few other people knew, but that was another story.

But now, out of her sense of pity for him he was sure, Ms. McInerney asked him to dance. She probably felt like a dance to good music might make him feel better. And, surprisingly, it did. Ms. McInerney was light on her feet and an excellent conversationalist. Just like he had recognized several days ago, she WAS curious. She seemed a little too curious about the whereabouts of his wife whom she had literally just heard about not five minutes ago.

To distract her from the subject, he bantered a bit about luggage, and when she countered with her internet expertise, he dipped her. That worked. For a moment they both stood still, looking at each other, both surprised by a sudden awareness of each other that felt light and yet deep, familiar and yet shockingly freshly new.

The music playing was Moon River, a very romantic orchestral piece. Hazily, he remembered the words:

"Two drifters, off the see the world

There's such a lot of world to see

We're after the same rainbow's end

Waiting 'round the bend…"

Why did the words seem so right at this particular moment?

After this week, he and Ms. McInerney would likely never see each other again. He felt a tinge of regret. It had been a long time since he had felt the challenge of a new relationship with anyone. He loved Norman and Rita as the good friends they were but there was always a distance that their general life experience and work relationships carried. Why didn't it seem the same with Ms. McInerney?

Their conversation continued while they danced as he realized the greeting card she was carrying around held some key to a deep wound. His gentle questioning opened her heart to reveal what that was.

"You are good," Shane admitted. Oliver smiled. That was the first genuinely voluntary compliment she had given him that wasn't argumentative. He felt sad for her and sorry the conversation had taken a turn to the deeply serious while indulging in light and witty talk. The dancing was nice too. It had been a long time since he danced. He was reminded he still had those dance lessons to use.

Oliver stopped, pulling Ms. McInerney's hand to rest beneath his on his chest. He leaned forward and whispered softly into her ear. "I'm sorry for you." Oliver glanced at Shane. The look on her face was one of deep regret.

Unfortunately, Oliver knew all too well what that kind of childhood felt like. "Life is short, Ms. McInerney." He couldn't help but say it.

Suddenly a thought flashed across Shane's mind that resulted immediately in excitement replacing sadness. She repeated, "Life is short." Her face broke into smile and she exclaimed, "That's it!" She was so excited she couldn't help but tap his arm, with a slap of enthusiasm as if to get Oliver's attention. She called to Rita and Norman and she was off. Apparently, something in their conversation had given her a idea she felt the need to follow up on immediately.

So the dance was over, at least for now. Oliver hadn't realized until just now when Shane abruptly left his arms how attractive her warmth and softness were. Oliver found himself wondering if there might ever be another dance with her. Given their immediate future, that was extremely unlikely. And besides, he chided himself: his future lay down a different path with a redhead.

The rest of the day flashed with a blur of action on their part and others.

Shane's internet search yielded abundance of evidence. It was too late to track down Charlie's public attorney now but the decision was made to present to it to Charlie's attorney as soon as they could, which happened to be at a golf range the next day, a bright and sunny morning. A quick trip to the Mile Hi Deli was made first and the four were then on their rescue mission.

After a wild ride over the golf club countryside, the four postal employees, confronted Jerry and felt reasonably certain Charlie would be free as soon as possible. Exuberant in their success, they each departed to their own homes for the night, hoping to get good news about Charlie's release in the morning. The fact that the next day would be a day of packing up to move out of the DLO was pushed to the back of their minds to deal with tomorrow.

Oliver refused to dwell on the circumstances for tonight. Instead, he readied himself for bed. Then he sat in a thick dark green robe, cup of herbal tea at his elbow and a Bible on his lap. A fire burned brightly in the large fireplace bringing a cheerful glow to the room. As he turned the pages to find his place, his eyes glanced and caught at the words, "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." At that moment, those words struck Oliver as if he really needed to hear them, although looking at the immediate future it didn't look like he was going to get what he wanted. That thought did not exactly surprise him. Oliver was well aware that God's timing is not the same as humans count time so this verse did encourage and discourage him.

Oliver was facing an uncertain future professionally and personally. And if he had to go to another city to work, because he was not going to work a clerk's desk again, then he'd have to move and leave this house he loved and the friends he'd made, this city he'd always called home. Could he move? Could he leave the post office if need be?

Oliver sighed, then took a sip of tea.

No, his future looked cloudy and uncertain.

Oliver thought of Norman and Rita, Eleanor, Dale. And Shane McInerney.

The image of Ms. McInerney popped in his mind. Ms. McInerney refusing to be Cheryl, and he was pretty sure she knew who the classical movie character Shane was. Shane impetuously insisting to get to know Kelly and Charlie, and more than that, putting her heart and soul into making sure their piece of mail was delivered with its very important message. Even though she did not appreciate his own personal approach to delivering the mail which required more divine intervention.

Well, today that all came together well, thought Oliver, satisfied with their day's work that connected Charlie with Kelly in a way that exonerated Charlie from blame of any crime. Of course, it might not have happened without Ms. McInerney's tech support. And definitely it would not have happened without her persistence. He had to admit he was interested in the workings of Ms. McInerney's mind.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Oliver glanced at the grandfather clock in the front hallway. Ten minutes after nine. Could it, might it be-? Oliver got up to answer the phone on the kitchen counter. He really could afford to get a telephone for the side table he told himself, as he made his way around the furniture.

"Hello?" he said.

Shane McInerney answered at the other end of the line. "Oliver?"

Oliver answered in surprise. "Yes, Ms. McInerney?"

"Oliver, I thought you should know. Someone at the newspaper is nosing around about what happened today."

"How in the world did that news get around so soon?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know, Oliver, but this is a big case. There have been reporters assigned to it for weeks. I've seen the headlines. His lawyer, Jerry, probably blabbed about it to somebody.

