Taking Out the Trash - A to Z Challenge - Flash Fiction

"There's that odd theatre fellow again. Bloody strange if you ask me."

"No one asked you, Richard. And when was the last time you actually approved of anyone?" Eleanor sniffed delicately.  "You've got that old man smell about you today. Did you even shower?"

"I suppose you prefer Mr. Pouf there.  Disgusting.  Bathes in scent and walks about with puppets. Ought to be locked up if you ask me, him and that HaveYouBeenSavedYet sidekick of his. Damned building's gone to pot, letting anybody in."

Eleanor nodded and smiled at the cheerful man coming toward them, dragging a large black trash bag.  "Hello Mr. Stewart. You seem in fine fettle this morning. I find it's always good for the spirit to take out the trash."

The ebullient Mr. Sylvester Stewart, lately of the Faire Men Traveling Troupe, doffed his Wednesday Hat, a slightly bent tricorn.  "Good morning to you too. I've been busy cleaning out the apartment. Mother was a bit of a hoarder, you know. How are you, Mr. Bryson?"

Richard grunted. "A bit nippy out today. Cold. Yes, cold. Looks like it's to continue cold too." He stared fixedly at the hat, his mouth working silently. "Yes, cold," he finished, defeated by the jauntiness of millinery and bearer.

The three looked at each other in mounting panic as they realized that they were all waiting for the elevator.

I cannot bear one more vapid conversation about the weather thought Sylvester.

I will die of embarrassment if that idiot Richard opens his mouth  thought Eleanor.

I'll put Eleanor between us so that fruit won't feel me up thought Richard.

They rode down to the first floor in silence. As the door opened, Sylvester swept his hat off with a flourish.  "After you, milady," he said with a wink.

Eleanor flushed in spite of herself.  "Well, thank you.  But really, you go first, you have such a load to deal with."

"Nonsense. And I'm in no hurry; I've another trip to make anyway. There's another batch of body parts upstairs awaiting disposal."

Eleanor giggled, all the while feeling the disapproving eyes of her husband burning into her. 

"Bloody freak show," he muttered. "Damned cold weather."



The weather had warmed considerably three weeks later, although Richard was not along this time to comment on it.  Eleanor was on her way to join the widows at bridge, when who should be coming along the hall again but Sylvester, wearing his Sunday Hat, a dove grey Panama, and dragging the ubiquitous trash bag.

"We always seem to meet on a trash day, don't we Mr. Stewart.  You must tell me about your new show. Oh, and perhaps you could bring your friend to tea.  I don't at all mind listening to his interpretations of the Book. Quite fascinating, especially when taken in a historical context."

The two chatted avidly, and although Eleanor was quite expecting it, she was still pleased as ever when Sylvester doffed his hat and called her milady.  They parted ways after agreeing on a suitable evening to get together, Eleanor tapping across the marble foyer to her bridge club, Sylvester trotting to the back alley with his trash bag, leaving the very faintest of sticky red trails on the floor behind him.

Screenshot from "We Have A Pope".  listall.com

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Apologies for not being around the last few days. Today is my birthday, but I celebrated it over the weekend. The BF took me horseback riding, to lunch in Manhattan, over to see the Brooklyn Bridge, and then to the movies to view Habemus Papam (We Have A Pope). As a freebie, here's my very first movie review. 

Habemus Papam (We Have A Pope)
Director: Nanni Moretti - Cast: Nanni Moretti, Michel Piccoli, Margherita Buy, Roberto Nobile, Jerzy Stuhr. Italian. Subtitled. 


What happens when the Cardinal chosen to be the next Pope panics, runs, and decides he's not the right man for the job?  We Have A Pope is well-cast, thoughtful, has some genuinely funny moments, and doesn't necessarily tie up the loose ends neatly. (Much of the humor revolves around the fact that the Cardinals reveal some of the same petty flaws which affect the rest of us.) The only fault I found was that the psychoanalyst brought in to "help" the Pope has a much larger part than was needed. Too much time was spent on the athletic antics of the waiting Cardinals (no spoilers) instead of following the better storyline of the newly elected Pope's dreams of another career earlier in life.  This was a pretty good movie, and I'd recommend it, but it could have been a great movie - it's got a wonderful premise.