Beth's Dilemma - The Message (Part 2)

7/29/2019 Beth's Dilemma - The Message (Part 2)

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Beths Dilemma The Message (Part 2 of 2)By: Leo N. Ardo

Beth did not sleep last night, struggling with how to return the wallet and maintain hersafety. Every decision breaks up a family. In a strange way, she is thankful thewarehouse is working seasonal Saturdays and will be surrounded by people she knows.

The conclusion of her internal overnight debate comforts her self-preservation andjustifies her not-so-final decision: no personal jail time, that little girl should not beexposed to crime, and Charlie lied on his application. Later this morning, the police willbe called, and the wallet turned over to them. Why am I so uncomfortable with thisdecision?

Simultaneously, she is intrigued by a man that would rob for his child, stick to hisconvictions by keeping his secrets, have lunch with his daughter, and leave as soon as

possible to pick her up after work. His orders are completed every day. He drives arefurbished pickup that car enthusiasts would classify as a work-of-art. Charlie is anenigmaloving father, honorable man, artist, and bank robber.

At 8:13 a.m., Teresa, the receptionist, answers a call from the Bowling Green Hospital.

Hello, this is Melissa with Bowling Green Hospital. May I speak with Charles Mead?

Please hold while I page, Teresa answered. Charlie is paged three times but does not

respond. By company policy, call slips are forwarded to employee supervisors to ensure

all customer service issues are handled if the employee is absent. Teresa passes a pinkcall slip to Doris that reads, Charlie, please call Erin Aware at Bowling Green Hospital,

(658) 555-5340, ext. 3370.Beth should see this before she talks to the police.

On the fourth attempt, Beth hangs up again just as the call is connected. The policedispatcher records the callers ID in the logbook. Three minutes pass before she dials

again.

On the fifth attempt, Beth waits for the police dispatcher to answer. Bowling Green

Police Department, how may I help you?

She is about to speak when Doris gives her the cut-off gesture. Beth says to thedispatcher, I will call you back. She hangs up the phone.

Beth asks, What's up?


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Read this, Doris said. She waits for Beth to read the slip. I will have Jack find out what

he can. They wont tell you or I anything. Have you seen Charlie? He is not answering

the pages.

* * * * *

Charlie is waiting at the Mall Security door at 8:15 a.m. Eight minutes later, the dooropens.

Are you the guy that called yesterday about the wallet?

Yes, has my wallet been turned in? Charlie asks.

Nothing has been added since your call yesterday.

Thank you.

* * * * *

8:44. Charlie arrives at work, clocks in, and walks to Doriss office to explain his

tardiness.

Doris is on the phone and gestures to the chair opposite her desk. Charlie fidgets while

listening to Doriss portion of the conversation.

. . . Please ask them. . . . Hes an employee here. . . . I cant say right now. . . .

Yes. . . . Not sure, can they look to see who is paying? . . . I will call you back inabout five minutes. Love you Jack. She hangs up and turns her attention to Charlie.

Here, this message came for you. Where have you been? Doris inquired.

Charlie reaches for the pink call slip. He skims the call slip while answering her

question, Ive been at the mall looking for . . . Charlie does not finish the sentence. He

bolts from the office, runs down the hall, out the employee entrance, and drives off.

Doris is surprised by the abrupt exit. From the office doorway, she shrugs at Beth.

Beth pauses a few seconds. She is a bundle of nervous energy. Her sixth sense is anoverwhelming force, commanding her to follow. Something is not right with thisscenario. She snatches her keys and purse, runs down the hall and out the employee

door. She is not worrying about losing himcertain he is driving to the hospital.

Confusing and conflicting thoughts are tormenting Beths mind. She does not know

Charlieactually, no one does. He is a bank robber that endangered a child. Charlie


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does not seem like a bank robber. He seems more like the quiet, confident type. Why isthe ICU calling?

Up ahead on the right, Charlie is attempting to thumb a ride. He is walking backwardsquickly and about 300 feet from his pickup.

"The dark pickup used in the bank robbery with the 752 plates. My God, what am I

doing? I am chasing a bank robber. What if he has a gun? This is really stupid, Beth

says out loud but no one hears.

She pulls over next to Charlie, unlocks the doors, and waves as Charlie bends overlooking for the invitation to enter the car.

As he enters the car, he says, I am in a hurry to get to the hospital ICU, my daughter

needs me. I am so thankful you showed up. There is a noticeable pause before he

continues. Why are you here? Shouldnt you be at work?

