Page 230 - Musings 2022

Albert: Here you go sweetheart! Enjoy! And tell me if you want anything else!

Betty: (Smiling and excited) Thank you! You are nice, I like you. (Angrily) Daddy never lets
me get a chocolate pastry.

Albert: (Laughs) You can have as many pastries as you want today my sweetheart! I won’t tell
Daddy anything about this. It will be our little secret!

(Albert winks. Betty laughs and starts eating her pastry.)

Albert: So tell me about yourself, Betty? What are your hobbies, what do you enjoy at school,
and who are your friends?

Betty: So my name is Betty. I am eight years old. I live in Silent Oaks. I live with my parents.
My daddy’s name is Charles and my mommy is Debbie. I don’t have any brothers or sisters. I

have a pet cat. His name is Larry. I love Larry! I love playing with dolls. I have many! I study

at Crossroads Elementary. My best friend is Haley. I was sick for a while. But now I’m out of
the hospital and doing great!

Albert: That’s beautiful dear! Larry sounds wonderful and Haley sounds like a nice girl! And
it’s great that you are in the pink of health now!

Betty: Yes. What’s your name, uncle? Can I call you uncle?
Albert: Ohh honey! You can call me whatever you please. How silly of me! I completely forgot

to introduce myself! My name’s Albert. I am sixty-five, retired. Worked at a bookbinding

factory. I currently live alone at my house in Los Angeles. My wife passed away a few months
ago. So yes, that is about it.

Betty: You don’t have any friends?
Albert: Oh I don’t know about that. There are some neighbours I hang out with in the morning

and some companions I meet at the bar in the evening and..... (Pauses, then smiles) I suppose I

don’t have friends.
Betty: I can be your friend!

Albert: Ohh! Why sure my dear! You can be my friend. We will both have a great time.
(Both laugh. Betty finishes her pastry and starts drinking her coffee. The other person packs

his laptop, pays the barista and leaves. The barista too leaves for her break. Albert grabs Betty’s

hand and gets a bit emotional.)
Albert: Oh Betty, you have no idea how I have longed for this. I have been dying to talk to you

for so long. To touch you, feel you, to hear you laugh- it brings so much joy to me. To spend
time with you, to give you gifts, comment on how beautiful you look... it’s like I have found

the part of me again that I had lost some time ago. Thank you, Betty! Thank you for coming

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