Metamorphosis
Part V
Making a Splash
“One....two…three…four…five…six….seven,” Trixie muttered as she paced the short distance in the living room of her apartment. With a sharp turn, she started again. “One…two…three… four…” The chirping birds and the street traffic below the second floor flat didn’t pierce her preoccupied mind.
“Trixie!” Honey, sitting at Trixie's dining room table, turned around. “I can’t concentrate with all your muttering and pacing.”
“I’m sorry, Honey. But I’m just so…so…” Trixie waved her hands through the air in frustration. “You know what I’m trying to say.”
Honey smiled at her best friend. “Yes. I do. Now why don’t you go walk around the block a few times? When you get back, I should be done with this contract. Although, to be honest, it’s pretty straight forward and not all that difficult.”
“So, maybe just once around the block?” asked Trixie hopefully.
Honey chuckled. “Fine. One time around the block. But,” she held up a well-manicured index finger. “No running!”
Trixie went out the front door, slamming it slightly behind her. As she ran down the steps to the front sidewalk, she couldn’t help but smile at her best friend who had dropped everything when Trixie called her for assistance.
As Trixie started off, she gave little thought to the beautiful, stately trees that canopied the old sidewalk nor did she smell the sweet scents of the flowers that bloomed in the yards she passed. Instead, she focused on the contract, her contract, the one Honey was working on.
It had only been a few days since the producer of the local television station in White Plains had contacted Trixie and asked her to come in to meet with him. Despite repeatedly questioning him about why he wanted to see her, the producer remained tight-lipped. Being hugely curious, Trixie couldn’t wait to find out what was going on and spent the few days prior to the meeting conjuring up various reasons why she had been summoned. Recalling several interviews she had done for the station during which she had shared unique treasures that had found their way to Ingram’s Antiques, Trixie fretted about how she’d really come across to the viewing audience. “I hope I didn’t say anything wrong in one of the interviews. Maybe I used words you’re not allowed to and now the station is going to sue me. Or maybe I didn’t dress right.” The worries and visions of imaginery scoldings were endless.
When the day of the meeting finally arrived, Trixie, feeling edgy and intimidated, entered the television station. The front desk receptionist led her to the producer’s office then offered Trixie a seat and a drink. After Trixie had politely turned down the drink, the receptionist left her alone. Trixie took that time to study the producer’s office, noting the tidy and orderly desk, the photographs of mountains and lakes that covered one wall and a whiteboard that listed ideas for upcoming news segments. “Hurry up,” willed Trixie. “Hurry up so I can finally find out what this meeting is all about.”
Whatever Trixie thought the producer wanted, she was totally unprepared for a job offer from him. The producer, Mr. Haas, explained that after watching her interviews, he was certain Trixie would be a good fit to become the new “around town” personality. The “around town” personality, he explained, was a segment that ran on Friday or Saturday mornings and involved visiting local events or places that would appeal to the audience who might be looking for something new to do. She would also be helping with restaurant reviews as well as any event that would have a large impact on the area. As the producer continued to outline the job responsibilities, Trixie had to remind herself to calm down, pay attention and to focus on his words so she could give Tad a thorough explanation later that day. When the meeting was over Trixie left with a contract in her hands and a thousand thoughts bouncing around her mind.
Initially, Trixie was worried about how a job with the station would interfere with her commitment to the antique shop,then realized her position with the television station would only require minimal time. After discussing it with Imogene, owner of Ingram’s Antiques, the two drew up a schedule that would enable Trixie to do both jobs easily.
Now, as she walked around the block, Trixie was anxious to hear what Honey would have to say.
“Honey always said a law degree would come in handy,” mused Trixie. “Though I never in a million years thought she’d be reviewing a contract between me and a television station.”
Trixie crossed her fingers in hopes that the contract wouldn’t require her to do anything excessive like get fake nails or have botox or something else that she would never entertain as an option. That prospect had actually worried her a lot. After all, most television personalities had a perfect look. And Trixie knew she didn’t have that refined look that most of them possessed.
“Besides, I’m supposed to be having fun and doing stuff like hiking and visiting places of interest. That shouldn’t involve a dress and heels or botox. Right?”
As Trixie rounded the corner and saw her apartment building looming ahead, she remembered Honey’s request and tamped down the urge to sprint the rest of the way. Practicing what she thought was extraordinary patience and grace, she managed to walk the rest of the way to her apartment and quietly climb the stairs to her front door.
