Paging Doctor Baxter Huntley Part III

My name is Henry James and I’m a writer for Dark Sides of the Truth Magazine.

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Conclusion

When Sunny Alexander walked into my hospital room I never gave it a second thought when I asked her to find my clothes. After calling Rick McDonnell, the Chief Editor of Dark Sides asking for help I just expected, well I don’t really know what I expected.

But it sure wasn’t Sunny.

The woman stood there staring at me, one eyebrow arched. After a second or two, she backed away from the bed and crossed her arms.

“Mr. James I don’t know what you think I’m here for, but it sure as hell isn’t to be your maid. Why don’t I head to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee and let you find your own damn clothes.”

Oh wow, was it something I’d said?

“Uh, listen Ms. Alexander…”

“Miss.”

“Right, Miss Alexander, let’s start over. I’m assuming Rick told you about me and what’s going on?”

“Not so much what’s going on but yes, Rick told me all about you and I must say you fit his description pretty much to a T.”

I wanted to ask what Rick actually told the woman, but figured I probably wouldn’t like it so much.

Yeah, I was cantankerous and had my ways. Cheese burgers, Slim Jims, Twinkies and Ho-Hos as far as I was concerned were proper dietary staples. When I traveled, which was all the time, I packed light. Just enough undies for a week, a pair of blue jeans tattered at the ends of both legs, a pair of boots I’d had resoled three times, two long sleeved shirts, and of course, a sweat stained, Browning ball cap.

Curmudgeon I have seen thee and you are mine.

“Okay, let’s start over. I need my clothes so I can get out of here and find a library before they close. I need to do a little research on somebody.”

I watched her walk across the room, perch on the edge of the cushioned chair and pull a slender laptop from a tote.

Interesting. I was so hell bent to get out the room, I’d not noticed she was packing. She propped the laptop on her legs and as she waited for the boot sequence to complete she gazed up at me.

“Rick said you were old school, but I thought he was joking.”

“Can’t argue with success Miss Alexander. I’m a writer, I have my ways and they work.”

“That’s funny so am I.”

“So am I what?”

“I’m a writer as well, in fact Mr. James I write for Dark Sides. Didn’t Rick tell you?”

I wasn’t so sure I was liking where this was going and shook my head.

“Rick said he was sending somebody up to help.”

I raised my left arm and brandished my cast at the young woman.

“You know, take notes, help me get the story in my computer because I can’t type. Take me to the library, run errands, that kind of shit.”

“Oh well that explains a hell of a lot then. You see a young, black woman walk in your hospital room and you think you’ve got yourself an admin?”

“Hang on a minute. The color of your skin, or the fact you’re a woman doesn’t mean a damned thing to me. I just thought…”

I watched her slap the screen of her laptop down and prop both elbows on top of the computer.

“You thought what, that I was sent here to cater to you? This isn’t Driving Ms. Daisy Mr. James. I’m here to help write this story. I’m a writer and a darned good one. You think old white guys are the only people in the world that can write a good story?”

“Whoa honey, I think we have a big misunderstanding.”

The minute the words left my mouth I knew I’d just kicked Satan in the ass and taken away his pitchfork. Before I could apologize Sunny Alexander was up from the chair and wagging a slender index finger in my face.

I will say, I liked the color of her nail polish. It really paired up well with her complexion.

“Did you just call me honey? Please tell me you didn’t just call me honey you misogynistic ass. I’m not your honey, your sweet cheeks, your baby, hon or girl. I’ll thank you to address me in a civil manner and with the respect I deserve. You got that…boy?”

We both squared off in a staring contest with neither of us saying anything.

“Yes ma’am,” I finally said, “won’t happen again.”

Sunny Alexander was right about a million things. I guess being on the road for the last two years, while it had done a lot for my writing career, had devastated my ability to grow personally. I’d spent my days viewing this world from the observational end of a telescope, never letting anything get close.

Pretty clear to see, I wasn’t handling these “life” things very well.

She’d dropped back into the chair and opened her laptop again. There was something she’d said, well a lot of things she’d said troubling me. Like I always do, I decided to start from the top and work my way down.

“Again, I’m sorry Miss Alexander. I’ve been on the road by myself so long I kinda lost track of my social graces.”

“Apology accepted Mr. James.”

“Henry will do just fine.”

“Okay Henry. Sunny will do just fine.”

“See? We’re making progress already.”

She snorted then raised her head up and gazed at me, her expression seemed a little too stern for my liking. I found myself wondering just how many ass whuppings I would have to take before she decided to let up.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said, her tone as serious as a preacher performing Sunday Communion.

“What’s that?”

“You’re thinking about me helping you write this story. Rick didn’t tell you did he?”

“I think we’ve clearly established he didn’t tell me a lot of things Sunny.”

She nodded then reached into her tote and pulled out a phone.

“Rick said to call him once I got here.”

“I’m guessing you’re not going to reach him. It’s after business hours.”

“He gave me his personal number.”

Damn, Rick never gave me his personal phone number.

“Rick, it’s Sunny. Yeah, just like you said he would. I’m going to put you on speaker.”

Sunny got up, put the laptop in the chair and as she walked to my bed, punched the phone.

“Go ahead Rick,” she said. Instead of staring at the phone she was studying my face.

“Henry how are you doing man?”

“I’ve been worse Rick, just can’t remember when.”

Both Sunny and I listened to him laugh and then he said, “so here it is James. I’ve asked Sunny to team up with you on this story. I’m assuming this Baxter Huntley thing is the story right?”

“Yes, but…”

“I know Henry, you work alone, blah, blah, yada, yada. Remember I told you I was looking to fill position number two weeks ago?”

“Yeah.”

“Sunny Alexander is that second writer.”

“Okay, fine Rick, but what’s that got to do with me?”

“You and she are going to write this together Henry. You two are going to share by lines on this one.”

“Oh hell no.”

“Oh hell yes, Henry. She’s a damn good writer, damn good. I actually think she can teach you a thing or two.”

“Goddammit Rick, that’s not how I roll.”

“It is for this story Henry. Here’s the deal. You can lay in that hospital bed and continue to bitch and moan and I’ll yank this out from under you so fast it’ll make your head spin. Or you can team up with Sunny, share the freaking spotlight and bring Dark Sides another great story .”

“Well, at least you’ve given me a say in the matter.”

“Well?”

I shook my head, stared at the phone cradled in Sunny’s hand and then gazed up at her. I was expecting to see her grinning in victory, but instead she had an empathetic expression on her face. Like she understood how I was feeling. I nodded at her and then said, “looks like we’ll be doing this one together Sunny. You ready to dance?”

She grinned and shot back, “Damned straight Henry. Let’s get out on the floor and do this. Rick?”

“Yeah.”

“We’ll call you later. Henry and I have a story to write.”

READ ON — PAGING DOCTOR HUNTLEY BAXTER PART IV

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