Wait until the music's over

52. Deer, dog tags and microwaves

Strong fragrance used in perfumery. Four letters. Starts with an M. Magnolia! No, it's eight. Mango... Mandarine... Ugh what the fuck? I strangely managed to put my hands on the copy of the Seattle Times that sometimes we happen to buy before Angie, so she hasn't done the crosswords yet. But now I guess I'll have to ask my friend for help because I don't know how to go on.

"So, what was I saying? Oh yeah, I turn up at the table, usual protocol greeting with smile incuded, I ask the woman what she's having and she asks, literal words, a cheeseburger without cheese and some fries" the door of her bedroom is open, I cautiously look inside and see her on the phone. Of course I already know who she's talking to. Since that night when Grace and I managed to convince her to call poor Eddie, there have been lots more calls, every day. Unfortunately not on speakerphone. Fuck, when he was there spilling his heart all out to Angie, Grace and I melted in sighs and aaaaaws and Vedder almost caught us. Am I nosey? Yes. Do I meddle in other people's love life to avoid thinking of the disaster which is mine? Yes, I do. Am I also genuinely happy things are going great for my friend as she deserves though? I am!

"Wait. I'm just standing there, kind of confused for what she said, then I reply: great, I'll take you the Go-go meal with hamburger + fries + medium drink for $ 4,99. Well, basically she doesn't even let me finish talking and says: No, no, I don't want a hamburger. I want a cheeseburger with no cheese" Angie rocks left and right on the swivel chair as she listens to her sweetheart's answer with a big smile on her face.

"Exactly! Hahaha same thing I told her: So... you mean... a hamburger, madam? NO! She says, very bitterly. I said I don't want any hamburger, I asked for a simple cheeseburger with no cheese! I swear she was yelling, I was so ashamed for me but for her too" Angie rotates a little more on her chair, sees me and nods at me.

"I didn't bat an eyelid and said: So you wanna pay one dollar more for a cheeseburger but you want it without the cheese?" Angie and I burst our laughing together as I enter her room, then she goes on "Yes, that's the point, 'cause the Cheeseburger menu costs more, that's the most absurd thing! If I take an order as cheeseburger, even if I tell the guys in the kitchen not to put cheese in it, it'll still be considered as a cheeseburger. Well, you know what, this bitch widens her eyes to me and goes like: Yes, exactly! Was it so difficult for you to understand? Ahahah yeah, I told you, she was a bitch!"

"The customer's always right!" I state as I sit on her bed.

"Hey, you and Meg said the same thing almost at the same time! Anyway, since the customer's always right and this woman had just basically told me I was an idiot, whereas she was the real idiot, I cheerfully replied: Not at all, madam. There goes a Marilyn meal with cheesburger with no cheese + fries + medium drink for €5,99 for you, ok? And the bitch: Yes, that's it, now you're talking. Thank you. Oh fuck you! Hehe... wait a second, ok?" Angie laughs with Eddie, then takes the phone off her ear slightly and addresses me "Did you need anything?"

"Strong fragrance used in perfumerie, starts with an M, four letters" I ask her, showing the newspaper.

"Musk" she answers in a couple of seconds. Yes! That was it! Why didn't I think about it. I hate her.

"Yeah, it can be actually"

"It cannot be, it actually is!" she gloats then puts the receiver back against her ear "What? Did you know it too? He knew it too"

"Well thank you both but there's no need to brag!" I throw a pillow at Angie, who manages to dodge it, then takes it up from the floor.

"Sadly used in perfumerie I'd add... What do you mean why? Musk is extremely harmful, both the synthetic and the natural one... Well, in doubt, I'd rather not have to choose between either the total extinction of an animal species or pollution and maybe choose other kinds of perfumes, don't you think? What? What animal? What do you mean? You know where musk comes from, right?" a debate starts between Angie and Eddie and I can only hear one side of it, which I think it's the most consistent part anyway "Plant? What plant? Musk is not a plant! I mean, yeah, there's also some plant but that's not what's used to make perfumes. No! It's an animal secretion, from a deer, the musk deer. No, I'm not kidding, Eddie, I swear! There deer have a gland, like a small sack under their belly, that emits this substance and they spread it around to mark their territory, especially during mating season... Hahahaha no, Eddie, it's not deer's sperm!"