“I’m back,” said Trixie as she opened the door slowly. “Are you ready for me?”
Honey looked up and smiled. “Yes. I’m ready for you.”
“Well?” Trixie sat down at the table. “Should I sign the contract or walk away?”
Honey laughed. “Why would you ever walk away from an opportunity like this?”
Trixie shrugged. “I don't know. It’s so different from anything I‘ve ever done or thought I’d do. How could I, Trixie Belden, the one who fell off a stage at the age of six, now end up on television? And what if they try to change me? What if I have to get my hair done every week or learn to walk in stiletto heels? I know they’re going to want me to wear false eyelashes and to be honest, I’m not sure I could manage that. And if I did get them on, they would probably come off right in the middle of my segment. I can see it now. I’d be talking and looking into the camera and I’d have an eyelash hanging down over one eye.” Out of breath, Trixie stopped.
Honey giggled. “No, Trixie. There are no requirements like that. It’s a basic, straight-forward contract. You agree to work the assigned days. You will have a camera person with you. And you will have to have some rudimentary knowledge for each segment which might require a bit of research. As for hair, you’re pretty much on your own. And the eyelashes,” she held up her hands. “They weren’t even in the contract.”
Trixie exhaled. “So, do you think I should do it?”
“Trixie! Of course you should. This is a great offer. And you’ll get to see and do some pretty cool things.”
“But what if I totally mess up?” Trixie’s worried blue eyes met Honey’s reassuring hazel ones.
“Look,” Honey skimmed through the contract until she found the paragraph she was looking for. “It says right here that you’ll work with the current “around town” person for your first two segments. After that, it will be you and your camera man. But your job is quite simple. You ask questions and the interviewee answers them. Also, they won’t ask you to do anything that might put your life in danger.”
“My life in danger?” Trixie snorted. “Like I’d ever do anything that would put my life in danger.”
The two friends burst out laughing.
“At least not lately,” remarked Honey.
“Anything else I should be aware of?”
Honey pointed to one paragraph near the bottom. “The only thing is that you do have a morality clause.”
“A morality clause?” Trixie looked puzzled. “What’s that?”
“It means, basically, that you have to be a good person. You know, as in not being a drug dealer or falling down drunk on the street. Also, the station recognizes that you may become a role model for young people and they want you to take that seriously.” Honey bit her lip. “I suspect they already recognize your popularity around town and want to capitalize on it. They’ve outlined a few more things, but the way I see it, nothing in your life will have to change. That is, except for one thing.”
“What?” asked Trixie.
Honey sighed. “You do realize that this job will require you to get up at, what you call, the buttcrack of dawn. That might be a little hard.”
“I know. But it’s only a few days each month so I should be okay with it.”
Honey shrugged. “It’s not like you lack energy.”
“So….I should sign it?”
“In my professional opinion, I think you should.”
Honey watched as Trixie signed the contract then added her own signature as a witness.
“There,” exhaled Trixie. “I guess I should run this over to the station now and see what my next step is.”
“I think so too.”
“Wanna come with me?”
“Just try to keep me away.” Honey stood up and reached for her bag.
The sun shone brightly on the two young women who bounded down the concrete steps of the old, brick apartment building and into a car. Their laughter and glee carried over the treetops, causing anybody who saw them to wonder what all the excitement was about.
A few days later, on a drizzly afternoon, Honey and Diana headed toward Trixie’s apartment, their heads full of ideas of the clothing Trixie should purchase for her job.
“I can’t believe Trixie actually agreed to spend the day shopping,” said Diana.
“I know,” grinned Honey. “I hope she doesn’t moan and groan throughout the entire trip to the mall.”
Diana rolled her lavender eyes. “I learned a long time ago to ignore Trixie’s theatrics when we’re shopping. And you know, for all her fussing, she always finds something that looks perfect on her.”
Honey nodded her head. “I think she knows more about how she wants to look and how to achieve that look than she lets on.”
Diana gave Honey a side-long glance. “What? You mean Trixie might be keeping a secret or two from us. How odd!”
The girls laughed together as Honey pulled the car up in front of Trixie’s apartment.
“Come on,” said Honey. “Let’s get Trixie’s torture started.”
Both Honey and Diana were surprised when Trixie opened her door with a beaming smile.
“Hi. You guys ready to help me pick out my new wardrobe?”
