Red is Alice’s favorite color. Well, she didn’t exactly tell me that, but I know it. You see, her bike is red, as is her checkered seat cushion and her shiny saddle bags.
The first time I saw Alice on her bike, I was captivated. Two blonde braids trailed down from under her red beret, and were blowing behind her in the wind.
Alice rescues animals that shouldn’t be in someone’s home. If they’re healthy, Alice plops them in her saddle bag and takes them over to the Peabody Field to release them. I don’t know what she does with the badly injured ones.
Personally, I hate all of those creepy-crawly creatures. However, just for Alice, I bought Simon. (I didn’t name him-- his name was on the glass at the pet store). He’s a spider. I hate him.
I just want a chance to talk with Alice.
I release Simon and dial Alice’s business number.
When Alice arrives, I’m standing on my kitchen chair. She gets to work searching everywhere.
“Sir, can you describe the spider that you saw?”
“Big ‘n wooly.” (The first words I say to her in person).
“What do you do with the injured ones?” I ask. “If you need help finishing them off, maybe I can go with you sometime…”
She doesn’t comment. She’s probably thinking over my proposal.
Alice soon locates Simon. She lifts him up for me to get a good look at him. He’s… bigger than I remembered.
Everything goes black.
When I wake up, she’s cradling my head in her arms.
“Sir?” she asks. “You passed out. Should I call an ambulance?”
Both of her hands are around me.
Both of her hands are around me? Where’s the spider?!
Something brushes against my ankle.
Everything goes black again.