I just thought you would want to know. I heard some guys from the paper talking about it at the Mailbox Grille when I stopped there after work."

"Ok, well, thank you, Ms. McInerney. If anyone calls you just tell them no comment." An idea was forming in the back of his mind. "Tell them to call me.

And Ms. McInerney? Thank you. Your help over the last few days has been invaluable."

Now it was Ms. McInerney who seemed surprised. "Of course, Oliver. I'm glad I could help. I won't be completely happy until Charlie is out of jail. I'm just sorry it won't be to see Kelly."

"You did the best you could, Ms. McInerney. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok, Oliver. Goodnight."

Oliver stood for a moment, thinking. He picked up the phone again. His friend and contact at the local police department might be able to help. Oliver didn't call Dale often but he was confident she would help him if she could. She'd been with the police department almost 15 years. She knew everybody in town.

Oliver was busy on the phone for the next hour. When he finally hung up, he smiled, satisfied with his evening's work. Norman and Rita were going to be ecstatic. Ms. McInerney would be happy too, although her continued employment in his office was in doubt. Andrea would not be happy.

Oliver headed to bed upstairs, rather bouncing along the way, shutting the fireplace doors, turning off lights. Suddenly, he stopped. Maybe he should call and tell Ms. McInerney the good news? After all, she was more than capable of researching it online. But if she did find something and she told Rita and Norman before he got to the DLO, the news would feel a little flat. Somewhat selfishly he supposed, he would like to be the one to tell them the good news.

Oliver hadn't felt this excited about the purpose of the Dead Letter Office since… well, he actually had felt excited to explain it to Ms. McInerney on her first day even though she had not seemed particularly impressed at first. But she had jumped into the Charlie and Kelly letter mystery immediately and it seemed obvious her enthusiastic impetuosity fueled with her curiosity created an enjoyment in her DLO work she probably had not expected.

Normally not an impulsive decision maker, Oliver decided he would follow Ms. McInerney's example and take the opportunity as it presented itself without rethinking this idea. Just as suddenly, he remembered that Ms. McInerney's phone number was downstairs in his phone book. He turned around and headed back to the phone desk, an antique secretary desk with china cabinet, partly shelves with glass doors for display and a fold out desk that rested over several drawers. Out of the top he found the address book and turned around to go back upstairs. When he got upstairs he reached for the lamp light switch just above the phone on his bedside table. After finding the phone number he dialed it, then sat down in the adjacent chair. His heart pounded as he waited for the line to connect. After several rings, when he cowardly considered hanging up, he heard Ms. McInerney's voice.

"Hello?"

"Um. Ms. McInerney. This is Oliver O'Toole," he said formally, feeling a little foolish at being so stiff.

"Hello, Oliver. Is everything alright? Do you need anything?"

For just a moment Oliver was suddenly tempted to say, "yes, I need you." That he would think, let alone say such a thing, shocked Oliver to the core, and for a moment he remained speechless. Obviously, this had been a bad idea. However, he had already made the connection so it was necessary to speak to state the purpose for which he had called.

Oliver cleared his throat. "Ah, Ms. McInerney, I have some interesting news. Some good news."

"Ok, what is it?" she asked.

Oliver realized he had to get a grip on himself. Work. Office. Newspaper. Dale.

Oliver took a deep breath, closed his eyes and was finally in control of himself to he explain that he had called on a few supervisors several levels up in the post office department, higher than Andrea, to discuss the Denver DLO's role in getting Charlie released from jail. They had been impressed with the dedication of his DLO team in following the delivery of the letter that led to finding the evidence needed to free Charlie.

"Then I called a friend of mine who knows a number of newspaper reporters rather well. She put me in touch with someone she knew would have an interest in the Riggs case," Oliver explained.

"Tomorrow morning's first edition is going to feature the DLO office role in an article with what I hope will also be the announcement that the DLO will remain open and take on even greater responsibility for lost mail delivery," Oliver said. He couldn't help but end the news with just a bit of a boastful note at this wonderful reversal of the recent decision to close the DLO.

"Oliver! That's wonderful!" Shane said.

"Yes, I think so!" For a moment, Oliver smiled, happy to be able to share such good news with someone who would appreciate it.

"Norman and Rita will be thrilled!" Shane said.

Oliver said, "Yes, they will. I have told you this news in confidence. The reporter is waiting for a call back from the regional supervisor before he can release the news but I expect that will happen before we get to work.

Until I get there please keep this information to yourself. We must let the post office work through the chain of command to notify Andrea first."

Suddenly remembering Ms. McInerney's ten-week transfer application, Oliver said, "Normally, these things take time but when I talked to the regional manager I explained the need for haste in this case." Andrea's calendar had the DLO scheduled to begin moving tomorrow.

"Of course, Oliver! I'm very happy for you," Shane said warmly.

Shane really was very happy for Oliver. She hadn't known him long but long enough to learn that he was the kind of professional man who really loved his work and was totally dedicated to it. He saw purpose in life.

The glow of the sharing the news was beginning to fade as there was nothing else to add, and Oliver knew it was time to conclude the conversation. He and Ms. McInerney had shared a dance and exchanged personal information but they were not friends yet, if they ever would be, he thought as he reminded himself she still might be a temporary employee.

Just to be sure, Oliver said, "I will see you in the morning at the DLO then, Ms. McInerney."

Oliver didn't realize he had been holding his breath until she said, "Yes, I'll see you in the morning."

He relaxed as they said goodbye and he hung up the phone.

As Oliver got in bed, he suddenly remembered the scripture he had read.

Yes, it is all in God's timing. Maybe she would stay. The DLO could use someone with her expertise. And maybe it was time to take those dance lessons.

THE END