Giving each other puzzling looks, Honey and Diana eased into the tidy apartment.
“Sure,” answered Honey suspiciously. “We’re ready. But are you?”
“Of course.” Trixie pointed to her couch. “Have a seat.”
“Have a seat?” questioned Diana. “I thought we were going shopping.”
Honey and Diana sat down on the couch then watched as Trixie walked over to her dining room table and rummaged through a pile of mail.
“No. I said I needed you to help me buy new clothes. Here.” She handed out several catalogs. “Let’s get busy. If we work fast, we could be done in 15 or 20 minutes.”
“Done in 15 or 20 minutes? What about the mall and our shopping trip?” asked Honey. “You do realize you are looking for a wardrobe that you’ll be wearing on television? And you think you can get that done by catalog shopping? That’s crazy.”
“Besides,” added Diana. “You promised us a shopping trip.”
Trixie shook her head. “No. I promised you an afternoon of shopping. Walking around a mall for hours on end and trying on a bunch of shirts that will be all scratchy is stupid.” Pausing, she noted the dubious expressions on her friends’ faces.
“Look. I get almost all my clothes from these companies. The sizes are perfect for me and the style works too.
“But, Trixie,” argued Diana. “How do you know what to order?”
Trixie pulled out a list from the top catalog. “This is what they suggested I have. I need a few casual, nice sweaters, dark jeans, a pair of black pants, and a coat or two. How hard can that be?”
Honey studied the list. “But it also recommends boots. Don’t tell me you’re going to order those too?”
Trixie nodded. “Of course. And before you get all angsty on me, you should know that my brown boots came from this catalog.” She held up one that specialized in leather products. “And as I recall, Miss Wheeler, you seem to really like them.”
“But 15 minutes?” questioned Diana.
Trixie sat down on the table in front of the couch. “Look. We can shop for clothes this way and then you two can have the fun of dragging me to a makeup counter so I can learn how to do my own makeup. But, if you can figure out a way I can do that through a catalog, I’d be all for that too.”
Beaming, Honey and Diana high-fived each other.
“Oh, yeah,” nodded Diana. “The make-up counter will be fun.”
Trixie shook her head. “Seriously. What you two think is fun is beyond my comprehension. Come on, let’s get to work.”
An hour later, Trixie, Honey and Diana had selected and ordered the recommended clothing for her television segments.
“See,” boasted Trixie. “Wasn’t that easy?”
“Okay,” said Honey. “I’ll give you that. Now, are you ready to go get your makeup done?”
“I’d love to put that off for a year or two but I’m afraid we have to do it today.”
“Yes!“ squealed Diana as she pumped the air. She jumped up from the couch and skipped to the door. “I’m ready.”
Honey got up and stood next to her. Then the two watched as Trixie literally dragged her feet toward them.
“I know that this is going to be worse than a root canal,” she grumbled. “And I’ve never even had one of those.”
“Oh, come on, Trixie. It won’t be that bad. Besides, when we’re done, you’ll be all set for your big premier,” encouraged Diana.
Trixie hesitated. “Almost.”
“Almost?” asked Honey.
Trixie exhaled, sending an errant curl skyward. “Well, I do have to get my hair trimmed and possibly highlighted.” She winced as she said the words. “Now I’ll be one of those women who sit around a salon with pieces of foil all over their head, like they’re waiting for communication from an alien spaceship.”
Again, Diana squealed. “You’ll look great with highlights that will accent your curls. Oh, Tad won’t even recognize you when you get everything done.”
“And I would want that… because why?” queried Trixie.
“Never mind.” Honey took hold of Trixie’s arm. “Let’s go.”
An hour later, Honey and Diana watched as a fidgeting Trixie sat on a stool in front of a cosmetics counter while an aesthetician, knowledgeable in media personnel presentation, prepared her face for the make-up application.
“You know,” the aesthetician stepped back and studied Trixie. “Your personality calls for a natural look. If I were you, I wouldn’t wear too much makeup. It just wouldn’t work for you. I think you should use a good foundation, a little bit of contouring, blush, some eyeliner and mascara, and, of course, false eyelashes.”
Trixie groaned. “I knew it. I probably won’t even be able to open my eyes when we get all done with that. And how long is it going to take me to put all that junk on?”
“Do you normally wear any make-up?”
“I usually use a little foundation, blush and lip gloss.”
The aesthetician laughed. “Good. This won’t take you much longer. Let’s get started.”
