As we walked down the hall Betty and I made conversation about Dad and Elkhart, she asking and I answering. We were watching Scott trying to pull off a dramatic scene as Leonard on "Valiant Journey" (Betty explained that Scott was taking over for Jeff while he was home with the flu) when a smooth voice came out of the room across the way.
"Miss Roberts, could you come here for a minute?"
We turned around and my eyes were greeted with the sight of a tall gentleman with thinning brown hair and a business-like demeanor standing in the doorway of the Station Manager’s Office.
"Sure, Victor. Oh, Victor, I want you to meet my sister Madge. Madge, this is WENN’s Station Manager, Victor Comstock." Betty walked up to the man and smiled at him; her eyes sought his for approval as he said hello to me.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir. Welcome back."
"Welcome back?"
"Well, yes, Sir, from your long ordeal in Europe. Betty told me how you were in a London Hospital for over a year. It must have been dreadful."
"Yes, yes Miss Roberts, it was," he replied, a bit relieved.
I wonder what that was all about, I thought. Did Betty forget to tell me something?
"If you’ll just excuse me a minute, Madge, I’ll be right back."
"Okay, Bet," I smiled. She smiled back and went into the office with the mysterious Victor Comstock. I wonder what they’re doing in there. Before I could let my thoughts drift any furthur, however, I was interrupted by a nervous voice behind me.
"Where’s the recipe?"
"Excuse me?" I replied, turning around.
"The recipe, the recipe! For the show! Wait a minute," he said, tilting his head to the side, "you’re not Betty!"
"No, I’m her sister, Madge."
"Oh, well, nice to meet you," he said, shaking my hand. "I’m Mackie Bloom."
"Wow, Man of a Thousand Voices, right?"
"Right, that’s me!" he said in his ‘Watson’ voice. "Look, I hate to make introductions short, especially with a girl as lovely as you, but I’ve got to find Betty and get that recipe!"
"Oh, she’s in with Mr. Comstock.." I replied, pointing in the general direction of the office.
"Great! Thanks Madge!" He turned to the office.
"Mackie!"
"What is it, Gertie? I have to get that recipe!”
"Don’t expect to get Betty anytime soon. Victor just asked for an outside line and told me to make sure no one enters that room."
"Wonderful!!! Madge, welcome to a regular broadcasting day at WENN," Mackie said, throwing his hands in the air.
"Well, I know a few recipes. Maybe I can help.”
"At this station, what the heck!" Mackie grabbed my hand and led me into the studio where Scott was trying to save the show.
"Recipes are an important part of our lives. Without them, we can’t... eat!" I stifled a laugh as Scott turned towards us. Mackie mouthed something to him and pointed at me.
"And now to present the recipe for today, WENN’s own Madge Roberts. Madge," Scott looked at me and motioned to the mike. I walked over and smiled.
"Thank you, Mr. Sherwood. Hello, everyone. I thought that today we would learn the recipe for..." I was stuck. Hmmm. I looked around the room for inspiration. Microphones, a piano, an organ, Mackie, Scott.. Wait a minute!
"Today we’re going to make ‘Turkey a la King’."
******
"How did you pull that off by memory?” Scott asked.
"Oh, it wan’t much. I had Home Economics in high school, so I remembered the recipe."
"I didn’t know ‘Turkey a la King’ had chocolate chips in it," Betty said, sneaking up behind us and into the Green Room.
I took a glance around the room and replied, "I didn’t know you worked with such lovely people, sister," with a smile
She gave me a look that told me to stick to the subject next time and introduced me to her friends. "Madge, this is Mr. Eldridge, Maple LaMarsh, and Mackie Bloom. Oh, you already know Scott," she added wryly.
"Hello, it’s nice to meet you all," I said.
"It’s nice ta meet you too!" Maple said through her Chicklets.
"Hello, dear," replied Mr. Eldridge, shaking my hand with a sweet smile.
"I’ve already had the pleasure," Mackie replied in his best ‘Vagabond’ voice.
I giggled. "Charmed, I’m sure."
Betty motioned for me to sit at the table and gave me a cup of coffee. She sat down across from me and we continued our conversation.
"Anything new in town?" Betty asked.
"Bet, it’s Elkhart! The paper’s still the paper, Papa’s still Papa, in short, Elkhart is still Elkhart!" I smiled as she laughed in recollection. "I hope you don’t mind me dropping by with no notice, but you said I could come this summer, and I needed a change of scenery."
"It’s fine with me!" she exclaimed happily.
"Us too!" said Scott. I smiled, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Madge, tell us about yourself," said Maple.
"Oh, there’s not much to tell. I graduated from Elkhart High a year ago and since then I’ve worked for The Sentinel." I smiled slyly at Betty and added, "I guess my greatest accomplishment is being Betty’s sister!"
"Not a chance!" she replied sarcastically. We all laughed.
Suddenly the door swung open and Victor Comstock walked in, trenchcoat in hand.
"Miss Roberts," he said, "would you like a job here?"