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Click HERE for all of Don’t Forget Schuster.
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mystery story sequel-continuation

“Hi … Vern?”

“Hi, Mabel!”

Vern recognized the voice on the other end of the line right away. It was already ~15 minutes past 10a the next morning.

“Vern, this is Mabel down at the motel,” Mabel started, the same way she always begins phone conversations, whether or not she knows the person, & whether or not the person knows it is her on the phone, “& I was just wondering….”

Mabel’s voice surprisingly stopped suddenly, so Vern prompted: “You just wondered, what, Mabel?”

“Well,” Mabel said, “if you would be interested in helping me put together a grand opening for the new establishment once it is built?”

Vern hesitated; not because he didn’t want to do it, but because he was a little startled Mabel was asking already. They hadn’t even broken ground on the gas station yet, & that was going up first.

Not hearing an immediate response from Vern, Mabel continued: “I mean, I know you’re going to Nashville & all, but you’ll be back before the grand opening, right?”

“Yes, Mabel, I should be back before then, I would think, anyway. I can’t guarantee…”

“Oh, I know you can’t guarantee, Vern,” Mabel interrupted. “I was just hoping for some help from you, is all.”

Again, Vern was unsure why Mabel was being so forward-thinking, so he gingerly replied: “OK, Mabel. I understand. Guess I’m just not sure why … you are asking now?”

“Oh, no reason.”

Vern sensed that wasn’t quite true: “Mabel, is something wrong?”

“No…”

“Are you sure? Do you need me to come see you today?”

“No, oh no, you don’t need to come over here today, Vern. Not at all.”

“Then, what’s up?”

“I just want to make sure I’m going to have some help….”

Vern suddenly understood; Mabel was a bit more unsure of the new combo place than she had apparently let on before: “Mabel, I know this is going to be a huge change for you, but you’re always saying its time to close down that old motel where you are now.”

“Yes,” Mabel acknowledged, “but I didn’t necessarily mean to open something else!”

“I know,” Vern replied. “However, I think this will be good for the town … & good for you, too. I think you’ll feel better with a new place with more than ample parking space, especially for truckers, & more people around due to the motel, restaurant, semi parking combo. Heck, remember, Charlene will be out there, too.”

“Right,” Mabel said. “But, why do they have to build it THERE? I mean, given the recent history & all….”

Once again, Vern heard what Mabel was really thinking: “Mabel, you do know it is going to look completely different, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” Mabel admitted. “It’s just going to be weird.”

“Indeed, it will, but this is progress that I think, & I believe you agree, will move this town forward in ways we couldn’t possibly have imagined even a few years ago.”

“That is exciting,” Mabel replied.

“I still sense a ‘but’ to that statement,” Vern coaxed.

“Guess I’m just not as sure of all the changes as you, the Mayor & everyone else seem to be,” Mabel relented.

“Oh, I’d say we all have our concerns about it,” Vern replied carefully. “After all, this is a huge project. I’m sure we’ll run into issues along the way….”

“Like what?” Mabel interrupted, somewhat startled at that thought.

“Darned if I know,” Vern said bluntly. “But, whatever the issues are, IF there ARE issues, I am confident we will work through them to complete the project. I, for one, can’t wait to see how this will impact our town & businesses in the area. I mean, it isn’t just you that has complained about the lack of ample parking spaces for trucks.”

“I know,” Mabel said. “For that, I am excited. Just am sad it took a couple tragedies to spark the idea to use the old airport as we’re planning. I mean, talk about a no brainer.”

Vern chuckled: “Yeah, Mabel, that ‘no brainer’ part of this is what gets me sometimes, too. The solution to parking, & maybe some other gripes, has been right in front of us all this time!”

“Uh, Vern, I have to go. A guest is getting ready to check out of the motel.”

“OK, Mabel. I’ll talk to you later!”

Mabel hung up without saying goodbye, something she also tends to do. Vern ended the call & set his cell phone on the night stand next to his bed. He glanced at the clock: 10:22a.

“Welp,” Vern said out loud to nobody except himself, half contemplating what exactly to do that day. “Guess I may as well get up & get this day started.”