The aesthetician explained the processes as she applied Trixie’s make-up. Diana stood by taking scrupulous notes so she and Honey could walk Trixie through the routine at home. Within 20 minutes, Trixie had a fresh face that accentuated her blue eyes and gave her a natural glow.
“And now for the eyelashes,” announced the aesthetician. She rummaged through her stock until she found what she was looking for. “These are perfect. They’re magnetic so you won't have to worry about the messy glue. And once you figure them out, they’re really quite easy to apply.”
Trixie watched in the mirror as the aesthetician carefully secured the eyelashes. Then, after removing them, the aesthetician watched as Trixie did them herself.
“Hey,” exclaimed Trixie. “That wasn’t so hard.” She studied her face in the mirror, turning her head side to side, then nodded slowly. “Yeah, I think I can do this. And I don’t look all plastic.”
“Plastic?” Honey raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Yeah, You know. Like a Barbie doll. Have you ever seen how much makeup they put on her? Seriously, they should have made her eyes closed due to all the eyeshadow they glopped on them.”
Diana laughed. “I find it hard to believe that you’ve been close enough to a Barbie doll to know how much make-up she’s wearing.”
“I had to have something to bury in the apple orchard. Barbie made a perfect specimen.”
The aesthetician eyed Trixie warily. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but if you’re happy with your look then I’m happy. Oh, and one more thing.” She handed Trixie a small spray bottle. “Setting spray will become your best friend. You’re welcome. Now, shall I ring you up?”
Trixie gave a firm nod of her head. “Yes. And by the way, when I need to purchase more make-up, can I do it on-line?”
“Of course. Just note the color on the package and place your order. We can either ship it to you or you can pick it up.”
“Perfect!” said Trixie. “And I thought this day was going to be a complete nightmare.”
“I can’t wait to go home and play with all this make-up,” remarked Diana.
Trixie held up her hands. “No way. I think I won’t wash my face for several days. That way, I won’t have to do much to get ready for my first shoot. I say we go to Wimpys and grab a snack. After that, I’m going to go home and get ready for my date with Tad.”
Diana’s eyes widened. “You’re not serious, are you Trixie?”
“Yes, I am. A shake and a date. That sounds like a deal to me.”
Rolling her eyes, Diana snorted delicately. “I meant about wearing that make-up for several days.”
“Of course I was,” grinned Trixie. “But I’m done with clothes and make-up for today. However, if you want, you can stop by tomorrow night and we can work on me doing my own make-up. I’m a little nervous about those eyelashes.”
“That sounds like fun. Honey, you in?” Diana’s eyes lit up at the plan.
”Ooh. My schedule’s a little tight tomorrow but I think I can rearrange a few things. After all, this sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Trixie’s eyes rolled. “You two are hilarious.” Executing a sharp turn, she called over her shoulder. “Come on, guys. Let’s get to Wimpy’s before the afternoon snackers hit the place.”
On Thursday of that week, Trixie had her first production meeting with the producer, Mr. Haas, and her cameraman, Oliver. In response to Trixie’s desperate pleading, Honey and Diana had gone through her closet and put together a professional looking outfit. Satisfied with her friends’ choices, Trixie dressed in the selected clothing then went to the station. As she walked through the parking lot, she nervously fussed with her hair, tucking it behind her ears then untucking it.
“Come on, Trixie,” she coaxed herself inwardly. “You can do this. Just go to the meeting, listen, and don’t be afraid to join in the planning process. And remember, they sought you out.”
When Trixie entered the station, the receptionist smiled at her, then led her down a long hall that was covered with pictures of memorable events the station had covered plus the current station personalities. After leading Trixie through the door of a conference room, she offered her a seat.
“Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee? Water?”
Trixie, imagining the horror of spilling a drink all over herself, quickly declined the offer. “No, thank you. I’m sorry, but what did you say your name was?”
“My name is Chelsea. Congratulations on joining the team. I think you’ll do a great job.” As she was leaving, she added, “If you change your mind about a drink, just let me know.”
When the door clicked shut, Trixie sagged against the back of her chair. Looking around the room, she noted and appreciated its muted tones of gray and tan, a scheme, she decided, must have been used to create a calm feeling. A scattering of chairs pushed away from the table indicated the room’s recent use. Feeling her nerves, Trixie again fussed with her hair then settled on picking at her nails.
