After dropping Edna off at the car dealership, Dennis felt he'd really like a drink, or at least a cup of coffee, but he'd promised to help Otis at the packing plant and he was already late.

There was a large pile of ripped corrugated cardboard outside the plant, and Dennis knew that Otis would expect him to toss it all on his pickup, so that's what he did.  By the time he entered the plant, he was not surprised to hear Otis greet him with the words, "You're late.  Where you been?"  Dennis was ready with his answer.

"I been working.  Filled the pickup but thought I'd stop in here for a minute, then I'm off to the Recycling Center."

"I suppose you want a cup of coffee."

"If the machine's on.  I thought with everyone gone, maybe the machine wouldn't be on."

"I keep the machine on.  You can't cut back on everything."

Dennis helped himself to coffee, sugar and powdered cream.  He looked around for cookies, but there weren't any.  He figured that had been the girls' contribution.  Sitting on one of the long tables, Dennis bluntly asked Otis if he knew that Edna and Tim were planning a trip.

"Yeah, I heard," Otis said, "Ed's always wanted to see the world.  I guess you knew that."

"Tim asked me to look out for their place while they're gone, but I don't know.  Might want to go away myself."

"Where would you go?"  Dennis didn't like the way Otis said "you," as though he had no right to take a trip.

"Well, if they can go to Vegas, I guess I could go to Vegas."

"You're not thinking of calling in your chips, are you, Buddy?"

"What are you talking about?," Dennis asked, suddenly apprehensive about what Otis might know about him and Edna.

 "Edna's not going to change sides, just because she's in Las Vegas."

"I don't know what you're talking about.  What's sides got to do with it?"

"Nothing.  Forget I said a word.  Better get that stuff out of here before dark."

On the way to the Recycling Center, Dennis couldn't help but think about what Otis had said.  If it came right down to it what side would Edna be on, -- his or Tim's?  She sure is cute, Ed is.  But she never can make up her mind about much of anything.

If Otis really wanted to know, Dennis believed in his heart that
_  _    _  _     _  _     _  _     _  _  _  _.

(2 letters, 2 letters, 2 letters, 2 letters, 4 letters)

 Copyright 1998 J.J. Schnebel
All rights reserved

Stumped?  Here's the Answer!

Want to go on toTwenty-three?

Go back to Welcome to ONCE UPON A PALINDROME