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snoopy369
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Of the Peanuts Gallery
Apr 2004
time: 23:35
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After lunch …
After lunch together downtown at Bennigan’s in the loop (Michigan Ave. and Lake location), the authors split up into three groups, feeling confident that the killing was over. One group went to the Field Museum, not far from McCormick, in south Chicago; one group went shopping, to the Marshall Fields in the north loop, and then on to the Magnificent Mile just north of that. The final group went to Wrigleyville, where there was a Cubs game, and the usual fun on the North Side.
At the Field Museum …
Bill Bryson, Joseph Ellis, Paul Theroux, and John Irving took the #146 bus south, to Museum Campus.
“Wow – this is pretty cool,” said Joseph. “We get to see the Lions of Tsavo exhibit! I’ve always wanted to visit Africa, albeit with something between me and the lions, preferably something well armed …”
“Ah yes, the lions. They’re really quite harmless, you know,” said Paul. “Look at them up close, and they just look like big softies. Big softies with large teeth, mind you, but still.”
“Oh right, you did spend a few years down there didn’t you?” said John. “Perhaps you can give us some better info on how the exhibit is accurate.”
“Yes, of course. I did some research on the exhibit before we came here, actually, hoping to see it … The exhibit, or at least the part that we’ll see, lasts about a half hour in the main room, walking around and looking at various things; then there’s a 10 minute videoclip; then a 20 minute walk around the other room, or so. An hour, all told. The most interesting things will probably be in the main room, but the videoclip should be pretty interesting.”
“Sounds good!” said Bill. “Then we can go to the other parts … they have a nice Egyptian wing, and of course Sue …”
--
“Hmm, Bill, what do you think of this so far?” asked John.
“Well, it’s not bad … five minutes in …” said Bill. “Those models are frighteningly realistic…”
“Yeah, and I love the exact replicas of the uniforms from back then…” said Joseph.
“Eh, the lions aren’t like that at all … bah…” said Paul. “They’re a bit smaller than that, see, and their manes … just not right.”
--
[i]They split up and walked through the complicated corridors separately, at that point, meeting up towards the end.
“Hey, how’d you like the film?” said Bill.
“Well, I thought it was historically inaccurate, but at least it’s bringing light to an important topic,” said Paul. “African lions need to be protected from poachers, not encouraged to be hunted and killed.”
“Yeah… and I’m quite positive that the Congolese government could do more to protect the lions, also. They’re an important part of the history of the region…” said John.
“Probably, probably. But, I liked the accurate portrayal of the members of the military,” said Joseph. “You could almost imagine yourself in the shot …”
-- -- --
At Field’s
Joyce, Alice, Erik, and Tom are on the shopping trip.
“Okay, Erik and Tom – we know you two don’t really want to go to Fields, so we’ll let you go now.  ” Joyce said with a smile.
“Um … right. We’ll … meet up with you later?” Tom said nervously.
“Yeah … I guess?” said Alice, a bit confused.
“Yeah, we’ll head over to … the Apple store. And the Sharper Image up there … and CompUSA. Great electronics stores in downtown Chicago, there are …” said Erik.
“Okay, see you later,” said Joyce. “We’ll meet you in 3 hours at the Water Tower, in the first floor.”
“Got it. See you there.”
Joyce and Alice walked into Field’s, while Erik and Tom walked north a short ways, and then backtracked to Fields.
“I couldn’t bring myself to tell them I needed to buy a few pairs of slacks,” said Tom. “Why is it so hard?” said Erik.
“I … I’m just not able to admit that I like clothes shopping,” said Tom. “It’s … ingrained in me.”
“Ahh… um, okay. Let’s get those slacks. I don’t much like shopping, so I’m not going to want to stay around here long …” said Erik.
--
A few minutes later…
“Ah, good. Slacks purchased, we can head up north. How about that Apple Store?” said Tom.
“Yeah, that sounds good. Let’s head up there. But I want to go to the Lego store first …”
“Lego store? Really? You buying it for kids or something?”
“Um, actually …”
“You’re not kidding… you buy Lego’s for yourself?”
“Yeah … it’s sort of a … hobby, of mine,” said Erik sheepishly.
“Well, alright then…”
At the Lego store
“Oh, hi Joyce, nice to see you two,” said Erik. “We were just … stopping by the mall, for, um, a bite to eat. The foodcourt here is awesome.”
Tom stifled a giggle. “Yeah, I love the hot dogs they have over there.”
“We’re here for Nordstrom’s, you two sillies,” said Alice. “They have a huge sale on socks! I have to say they have the best cool sock collection of all time …”
“Okay, well, see you two later,” said Erik. “Bye!!”
“Bye …” said Joyce, a little confused by now as well.
Outside the Westfield Shopping Centre
“Where to now, Erik?” said Tom.
“Well, the Apple store is next I suppose,” said Erik.
“Ahh, excellent idea,” said Tom.
They headed off towards the Apple store, stopping in Walgreen’s for a quick soda, and in the little art store on the corner for a quick browse.
At the Apple store
The two browsed the store for an hour or so, spending a bit of time on the internet checking scores and whatnot, and noticed the Cubs game was starting. The Pirates’ Jason Kendall had a 20 game hitting streak going, best in the league, and Mark Prior was pitching for the Cubs, after a couple of months on the DL. It was a huge game… lucky guys who got to go see it in person …
On the way out, they ran into Joyce. “Where’s Alice,” asked Erik.
“Oh, she went off on her own; she decided to get her hair done at the Aveda salon a bit north of here,” said Joyce. “I figured it was alright, now that we caught the real killer.”
“You never know if there is more than one,” said Tom. “We really need to stick together …”
“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go find her,” said Erik.
