Cannot Wait to Get to Heaven - Fannie Flagg [52]
“Wow!” she said. “I like it. It sure takes all the guesswork out of living, doesn’t it?”
“Doesn’t it?”
There was a light rap on the door and Raymond looked at her. “Uh-oh, get ready, here comes your admirer,” and called out, “Come on in, the door’s open.”
Elner could not imagine who it could be, but when she turned around and saw the man with the white hair walk in, she recognized him instantly.
“Elner Shimfissle,” said a smiling Raymond, “say hello to Thomas Alva Edison.” Elner could hardly believe it; there stood the Wizard of Menlo Park himself, looking exactly like his picture, hanging on her living room wall.
“Sorry to interrupt, Raymond,” Thomas said, “but I just had to stop by and shake this lady’s hand.”
Elner started to get up, but he stopped her. “Oh, don’t get up, Mrs. Shimfissle. Just wanted to say a quick hello, and thank you for all your good wishes and support over the years.”
“Oh, my heavens,” said a flustered Elner. “Well, it’s just a thrill to meet you. I’ve always wanted to shake your hand and thank you for everything you did.”
“Oh, it was nothing.”
“Nothing!” she said. “Why, honey, you lit the entire world, if it hadn’t been for you, we’d all still be sitting in the dark.”
“Sit down for a minute, Tom,” said Raymond, thoroughly enjoying watching the two of them. Tom sat in the chair next to her and said, “Well, thank you so much, Mrs. Shimfissle.”
“Call me Elner. I always told people that, next to the Maker here, of course,” she said, nodding over at Raymond, “you rank pretty high up there in my book.”
Tom laughed. “Thank you again, but it was Raymond who came up with the ideas, he just let me think of them.”
Raymond, knocking his pipe on the ashtray, said, “Don’t sell yourself short, Tom. You put in a lot of hard work.”
“Maybe, but I had a lot of fun too. Elner, I also wanted to thank you for thinking of me on my birthday every year, I really appreciate that.”
Elner waved it off. “Shoot, after all you did for the human race, it was the least I could do. My niece Norma said it was a waste of electricity, running my appliances all day, but I always say electricity is the best bargain there is. Why, for just a few cents a day, I had lights and heat and I got to listen to the radio, I never missed one of Neighbor Dorothy’s shows, you have no idea what a comfort it is to have company coming into your very own house over the radio or the TV…. Just imagine how much company you have given to all the shut-ins and so forth, people don’t have to be all alone anymore.”
Tom nodded. “I hadn’t thought about that aspect.”
“Well, think about it, and pat yourself on the back, and I’ll tell you something else, Tom. May I call you Tom?”
“Oh, please.”
“I wish your idea for running cars on batteries had caught on back then. Macky said gasoline prices were going through the roof.”
He shrugged. “I tried, but old Henry Ford came up with the Model A and beat me to it. What can you do? The early bird gets the worm.”
“Yes, but if it makes you feel any better, I think they are going to have to go right back to your idea anyway.” She suddenly thought of something. “Hey, did you know they made a lot of movies about you?”
“Oh, yes?”
“Yes, good ones too. I saw two of them at the Elmwood Theater, Mickey Rooney was in one, then Spencer Tracy played you as a grown man. I liked both of them, really.”
“So, Elner,” asked Tom, “how do you like it here? Are you enjoying yourself so far?”
“Oh, am I! Even more, now that I know I’m not in any trouble. I was just getting ready to tell Raymond, this is the grandest place I’ve ever been, it’s even better than I thought it would be.”
Tom said, “And isn’t it great to get your hearing back?”
“Yes, it is, and not only that, I’m getting some homemade caramel cake in a little while.”
“Well,” said Tom, getting up, “I’d better run on, let you finish your talk with Raymond, but I look forward to visiting with you again sometime soon, I hope.”
“Anytime. I’d be glad to see you.”
As soon as he left, Elner turned to Raymond still somewhat in awe. “Imagine, me