Flapping My Left Wing by Hannah Fortune

I’m not always late, thought Chick the next morning as she opened the door to the coffee shop at 10:45 a.m.
“Chick!”, Patricia greeted her warmly as usual, which Chick greatly appreciated. The place was jammed with the regulars, Dorito, Happy, Kooky. Even Turkey was there today, though it was a Tuesday with no chance of Helen’s wonderful wild West Virginia tunes.
And just as she had thought, there were Goosey and Henny already enjoying homemade quiche and a whole wheat bagel. Chick had to forgo the quiche. Eating an egg made her feel like a cannibal, altough it didn’t seem to bother her friends in the least. “I’ll just have a cup of that delicious coffee, please”, said Chick, plunking herself down next to Goosey.
“Hey, girlfriend, what’s this great idea of yours?”. Goosey always go right to the point. “I’ll have you know I rescheduled showing a house to meet you!”.
“You look great, Goosey!”, Chick told her friend, giving her a hug.
“I lost ten pounds and I’m going to lose ten more! I feel fantastic!”, said Goosey, barely remembering her chocolate indulgences of a few days ago.
“O.K.! Here’s my idea!”, began Chick, and with great enthusiasm and many wing gestures, she excitedly outlined the detalis og her Great Greuhound Bus Adventure. “And, I can get a 60-Day Discovery Pass for $538.00. I’m hoping one of you will come with me!”, finished up Chick on a note of expectation.
There was a stunned silence. Finally, Dorito, one of the women from Melrose Surge For Peace, said quietly, “Well, that is quite an idea”.
“Ride a bus? For two months?”, said Goosey. “Oh, I don’t know….I don’t think….Ummm…..I….For once, Goosey was speechless.
Patricia spoke up, “Well, I for one, think it’s a wonderful idea, Chick. A life affirming journey for peace, an empowering step for your species and women everywhere. I would go with you, if I weren’t stuck in this coffee shop, which, don’t get me wrong, most days, I dearly love.”
“I’ll go with you, Chick! It’ll be fun!”, shouted Henny, just as her cell phone rang with annoying musical tones. She rushed outside, out of respect for the others, and the big sign on the wall, No Cell Phones.
“I only rode a Greyhound bus once in my life”, said Happy, with a farwaay look on her face. Everyone began talking at once, weighing the pros and cons of Chick’s plan.
Then Turkey, who had remained silent up until now, cleared his long throat loudly and stood up. “Chick? Do you have any grip on reality at all? You apparently are under a delusion that bus riders are a representative sampling of society. No, my dear, the truth is you will be dealing with the poor, the downtrodden, the alcoholic, the desparate fringe element, not to mention homeless veterans who may very well not only disagree with you, but wish you ill will. You will be seen as a dilatante, traveling by bus as a lark, while for your fellow riders, this mode of transportation is the only one open to them. Believe me, you will not be welcomed with open arms, you and your message of peace. The true believers of God, guts, guns, and country are out there in droves. Go down to the Deli! You’re naive, Chick! You could well end up in a stew pot, along with dumplings and gravy……Just looking out for your well-being, sweetie”. Giving Chick a pat on the head, Turkey walked out the door.
“Humpf!”, said Kooky, “Don’t let the door hit you in your big fat feathered butt on your way out!”
“What? Did I miss something?”, quiered Henny, coming back in after her cell phone chat.
“A man was just giving his much over-rated opinion”, said Patricia, rolling her eyes.
“His opinion on what?”, Henny asked.
“My Greyhound trip for peace. Would you really go with me, Henny?, answered Chick, hoping for support, yet unsure as to how a Republican McCain supporter could be a rider for peace.
“Go on a bus? Why, Iwouldn’t be caught dead on a bus, those smelly, dirty things, packed like sardines with all manner of unpleasant characters, stopping at McDonald’s to eat! Not me!”, Henny threw up her hands dramatically.
“But, Henny, you just told me twenty minutes ago it would be fun”, stammered Chick, puzzled.
“I most certainly did not! I would never even consider such a trip!”, Henny said in a loud voice, grabbing the tambourine and shaking it.
Chick caught Goosey’s eye. They were both thinking the same thing, Chick knew. There was something wrong with Henny.
“Look, Chick, you have friends in Bradenton, right? Why not take the bus down? Check it out first before jumping in with both feet”, Dorito said gently.
Chick looled at her gratefully. “That’s a good idea. I’ll do it soon”.

Next: Chick Takes A Trip