“Well, okay. But the salon appointment will be another half hour at least …”
“Well, let’s go to Ghirardelli’s then, have a sundae, it’s too warm out here anyway. Then we can browse Border’s Books for a few minutes before we go pick up Alice,” said Tom.
“Sounds good,” said Joyce.
--
At Ghirardelli’s, full of ice cream
“Wow, that was a good brownie sundae,” said Erik. “I could eat two … no, wait, I’d be sick. I could eat just one.”
“Yeah, definitely,” said Tom. “I’m definitely using the bathroom once we get into Border’s …”
“Okay, let’s go then,” said Joyce. “We have another 10 minutes at least until Alice’s appointment is done, and they usually run long. She has complicated requests, and half the staff are just students anyway.”
They head over into Border’s. “Wow, this looks nice,” said Erik. “New carpeting since the last time I was here… and that Front of Store area is pretty nifty. Look at what’s prominently placed …” as he holds up a copy of, guess what, Devil in the White City, at the top of the QP Nonfiction bay.
“Yeah, whatever,” said Tom. “I’m on my way downstairs … bathroom down there somewhere right?”
“Yes,” said Joyce. “To the left, I believe.”
Tom headed downstairs, and a couple minutes later, screams could be heard that emanated throughout the lower level.
“What’s wrong?” said Joe, who rushed out of the Sort Room immediately next to it.
“Are you a manager?” asked Tom.
“I’m a supervisor, yes. What’s wrong? Why did you scream? And why do you look familiar …”
“I … there… there’s a body …”
“A what?”
“A Body, you numbskull!” Tom had recovered his wits. “You know, dead person … just lying in the stall!”
“Uh … um, I think I’ll call a manager to help us out here, I’m in over my head a little …”
“And that’s not the worst part!! It’s a GIRL’s body in there! GIRL! In the men’s restroom. Some people have no courtesy.” Tom hadn’t *entirely* recovered his wits.
Alice Sebold’s body was recovered from the bathroom. She had died of strangulation, although rope burns made it appear that it wasn’t arms but a rope that did the job. The Police took the body away. Joe returned to the sort room, where you could hear the faint sounds of Pat Hughes nearly crying over the latest loss, 2-1, after Prior’s brilliant 2-hitter through 7 was blown by the bullpen (AGAIN).
--
Speaking of the Cubs …
Elmore, Hunter, and the two Dave’s spent the day on the North side, ending it with a Cubs game. They took the #145 bus north to Addison, and then wandered around the area, looking for things to do in the hour they had before they could go into the field itself.
“Hey, guys, let’s go to the that bar, The Cubby Bear. It’s a great bar …” said Elmore.
“Yeah, sounds good to me,” said Hunter. “Drinking before the game, makes it easier to drink during the game. You might even reach a decent stage of intoxication prior to being bored off your tusch … and then there’s the eigth inning. Worst inning in baseball.”
“Why’s that?” asked David Sedaris, afraid of the answer he was going to get.
“Because they stop serving alcohol then,” said Hunter. “After that it’s all downhill. Especially if it goes extra innings … then you are just bored out of your MIND…”
“So why’d you come?” asked Sedaris.
“Oh, come on, you can figure that one out for yourself,” said Dave Barry. “He’s coming for the drinks. What other excuse could he have to drink at least a sixpack if not a short case?”
“Ah, exactly. You have me dead to reckoning,” said Hunter.
“Well, I want to go to that great deli they have a bit south of here,” said David Sedaris. “And then to Treasure Island – that’s a sweet grocery store, with all sorts of cultural and ethnic food.”
“Any booze?” asked Hunter.
“Um, I’m sure they have something …” said David. “Maybe some cases of cans?”
“Bah, they won’t let me drink those out here. #$%^ public intoxication laws. They can go $#@! themselves…”
“Um, yeah. I’ll see you all around 2:45.” David took off, nearly running, until he was out of Hunter’s sight.
“I’m going to go wander a bit also,” said Dave Barry. “My kids need some … souvenirs, something like that. ‘Bye!”
--
2:45 came, and they all were in their seats, ready for the game. Well, Hunter was not in his seat very much; he kept getting up to go buy a beer. And David Sedaris, he seems to have not shown up yet.
“Hunter, you can wait for the beer guy to come, you know,” said Dave Barry. “It’s the same price …”
“No it ain’t, you have to tip the beer guy. And besides, he’s never fast enough,” exclaimed Hunter. “I want a beer, I want it *now*, not after waiting ten minutes for some clown with a tray to give it to me.”
“True, true,” said Elmore. “Though the beer guy is a part of the sports culture we have today … I support that culture by buying from him, at his slightly higher prices (tips).”
(panting) “Hey guys, I made it in time, if barely … nearly got lost, these diagonal streets are nuts,” said David Sedaris. “You think you’re going north, when you end up going north-west …”
“Yeah, it’s confusing,” said Dave Barry. “You learn to figure it out after a while I guess. Third grade, haha.”
“Funny. Anyway, I’m here, and safe, you don’t have to worry about me.”
“Good to know,” said Hunter mysteriously.
--
The game ended, and they headed back to the base camp, which in this case involved grabbing the 151 (as the 145 and 146 were quite full) and heading back to the Water Tower. That was the agreed upon meeting point for dinner, which was going to be at Benihana’s, a block south.
There, the authors in the other two groups learned about the death of Alice for the first time. They sat down, shaking their heads and wondering how this could have happened- they got the real murderer, they were so *sure* of it …
Voting due Monday afternoon. Update should come then.
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30-03-2005 18:45
ACK!
), Hercules.
Give me a hour or so, i suspect.
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