If you missed the earlier installments, here are links to Part One and Part Two.
*****
Shirley's living room surprised Joshua. He was expecting to find the place teeming with hats and cats, cats and hats. What he found was a modest condo decorated with pictures of Shirley and Gene.
She must have her press clippings hanging up in another room. I bet she's built a little shrine to herself.
Shirley led him into the kitchen. "Have a seat, Mr. Miller. Would you like some tea?"
"Sure."
Joshua noticed the two place settings on the table. He chose the seat near the window. He watched as she put away the groceries, scanning the room for a weapon. I could knock her out with that pan when she turns her back and use that butcher knife to finish the job.
"Oh, no," she said, looking up. "That's my husband's seat."
"You remarried?"
"No."
Joshua got up and moved to another seat. He looked around at the pictures on the wall. No matter where he looked, Gene was staring at him.
"Would you like to start the interview while I finish with the groceries?" she asked.
"Um, sure." Joshua fumbled around in his coat pockets and brought out his pen and notebook. He put his tape recorder in the middle of the table and hit the Record button.
"So Mrs. Gentry, I heard a rumor that you turned down an invitation from David Letterman to appear on his show. Is that true?"
"Yes."
"Really?" Joshua shot back in disbelief. This old lady could've been really famous. "Why would you do such a thing?"
"Truthfully, I didn't want any more attention."
What?
"At first, it was nice having people saying hello to me on the streets. But when people I've known for years started calling me The Hat Lady, that's when things became a little uncomfortable. I didn't like the attention."
I've seen you around town, basking in the attention. Save that line for a tourist. "Doesn't everyone like attention?"
"Yes, but for the right reasons. I was a librarian for forty-two years. During that time, I helped many people. I would much rather be remembered for my years of service to the community than as the owner of hats."
She's bullshitting me. Her fame's fleeting so now she's trying to appear all humble. "But c'mon, you had to like the freebies people gave you, right?"
"Everybody loves to be treated to a free meal every now and then, especially when you're on a fixed income. I loved it the first time a restaurateur offered to pay my bill--"
Finally the truth comes out!
"But I tried my best to turn down every offer after that. I felt that if I took a free cup of coffee or a BLT from someone, I could never enter their establishment again. They would think I was looking for another free meal--"
She has a point.
"--And when you think about it, giving someone a free meal because they own a lot of hats is ridiculous."
Joshua could feel his hatred for her diminishing. "I agree. So how many hats do you have nowadays? You must have over five hundred by now."
"Thirty-three."
"Five hundred and thirty-three? That's a lot of hats! Where do you keep them all?"
"No. Thirty-three hats."
"Thirty-three? What happened to all your hats?"
Shirley sat down at the table across from Joshua and handed him a glass a tea. "After I was on the news, several local charities asked me to donate hats for auctions. But lately, Claudia's nephew has been selling them on his computer to raise money for the Foundation. People from all over the world come to his computer to buy my hats. I don't understand how he does it, but I know the Foundation wouldn't exist without his help."
"Foundation?"
"The Gene Gentry Memorial Cancer Foundation. I set it up about eight months ago. With the help of some local doctors, we educate people about the symptoms of colon cancer and advocate early screenings. We're hoping to raise enough money for a free screening in a few months."
"Why colon cancer?"
"Gene had inoperable colon cancer when he died. He was in a lot of pain and it was really just a matter of time." She stopped and brushed a tear from her cheek. "Gene was never much for doctors. I would nag him every few months, trying to get him to have a physical. I used to get so mad at him! But when he got really sick and started losing all that weight, he finally agreed to go to the doctor. But it was too late at that point."
Joshua grabbed her hand and said, "Go on." Joshua was no longer sitting across from The Hat Lady. He was having tea with Shirley Gentry.
She started crying. Joshua moved to the seat next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes," she continued, "I think the accident was a good thing. It saved him from months of suffering."
She leaned into his chest. "I hate those hats! I want to be Shirley Gentry again! I'd burn them all to have one more day with Gene!"
Joshua stroked her hair. "When Claudia's nephew is done," she wailed, "I'll own three hats: my first hat, the hat I was wearing when I met Gene, and the hat I was wearing when I buried him!"
Shirley pulled herself away from Joshua. She wiped the tears from her eyes and tamed her hair. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Miller. You must think I'm a lunatic by the way I'm carrying on."
"No, not at all. In fact, I've gained a whole new respect for you today."
"Good. Thanks. I think it's time to wrap this up. Can you mention the Foundation in your article?"
"Yes, ma'am. I will definitely mention the Foundation."
Shirley walked Joshua to the door and hugged him goodbye. He walked to his car and stared at himself in the rearview mirror. He looked over and saw the tape recorder on the passenger seat.
He started the car and sped out of the parking lot. He hit the highway and raced toward his destination. He looked at his watch and said, "Damn it all! I'm not going to make it in time!"
He pulled into the parking deck at 4:52 PM. He ran into the office and up to the receptionist's desk. "Hello. I'm Joshua Miller and I'm a writer."
"That's nice, sweetie," the receptionist replied. "Would you like a subscription to The Philadelphia Inquirer? It's only fifty-seven cents a day. If you use the Save-A-Lot coupon on page two every day, the paper practically pays for itself."
"What? Huh? No," Joshua stammered. "I need to speak to your editor. I have a great idea for a story. Do you remember The Hat Lady?"
The Hat Lady (Part Three)
