Chapter 4

Macarthur Park.  Doc plays the tape for a Rag.  He reaches over and turns it off, as the Rag seated on the park bench next to him scratches his head.

       “Well… think you know that voice? Says doc.

       The Rag goes through an entire routine of “survival” antics, as if trying to remember.  Doc senses the old man is a bit senile and pats his leg.

        “I know,” says Doc.  “You take care now.”

        Doc gets up and pushes his cart along the crowded walkway.

***

         Doc continues through the paths of the park, confronting different Rags, men and women, flashing the picture, playing the tape with his worn and battered Sony tape recorder.  No one recognizes her face or voice.  After circling the park, he makes two last attempts.  A rag lady with a hearing aid keeps adjusting the volume on her defective unit, trying to keep the high frequency modulation from drowning out the tape.  Again, Doc experiences no luck.

         His last attempt is with a rag man who keep punching up the reverse button and listening to the grandmother say, “I love you.”

“Thank you Herman, for listening.  Guess it’s not who you thought it was.”

Herman interrupts him.  “No.  I think it’s her.  It’s the way she says ‘I love you.’  That really was what Rosemary said it to me.”  He looks up at Doc, his eyes a little dazed. “…before she died last year.”

            “I’m sorry Herm, but this lady is still alive.”

“I was afraid of that,” says Herm.

Doc puts the tape recorder back into his cart as…

            “Think I could hear it again, Doc?  Sometime?  Maybe?”

Doc give him a sympathetic nod.  “Sure, Herm.  Sure.”

Doc takes a deep breath and is surprised to see his dear old friend, Sophia, sitting up against a tree near the lake, feeding a couple of squirrels some of her old pizza crusts.

Waiting to surprise her, he approaches from the rear.

Two children who have been watching her feed the animals are abruptly whished off by their mother once she sees Sophia.

Sophia quietly says, “I’m not gonna eat the little darlins, lady!”

Doc leans over Sophia’s shoulder.  “Cute kids.”

Sophia jumps.  “Damn, you scare me ya big lug.”

She smiles.  “Where you been? Everybody say you shakin’ up with a teenager.

Doc giggles.  “Oh, c’mon Sophia.  I should be so lucky.  No, just me and my toys is all the long-term connection I need.  But…”.  He gives her a hard stare.  “Where the hell are your teeth?”

“Steely,” she answers.

            “Did he hurt you?”

            “No, my own fault for leavin’ them on the sidewalk for him to smash.

            Doc pauses a moment, taking in what the name of “Steely” means to him.  Then, trying to shake it, he puts on a big smile.  He leans across and pecks her on the cheek.  “Well, even without your teeth, I could really use your help.

            Sophia throws some more crusts to the squirrels and smiles.  “Don’t you be flashing that charm on me.  No painting.”

            Doc chuckles.  “It’s not a toy project, Sophia.”  He takes out his recorder and the picture.  “I’m in the missing persons business now.”

            “What you mean?”

            “Well, Pepe brought this young lady to me a few days ago—who is actually out of her teens—(smiling).  Came in from San Francisco to find her grandmother.”  He shows the picture.  “The pics 17 years old, but…”

            Sophia stands up and brushes herself off.  “You’re nuts, Doc. That’s a need in the proverbial haystack kind of job.”

            Doc shakes his head.  “Maybe, but once you’ve heard the tape, it’s pretty hard not to want to help.”

            Sophia walks toward the lake.  Doc follows.  “Best stay alone and mind my own business.  Start moving’ around lookin’ for somebody and Steely’s gonna be on my case and…”

            Doc puts up his hand.  “I need your help, Sophia.  I can’t talk to women like you can.”

            “You hadn’t better.”

            Doc take her hand and they watch the ducks.

            A little brother and sister skip up and do the same.

            Sophia nods as she looks toward the brother and sister.  “We’d have made good grandparents, you stubborn old…”.  She leans her head on his shoulder.