Potatoes and French Fries

Henry sighed, one gnarled finger clicking the mouse button as he scrolled through the monthly reports on his computer. He hated doing these reports. Grumbling, he clicked onto the next report, his eyes narrowing as he leaned closer to the brightly lit screen.



“...always make these damn things so small you can't read them!”



His mumbled complaint was met with the low hum of the florescent bulbs in the lighting over his head.  Absently he reached for the plate of cookies that sat off to his side. As he brought the oatmeal raisin treat to his mouth, his lips quirked in pleasant memory. Little Miss Emmy had brought these to him yesterday. Her effervescent “Hi!” announcing her presence as she bounded into the room, plate in hand. Henry chuckled as he bit into the cookie. The tiny woman was mischief personified, he thought. The retirement home just hadn't been the same since she'd arrived. He wondered if she'd realized yet that the establishment wasn't a hotel. Somehow he doubted it would matter to her and he'd decided that it wasn't his place to inform her. She'd brightened up the place and he wasn't about to have that change by having her leave. He'd grown rather fond of the bubbly Miss Emmy. Shaking his head, he picked up his coffee cup and looked back at the computer screen. The reports weren't going to get done this way he knew.



“Potato, potato, potato, potato...”



The sound grew louder as the speaker approached the doorway. He frowned, confusion filling his wrinkled face. He recognized the voice of course. It was Miss Emmy returning from one of her adventures. The sound however reminded him of the Harley Davidson motorcycles he'd ridden in the past. That very distinctive rumble that seemed to emanate from the depths of the machine. Blinking, he shook his head before taking a sip of coffee.



“Fffffrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeench Frrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrries!”



Henry choked. The hot liquid scalding his tongue as he spluttered in surprise at this newest sound. Coughing, he grabbed for his handkerchief and dabbed at the coffee that had splattered his pristine white shirt as he hurried from behind his desk. This needed looking into.



As he reached the doorway to the office he was in time to see Emmy walk past. Her arms held out in front of her as though grasping the handles of a motorcycle and once again making the sputtering sounds.



“Potato, potato, potato, potato..”



With a quick twist of her wrists, Henry watched the tiny woman 'rev' her imaginary bike and then run forward as she cried out.



“Ffffrrrrrrrrrrreeench Frrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrries!”



He couldn't help the muffled snort of laughter that escaped as he watched her dash down the hall. The sound gave him away however as Emmy whipped around, hands still extended to see what had made the noise. On seeing Henry, she gave a delighted squeak and with another 'roar' came hurrying up to him.



“Hi!”

“Miss Emmy! Out for a ride this evening, I see.”



Henry's eyes twinkled with good humor as Em nodded happily. Her vigorous movement sending her long black braid of hair bouncing down her back. Her own jewel bright eyes sparkled with delight as she dismounted from her 'bike' and went to stand before Henry.



“It's ever so much fun, don't you know! Why! I even offered that nice police officer on the corner a ride.” Em frowned a moment in recall then wagged a finger under Henry's nose. “He turned me down. He was very nice about it, of course. I guess he couldn't take the time, don't you think so?”



Nodding, Henry bit his cheek to keep from smiling at the serious faced inquiry. He often wondered if the diminutive woman was quite as naïve and obtuse as she seemed but he enjoyed her antics too much to risk hurting her feelings by inquiring. He smiled down at her now as he reminded her of the time and added, “You might want to put your ride in the..er..garage, Miss Emmy. It's quite late and most of the residents are in bed. You wouldn't want to wake them up, would you?”



“Oh my goodness, no! That wouldn't do at all, now would it?”



Em nodded again, her eyes wide with concern as she looked up and down the hall. With a slight wave of her hand, Em turned and remounted her bike, making sure to push the kickstand up with her heel. “I'll put it up right now! Night!”



Henry stood in the doorway, his lips twitching as Em 'revved' the bike then puttered away. He broke out into a rueful laugh as he heard her round the corner and head to her rooms.



“Potato, potato, potato, potato....Ffffrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrench Fffrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrries!”