The conflict is overpowering, and she cannot contain it any longer. Charlie, I know all

about the bank robbery.

What bank robbery? Charlie asks.

First National Bank. Early September. The branch manager identified your truck. You

are hiding out here. And why would you take your daughter to a bank robbery?

My daughter is in the ICU in a coma from a hit-and-run accident. She was struck whilechasing a lunch sack into the street. The truck is a dark blue pickup similar to mine,

Charlie replied. Then added, But his gas gauge probably works.

But the newspaper clipping is about the bank robbery! Beth fired back.

What clipping? he asked.

The one in your wallet.

Youve seen my wallet?

Your wallet is in my purse. Go ahead and get it out. Ive been through your wallet.

Seems fair for you to look in my purse, Beth said as she blushed.


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The paper made a mistake and crossed the photo of Erin being loaded in the

ambulance with the bank photo of the robber. It worked for methe photo of Erin is next

to the description of the pickup that hit her, he explained.

Beth is confused and asks, Why did the hospital call? And who is Erin Aware?

Melissa, the ICU nurse, said if she had to leave a message it will include Erin aware

so I will know Erin is awake, Charlie replied. Other messages might violate the privacy

laws.

Beth's mind is starting to piece together a new story about Charlie and Erin. It isincomplete, but it does not require Charlie to be the bank robber.

Beth continued, Charlie, I know you are a private person, but will you tell me the rest of

the story?

Sure . . . My wife, Hannah, died in August. Erin and I were on our way to Taos, New

Mexico. It was her favorite vacation spot, and requested her ashes be released there.Hannah had an eye for photography. During our last vacation to Taos, she would takephotographs of Erin and I in the morning, and then in the afternoon she would cruise thegalleries and museums. Each night brings an enthusiastic reading from her photo

journal. Erin and I are transported through time by the exciting stories. Each day Erinspeculates what tale Mom will read to us that night. I tell Hannah and she creates the

story around Erins imagination.

The last photo Hannah took of Erin is in my wallet. The phone number on the back isthe June Lund Gallery in Taos. She wants to print the photo to sell at her shop. Erin is aminiature version of Hannahfull of life, living in the moment, and happy.

We stopped for lunch and gas. While I was in the restroom, the lunch bag fell out of the

pickup and Erin chased it into the street. She was struck by the dark blue pickup. I sawthe blue truck drive off. If I had been twenty seconds quicker . The next day when the

newspaper misplaced the two photographs I knew the getaway truck was the samepickup that struck Erin.

I took this job to keep occupied while she was in a coma and make some rent and foodmoney. It was actually my bosss idea. He told me to stay here so I would be close to

Erin. Hes holding my job for me. Thats about it.

Why do you have all that money in your wallet? Why do you buy two burgers on

Fridays? Where did you go everyday for lunch? Beth asked.


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Wow! Ever thought about being a detective? Anyway, the credit cards were in

Hannahs name, and we simply did not think to change the account. The bank canceled

them when her obituary was printed. Its a large procedure-driven bank chain. Dan, my

banker, loaned me $3,500 so we could take this trip while he straightens out the

problems.

The burgers were for lunch with Melissa as a way to thank her for watching Erin and a

bribe so she would call the instant Erin wakes. I spent my lunch hour driving BowlingGreen streets looking for dark vintage pickups with license plates starting with 752.

They are quiet the remaining three minutes to the hospital. Beth is feeling guilty aboutthe misunderstanding but satisfied knowing the whole story.

Charlie releases the seat belt and opens the door before Beth stops the car. The instantthe car stops, he is running through the emergency room doors. He takes the elevator to

the ICU on the third level. He waves to Melissa. She smiles as he enters Erin's room.The bruise on her forehead healed two months ago. Erin is eating orange Jell-O andsays, Hi Daddy, I've been asleep.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Leo N. Ardo: - I am a thirty-five year veteran of small business, and

author of theJon Hersey Industrial Spy series. I enjoy photography,fly fishing, biking, and embellishing our travel experiences in journals

titledExaggerated Tales of an Ordinary Man.

We call Utah and Wyoming home.

Visit our website www.LeonardoStories.com

Like us at Facebook.com/LeonardoStoriesFollow us on Twitter @LeonardoStories

Hoping life blesses you with good stories!

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Beth's Dilemma - The Message (Part 2)