This tale is based upon the characters created by robert12 in his story, Reflections: The Introduction; it is present with that author's permission and input. "Buzz" designates the start of the story and also summons the elevator, while "Ding" indicates the elevator has arrived at its destination and the story's end.
Well dear reader, it is so good to have you aboard the elevator, Agnes and I enjoy the company. Agnes is my dear friend the elevator (she's the best elevator in the city or in any city, but don't tell her I said so), and I am the mirror that hangs at the back of her cab.
So you want me to tell you a story? Being a mirror in an elevator, in a large apartment building, I've seen many interesting things. Every person has a story. Agnes and I have watched as mothers have brought home their newborn babes, and we've see the still forms of deceased tenants being wheeled away. There are happy stories, sad stories, funny tales, and serious tales. Let me tell you the story of an unusual couple who live here at the Arlington Apartments.
The story is about Mr. Hiram P. Hardwick III and Miss Luann Smythe. They are certainly different than anyone else living in our building. Miss Smythe is 32, stands 5' 9", and is somewhat overweight (I don't know how much she weighs; I just know that her womanly curves seem to be going in the opposite direction from a lot of other women's figures). She has dull brown hair, brown eyes, keeps her hair done up in a bun, and looks like a stereotypical librarian (which she is). Mr. Hardwick is 35, stands 5' 2", weighs barely 119 pounds, and his black hair has receded to the top of his head. He wears round wire rim glasses and works as an accountant. Oh, one other little fact about the pair, they both are virgins.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
"Do you hear that Agnes?" I asked the elevator as the familiar sound, which summons us to passengers filled our ears. "Time to start another fun filled day."
Agnes didn't answer, she was being moody again. She's a great elevator, but she likes to sleep in, which is sort of hard to do when you're forever on call. Don't get me wrong, Agnes is not lazy, but she has her ups and downs. Of course, I don't help things any, I tend to tease her a lot. I just love to see if I can't get a rise out of her. However, she takes everything in stride and really is even tempered.
"Yes it is early Agnes-it is 5:30 a.m. and that call is coming from the seventh floor. I bet it will turn out to be Miss Luann Smythe wanting to go down.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
"For crying out loud, we haven't even started up and there is another call. It is the fourth floor this time. That means it has to be Hiram P. Hardwick III. You know how both he and Miss Smythe like to leave the building in the early hours of the morning. Yes I agree, pick up Miss Smythe first and then we can go back down for Mr. Hardwick.
"Where do they go at this time of day? Well, they separately walk down the street to the Sunrise Restaurant for breakfast, where they sit at separate tables, have breakfast, and read the morning paper. Then they leave and go to their equally separate places of employment."
Ding!
"Here we are-the seventh floor! See, I told you it is Miss Smythe. Okay, she is on board, now for Mr. Hardwick."
Ding!
"Fourth floor open your door Agnes. Sure enough, it is Mr. Hardwick patiently waiting there.
"You're right, they are a strange couple. You know in all the time that they've been riding you; I don't think I've heard them say more than two or three words to each other. Yes, I know they prefer riding you over the other elevators. That just shows you that they know a good elevator when they see one. No, I'm not just saying that.
"Huh, do I know anything about them? Well yes, I guess I know quite a bit about them; I've always been very inquisitive for a mirror. As you know I can tell a lot about a people when they look at themselves in me. I also get information by talking to other mirrors.
"What? You didn't know mirrors talk to each other. I don't know why that should surprise you. I bet you aren't surprised that people having mirrors can talk with other people who have mirrors; so why should you be surprised to find out that I talk to other mirrors that have people?
"Both of them are horribly shy. I guess that is because over the years both of them have been subjected to ridicule and disappointment at the hands of the opposite sex.
"Details? Yes, I know some. I got the inside story on Miss Smythe from a mirror hanging on the wall of her old room in her parent's house. It seems that when she was younger, about eighteen years old, something terrible almost happened to her. She was asked to a dance by one of the most attractive boys at her school. However, her best friend had gotten word about what her "date" really had in mind and told Luann about it. The so called "dance," which the boy was going to take her to was actually arranged to be a gangbang at a deserted cottage in the country. The plan was that after the boys had their fun, they were going to drive off and leave her to find her own way home. Needless to say, Miss Smythe did not fall into the trap. She received further heartbreak when she was attending college. She happened to overhear a group of young men discussing her, and what the bastards had to say wasn't very complimentary-in fact, their words shoved Luann into a shell so far that she never came out.
"I heard about Hiram's story from the mirror in his old dormitory room at college. Hiram wasn't subjected to cruel tricks or words; he just grew up with a massive inferiority complex. He always was smaller than others of his own age group, even a good many of the girls he knew were taller than he was, and it didn't help that until the age of 28 he was plagued with acne. He became convinced that every girl he knew was totally turned off by his size and the inflammation, which covered his face.
"The fact is that down through the years, Miss Smythe has managed to remain more or less virgo intacta, and I'm afraid that our Mr. Hardwick has endured a similar condition. Nowadays, neither one of them has any hope of finding love in this world. According to the mirror on the dresser in her bedroom, Luann cries herself to sleep every night, taking solace in reading lurid romance novels and the liberal use of a host of (how shall I put this?) lady's aids. It is about the same story for Hiram; I've seen in his eyes that he likes adult videos and magazines. He is also quite adept at using either hand to relieve his sexual tensions.
"They both hate their lonely lives, and they can't wait to get out of their apartments in the morning and often don't come home until night. Yes they are two sad, sad people. I only wish there was something I could do to help them.
"What's that Agnes? You wish you could help them to? Well, there is nothing for it now-we're about to stop."
""Ding!"
We arrived at the ground floor. Mr. Hardwick and Miss Smythe stepped out of the cab and went off into the world to begin another day of toil and woe.
"Well, that day passed fairly fast," I told Agnes, as the evening began to turn to night. "Yes, I heard Harry and Bernie telling those terrible jokes, but you know a couple of those jokes weren't half bad. You know me though; I hate to crackup over a joke. I snicker a little, but I don't like to laugh. We mirrors are sensitive about anything to do with cracking. I guess everyone is safely home, except for the Emerson's; they're off visiting their son and won't be home until the end of the week. What? Luann and Hiram haven't come in? Now, where could they be? It is late even for them."
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
"That's the ground floor. Maybe it will be one of our wandering tenets. Wheee! I love it when you drop down like that Agnes!"
