Myself - Chapter three - Part XVI

“I know just the thing to do,” I said. “You should get in touch with Helen,” I said.

“That’s a good idea,” I responded. “She’s helpful and is pretty unfazed by crazy things like this. Remember in high school when someone accidentally put a frog in her locker?”

“How do you accidentally put a frog in someone’s locker?”

“I believe it was put in the wrong locker.”

“I’ll give her a call.”

“What are we going to call you?” I asked her.

“I don’t know,” she said. She looked at Bugsy. “What name are you going by?”

“Either PM Bernie, or Bugsy. Generally, Bugsy. It’s a long story.”

“I have heard Bernie used as a female name, like Bernice,” she said. “But that’s a bit… I don’t know.” She paused for a moment to think. “Well, I am Emily Dickinson…”

“We’ll call you Emmy,” Bugsy said.

“Aw, I kind of liked Emily,” she said.

“Whoa, Em,” I said, “you realize you’re not in Amherst?”

“DON’T REMIND ME.”

We stood silently for a minute. Finally, we went inside.