Part 3
“The Doctor will need to be told something,” Edwin thought as he scrubbed the thought of honey from his skin. “The residents can’t be allowed in that part of the grounds until something is done about the defilement.” That much was perfectly clear. After using the soap on his skin, Edwin took a small brush, making certain to get under each nail so that not a speck of filth, imagined or otherwise, would remain on his skin. He inspected each hand and when he thought they were finally clean again, he rinsed them with distilled water from a bottle, washing off whatever chemical deposits the tap water might have left behind. Rinsed off, he took one of his specially prepared towels from its sealed plastic bag and dried any remaining moisture from his skin. Washed and dried, he spritzed his now clean flesh with anti-bacterial gel to complete the process. As much as Edwin disliked generalities, he decided that this might be the time to employ them. “There is no need for the staff to know the exact nature of the defilement,” He said to himself as he rolled his cuffs back down and fastened the stainless steel cufflinks. There was always the chance that the cloth would have wrinkled, but Edwin justified it as a reasonable risk when set alongside the possibility of getting his shirt sleeves wet. Wet sleeves would have required a change in shirt and as he had only ironed enough for the week, changing would throw his schedule off. He was pleased to see the starch had saved the cuffs and he could spot no wrinkles. Satisfied, Edwin walked to the door and reached for the door knob. Before leaving his office he took one more look around, making certain everything was in place. As he scanned the room for anything out of place, he realized that the elephants had left him somewhat shaken. He didn’t know if it was the thought of an unknown assailant on the estate grounds, something he had never allowed in his career, or if it was that self-same assailant’s blatant disregard for order that had him on edge. He did know it made him feel somewhat protective of his space. The sight of everything as it should be settled him somewhat although in leaving his office, he did something he had never done during working hours. He locked his door. If the pachyderm perpetrator was still on the grounds and looking to create chaos from order, he did not want his domain targeted. As Edwin crossed the grounds, he reviewed what it was he wished to convey and chose each word he wanted to use. He refined his speech and was reasonably pleased with it by the time he reached the offices for those who worked inside rather than on the grounds. He walked into the office and the secretary looked up from her keyboard, her fingers stilling and her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of him. “Mr. Trim,” she said, her surprise evident in her voice. “I hadn’t realized you had an appointment.” She turned to her appointment calendar and began scanning the pages. “I’m afraid Doctor Vargas is not in at the moment. I believe he will be out until two this afternoon.” Edwin frowned, he hadn’t counted on the doctor being unavailable. As the secretary tidied her desk he realized that the unknown topiariest had not only disrupted his schedule but forced him to disrupt another’s. Things were getting worse by the minute. “My apologies, Ms. Evans, I was not scheduled to meet with the doctor today. We have, regrettably had an incident on the grounds. While my staff is working to deal with the matter and will do so in a way that in no way disturbs the residents, I must ask that both staff and residents stay clear of the south lawn for the time being. I will notify this office when the matter is settled and regular usage may resume. The doctor may contact me in my office should he require further details.” As he spoke, the woman’s mouth formed a little o of surprise. She shook herself a little and pulled a notepad close. “The south lawn?” she repeated as she scrawled on the page. “I’ll sent out a memo effective immediately, the south lawn is off limits for maintenance.” She smiled. “At least it isn’t one of our more popular places for the patients who like to stroll. I’m sure you will settle the matter quickly Mr. Trim.” “That is my intent,” Edwin said, satisfied that she did not ask for specifics. Confident that no one would be forced to unexpectedly confront the parade of elephants, Edwin turned and left the offices, heading back into his own territory. It was time to put a plan in place.
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Valerie GaumontJust the record of the random flotsam and jetsam of an insomniac writer's mind Archives
March 2021
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