Story #3
posted by story on August 28th, 2008 at 12:40AM

"There coudn't have been another explanation."   Margo had tried again to consider all the possibilites, it contorted his face.   I shifted my attention to the squirrel running over the cables between houses when it suddenly paused as if in thought.
"It must have been blue!" Margo cried out.
"What do you mean?" I asked him,   watching as the squirrel continued on its path in merriment.
"Well" said Margo "there is simply no other way that things could have ended so badly!"
Alas, Margo seemed resolute.   I turned my attention away from the window.
"I didn't think that a colour could have such an impact!"
There was a seemingly infinite collection of papers all over the table.   It had taken Margo nearly a month to discover that his clients had been feuding over the purchase of his latest artpiece.   It was something that neither had wanted to admit to the other.   To me, it was a petty thing, their argument.   But perspectives are bred to be different.   It seemed, for Margo's clients that the mood-sensing statue he created had become one of those things that neither client had wanted to talk to eachother about.   The statue had revealed concealed emotions.   It had remained blue, the notorious hew of saddness.   It had eaten a way at them until a once considered impossible situation became a little more than possible.  

I shrugged in exhaustion.   It was almost a full day since I last made contact with my ever so inviting pillows.   I envied Furball who looked so comfortable curled up by the window.  
"There really is nothing else to explain how it all came to an end." Margo seemed exhausted.   His vacation was long over due. The mess of papers were a collection of sleuth work, receipts, letters, pictures, phone bills, listings of various credit card payments and so on; all had been gathered by Margo over the past month, and all were for the goal of finding Rick.   Rick had gone missing.   Rick was more than just a client to Margo, he was the inspiration for his latest piece of artwork.   Rick was his savior, and somehow not being able to find him was destroying Margo.

"Just because something came to an end doesn't necessarily mean that it ended badly" I said. The purchase of Margo's latest piece had ended a twelve year relationship between Rick and Jocelyn.   They were as solid a couple as one could imagine.   Actually, even I would have gambled a hefty amount on   their upcoming nuptials.   I wouldn't have considered myself a gambler.   Jocelyn was doing remarkably well.   She hadn't heard from Ricky but she seemed to be accepting of any fate that lay before her.   There were little, hardly noticeable things that she did that exposed her true feelings.   Mostly those things involved being aroung things that wer blue.

"I think I might know where he might be!" Margo said suddenly
"Oh?" I replied.
"Sunny Valley in Blue County"   Margo was excited now.   "The latest credit card charges have been around that location for the last couple of weeks."
"That's not so far"   my mind was beginning to drift to a restful sleep.   I was barely able to reply.
"You're right" Margo seemed pleased.   "I'm going to try to make it there tonight!" He began to throw some of his things together.   The drive to Blue County was roughly three hours.   Given the time, I would judge he would make it there by nightfall.   Wow, just thinking of nightfall makes me feel like I would succumb to it's early invitation.   Furball awoke from Margo's bustling around the room.   He curled himself around my stretched toes, and this time when he closed his eyes, I did the same.

When I awoke Margo was gone.     Furball had returned to his customary position by the window.   It appeared to be early morning.   I had slept well.   I glanced at the itinerary.   My overtime hours had earned me the next week off.   I was going to meet with Jocelyn today.   She had some important news to share.   I was looking forward to the change of pace.   My job as a paramedic was gruelling and seemingly constant.   Any time off was always time off well spent.   I was wondering how successful Margo would be at finding Rick, when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey man, it's Margo" he continued "I came too late, they told me Rick had left before I came"
"That sucks, maybe he'll be back?"
"Ya, I was thinking the same thing, and so I'm going to be staying here for a week"
"That's cool, keep me posted" I was almost happy to see the house free of Margo's maddening search for Ricky.   Joceyln would be relieved as well. Margo's impestuous barage of questions had kept Jocelyn from coming over too often.

After a few hours of lazing around, the doorbell rang.   Jocelyn had arrived.   She stumbled in past the doors and paced the floors until I sat comfortably on the sunken couch.
"I have to tell you this.   Margo is insane.   He's made me worry about everything, absolutely everything, right down to the very foods that I eat, the very foods that I so love to eat!!   He's made me worry about my job, my writing, I really think he's driven Rick a way" Jocelyn was almost breathless, I was beginning to see another perspective.   Jocelyn continued "Rick is gone and I'm not going to worry anymore! I'm not going to worry about deadlines or word limits!! The thing I came to tell you is that I've learned to stop worrying, and love blueberry pie!!" I was stunned.

The End.

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