WEIRD
episode 4
The Adventures of Hyphen Nate – Going Public
[Previously on Unusual]
[Hyphen, excited about her trip to the big city, was welcomed with something she didn’t expect and would not have imagined in a million years. Little did she know that the ground rules had been laid with a small boy being pulled and ushered by his mother from the Grey Puppy Bus Terminal, and yet, this little boy’s outburst would soon prove insignificant as a multi-generation of common hyphen abuse and cultural separation would soon raise its unnecessary head and bare its teeth, in Hyphen Nate’s face!]
make it public
The Shirleyton Hotel was impressive, not only in the luxurious lobby where the floors were gleaming marble and layers of leather surrounded by green plants placed here and there giving it a homey feel, but also in her room. Mr. Gladley had tipped a porter to carry her suitcase up to her room for her, which he accomplished with the palm of one hand. Although it was small compared to most of the bags she handles, it contained everything Hyphen would need during her stay. After the doorman left, she moved slowly around the room feeling pampered and special. The king-size bed you’d barely even notice she was in it and the bathroom has two, yes, two sinks and a mirror so big your reflection almost gets lost. This seemed so unusual that she could only wonder about it.
The next morning he arrived with his bed phone ringing. Mr. Gladley asked her if she had had a good night and if she needed anything more than what was in the room. She couldn’t imagine what that could be and told him that it was the best room she had ever seen in her life, and “did you know that the bathroom has two sinks?” After a brief pause, she told him that she should have breakfast and that he would send a car to pick her up and take her to the station. After hanging up, she went to the bathroom, gargled, and hurried down to the restaurant for her usual fast food.
As if on cue, the driver appeared and guided her to a waiting limousine, which was also pretty impressive. The drive through the city was a blast for Hyphen, with the strategically placed symbols and crowded sidewalks and buildings that seemed to reach into outer space. She was convinced that she would never be able to see everything, there were so many things that demanded her attention. Cars seemed to be everywhere, mostly taxis with loud horns. The limousine turned into a driveway curving up to a beautiful huge glass door with a doorman who ran up to the limousine and opened the door with a pleasant greeting, and even she knew her name! As she walked through the glass doors, she saw Mr. Gladley, who waved at her and said something to an elegant woman standing next to him. She approached Hyphen, extended a welcoming hand, and asked him to follow her. He led her to a door that had a “Makeup” sign on it. Guion was led to a chair where two ladies were looking at her with confused expressions. Needless to say, “making up” Hyphen was, shall we say, different. It consisted of a small eraser that delicately removed a couple of rough edges. The other lady, a hairdresser, spent the entire session looking at her with a puzzled look, without touching her even once.
Once out of the “Makeup” room, Hyphen was guided to “Study A”, where she was once again greeted by a smiling Mr. Gladley. They took their places at a table at the front of the room, a room full of lights and cameras and people running here and there. He told her not to be nervous, that once the show started, he would just ask her a few questions and that she should answer them as honestly as possible, which would be easy for her, since it’s doubtful Hyphen was ever dishonest. in all his life
A loud voice called out, “Ten seconds”, then “3, 2, 1 and a man pointed at Mr. Gladley. In a relaxed manner, he began to speak to a camera as he would to another person, explaining that the NSB had discovered a special guest they considered a positive influence on the racial strife infecting our country and that, for their part, they felt that his story should be made public. He then introduced and welcomed Hyphen Nate to the show. He led Hyphen’s cause through a maze of complex problems that seemed simple and practical.” Hyphen explained that he didn’t know much about those issues, just that he felt like he was being used to apparently be a factor in separating our country into categories of various racial identities. That she felt that she was being abused and used in that separation. Clarifying, Mr. Gladley asked for some examples, which Hyphen provided; “Mexican-American, African-American” and he added that he felt that we were all Americans with different cultural backgrounds and that using her as a separating factor was not fair and that he considered it abusive.
Instantly all NSB phone lines lit up and Mr. Gladley ended the segment by saying that he wasn’t sure if Ms. Nate’s quest to stop being used as a “separating factor” would complicate or be a positive influence. in the problem, but that it was at least worth considering, and he thanked her for appearing on his show.
As he escorted her to the waiting limousine, he gave her a reassuring smile and told her he’d get in touch because a person never knows when they’ll be needed. He was encouraging when he said that she would make a conscious effort to use it only when there was no other alternative during her public comments and that furthering her cause seemed reasonable. He wished her well and told her to call him on her private phone number if she could ever be of any help.
Hyphen’s Gray Puppy Bus didn’t leave until the next day, so it gave him time to watch TV and relax by the pool at the Shirleyton Hotel. He was surprised to see comments on almost every station he tried to watch. Al Dullton, a prominent civil rights activist, was demanding an apology from Hyphen for offending the African-American community, and there were protest meetings by Mexican-American groups everywhere, some with signs reading “Down with Dash!” Hyphen sat in disbelief watching the haunting images flash across the television screen as he misquoted her in biased statements taken out of context. The only thing he could think of was to call Mr. Gladley. She was surprised when he answered the call and listened with satisfaction as she sobbed her emotional shock and denials into the phone. He told her that there was another side to this story and that he would like to meet her at the hotel and show it to her. She appreciated the offer and agreed to meet him in the lobby.
Mr. Gladley was escorted into the hall by the doorman, the two of them joking and happily engaged in an amused conversation. He saw Hyphen and waved, shook the doorman’s hand, they parted from her and he approached her with his usual confident walk and her smile. Finding a secluded, quiet corner of the hall, they made themselves comfortable on one of the leather cloaks. Mr. Gladley looked at her and she could feel his anxiety and fear. He told her that he understood her feelings and that she was not alone, that others had walked the same path as her and survived. He knew she felt isolated and unsure of herself, but he quickly reminded her that her cause was worthwhile and that many shared her views. He opened his briefcase and took out a stack of papers. The documents were some copies of emails he had received from thousands of supporters who shared her views and supported her cause. He read her some from her, some from powerful government officials, other TV celebrities and ordinary people that he wished to help her in her quest to stop using her in a national separating capacity. He suggested that she go to her home in Unusual and gather her strength for the arduous battle ahead, warning her that the worst might be yet to come. But with her growing support, he felt that she could win the battle with patience, perseverance, and planning, and that not only would she benefit but her country as well, and he would be there for her at all times.
[Watch for the continuing saga of Hyphen Nate as she returns to Unusual for an unusual reception in: Unusual – The Adventures of Hyphen Nate – Episode 5 – Homecoming.]
Jim Andreas
Author: Something important happened today
[http://www.something-important-happened-today.com]