DAISY
STORIES
by Crystal Jones
© 1995-2007
the surprise
Daisy picked up the telephone and tried to get through to her
client again. Her client, a certain Frank Baccini, who had a warehouse of
electrical goods, had not paid for her two days’ work. Daisy had managed to
discover where Mr. Baccini’s dishonest partner was now living and was anxiously
expecting her cheque. Daisy was beginning to think that her client was dishonest
too.
A very bored “Hello, can I help you?” was the reply at the other
end. It was a young woman’s voice, Frank Baccini’s secretary.
“I’d like to speak to Mr. Baccini, please.”
“Sorry, Mr. Baccini is out of town.”
“But when is he coming back?” insisted Daisy.
“I’m afraid I don’t know.”
“Will you tell him Daisy Hamilton telephoned and would like to
talk to him urgently.”
“Well - yes, I suppose so,” was the completely unconcerned reply.
This was the tenth telephone conversation Daisy had had in two
weeks with this young woman, but Frank Baccini hadn’t got in touch with her yet.
Daisy was furious and decided to go to Mr. Baccini’s warehouse to
see if he was there. When she arrived, she knocked on the office door. Mr.
Baccini’s secretary said in her monotonous voice: “Come in.”
“I’ve telephoned many times - my name is Daisy Hamilton.”
“Really? Who did you want to speak to?” asked the young woman
without even glancing at Daisy.
“I want to speak to Mr. Baccini,” replied Daisy. She was becoming
even more aggressive.
“I’m afraid he’s not here,” said the secretary in her usual
monotonous way and went on reading her magazine.
Daisy shouted “Enough is enough!” and banged the door closed.
Daisy felt rather depressed. “I know what I’ll do,” she thought,
“I’ll stop off at Luigi’s for a nice banana split.” Daisy liked sitting in
Luigi’s ice-cream parlour and having a little chat with the owner, a
positive-thinking Italian.
As Daisy walked up the stairs to her office she felt a little
less sore about human beings.
Just as Daisy was changing her shoes to a more comfortable pair,
someone knocked on the door and walked in. it was a workman in overalls. “Excuse
me miss - are you Miss Daisy Hamilton? Where shall we put these?” pointing to
two large boxes on the landing.
“Yes, I am Daisy Hamilton but what have you got there - what’s in
those boxes?”
“The big one is a fridge and the smaller one is a cappuccino -
making machine. You’ve chosen well, you know, these are the best makes around.”
“I haven’t ordered either of these,” exclaimed Daisy.
“But it’s your name on the delivery note!” insisted the workman.
“It’s all paid for - just tell me where to put them.”
Daisy was just about to refuse the goods when she saw Frank
Baccini coming in the door, too.
“Miss Hamilton. I’m very sorry I haven’t been in touch.
I do hope you don’t mind but I had noticed you didn’t have a
fridge in your office and... this cappuccino-making machine is a little
speciality. Oh, by the way here is your cheque for the excellent work you did,
with a little extra for your expenses.”
Frank Baccini saw Daisy was astonished and added,”My secretary
did phone you, I hope? I’ve been away for a couple of weeks on honeymoon.”
Daisy recovered herself, “! Well, no, she didn’t - “but that’s
quite all right Mr. Baccini!” |
