Rumor Has It!

The other night when Kinky called, somewhere in our thirty minute conversation, he asked, “Nance, has Albert called you?”

Albert, is a dear friend of all of ours. He is about my age, which is sad, but he is one great friend and we all love him!

“No Kinky,” I said. “Why?”

“He called yesterday and left a message on the machine, saying that he was in jail.”

“What, you’re kidding me? Albert is in jail! Oh my gosh! For what?”

“I don’t know,” Kinky said. “I couldn’t hear his message real well—there was a lot of static on the line. I’m pretty sure he said jail.”

Yesterday, while eating lunch with Ben, Tony and Maribeth, I remembered the deal about Albert. When I told them about Albert—they were shocked and concerned, and we talked about Albert for several minutes, wondering why he would be in jail.

This morning, John came inside the trailer to return a book that I had loaned him. “I just heard about Albert being in jail? Tony and Ben just told me. I can’t believe it.”

“I know,” I said. “I still can’t believe it. I hope that he’s okay. I might try to call him today.”

“Good, let me know,” John said, as he was walking out the door to go back to work.

I went back to my paperwork, but when the song on my iPod shuffled to Willie Nelson singing ‘I’m Sitting Here in Limbo’—I put my pen down, and went over to the phone and punched in Albert’s phone number. “Hi Cousin Nancy!” Albert said, happily. “What’s going on girl?”

“Hi Albert, I am calling you—to solve a mystery,” I answered. “Kinky, Tony, Ben, John, Maribeth and I are all concerned about you. Are you still in jail?”

“What?” Albert said, with a laugh! I’m not in jail?”

“Good. Is everything okay? What happened?”

Albert laughs again, “Honey, I’m not in jail. I’ve never been in jail. Who told you I was in jail?”

“Kinky did. He called me the other night and said that you had called his machine—telling him that you were in jail. He said there was a lot of static on the line, but he’s pretty sure that you said jail.”

“Nance, that’s a hoot!” Albert said, with a laugh. “I didn’t say jail. I told Kinky that I was in Vail.” Then Albert and I both started laughing. “That’s hilarious, Cousin Nancy. I’m gonna call Kinky right now. Tell, Ben, John, Maribeth and Tony—I said hi. Bye.”

As soon as I said, “Bye,” I went outside to tell the guys. “I just called Albert. He’s not in jail, and has never been...”

P.S. Albert is not his real name.