Suddenly, the door opened and Mr. Haas and Oliver entered.
“Hello, Trixie,” said Mr. Haas, his voice loud and commanding. “You remember Oliver, your cameraman?”
Trixie stood up and shook both men’s hands.
“Are you ready to tackle your first assignment?” asked Mr. Haas as he opened his laptop computer.
Trixie answered more confidently than she felt. “Yes, I am”
“Good. I wanted Tony, our other “about town” reporter here, but he’s busy doing a restaurant review in Croton.”
“But he’ll be with me on my first couple assignments?”
“Yes. We won’t throw you out there by yourself”
The three of them got down to work. Mr. Haas described the water program that was available at the Croton Point Park. Trixie nodded her head as her producer talked, aware of the boats and kayaks she’d seen around the docks of the reservoir that was located in the park. For her segment, she would be focusing on a paddleboard class.
“Have you ever done that, Trixie?” asked Mr. Haas.
“Actually, I have. I like it.”
“Good.Then you’ll be a step ahead of Tony. He’s never done it before.”
As the planning continued, Trixie relaxed and found herself contributing ideas for the segment.
“So, you’re going to go on the air next week. Are you ready?”
Trixie started to nod her head, but stopped as a horrifying image crept into her mind. “Yes, but I have a question. You gave me a list of clothing you thought I should have, but the list didn’t include anything about a bathing suit. Is that what I’m expected to wear for this segment?” Silently, Trixie pleaded, “Say no. Say no.”
“Well, is that what you wear when you go paddle boarding?” asked Mr. Haas.
“Sometimes a bathing suit and other times I wear swim shorts.”
“Swim shorts are perfect. And make sure you grab one of our station t-shirts on your way out and you can wear that too. By the way, do you do yoga?”
Surprised, Trixie nodded. “Yes. Why?”
Oliver smiled. “You might want to practice some basic yoga poses between now and next Saturday because part of the program will include paddleboard yoga.”
Trixie’s eyes lit up. “That makes this segment even more challenging. I’ll get right on that.”
When Tad arrived at Trixie’s later that day, he found her on the living room floor, standing on her head.
“Belden!” Tad cried when he entered. “What are you up to now?”
Trixie lowered her legs. “Well, for my first segment, I’m going to be demonstrating the paddleboard yoga program at Croton Point Park. I’m just working through a few asanas to refresh myself.” She moved into a child’s pose. “You know, I forgot how relaxing this is. I need to do it more often, maybe even actually sign up for the yoga class at the community center.”
Tad grinned. “I’d like that. You at the center on a regular basis would make me quite happy. Watching you do all those poses in your cute yoga pants would make me even happier.”
Rolling her eyes, Trixie moved into another pose. “I should have known.”
Once Trixie was done with the Youtube yoga class she was following, she stood up. “I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat.”
“I thought exercise was supposed to make you less hungry.”
“That hasn’t happened to me. At least not yet. Let me change and then we can go.”
Tad feigned a sad face. “Do you have to change? I like you in that outfit.”
“You may like them and I may like them, but I don’t think the rest of Sleepyside would.”
“You might be surprised, Belden,” chuckled Tad. “But hurry up! I’m starving too and can’t wait to hear more about your segment this week.”
While working at the antique shop the next day, Trixie kept thinking about things she thought she should research before her segment and kept jotting them down until she finally realized she had filled an entire sheet of paper. Taking a chance, she texted Tony, her co-reporter, and asked how much information she should have ready. He replied, “LOL, you’re fine! Don’t worry. We’re going to have fun.”
Feeling less stressed, Trixie went about the shop, assisting the clients with their purchases and tidying the shelves. When the afternoon help came in, Trixie assigned them several tasks, then worked on getting the on-line orders ready to ship the next day, content, at that moment, to be doing a job with which she was well-acquainted.
A little before six o’clock on Saturday morning, Trixie pulled into the parking lot of the television station. After turning off her car, she sat for a few minutes to collect her thoughts. Having had little sleep the night before due to excitement and nerves, she was afraid she looked tired. But when she checked her image in her rear-view mirror, all she saw was her freshly made-up face and her neatly pulled back hair.
“And no false eyelashes,” she said. Wincing slightly, she recalled a panicked call she had made an hour earlier.
“Diana, should I wear the false eyelashes in the water?” she had whispered into her phone.
“No,” answered a cross and sleepy Diana.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“But….but…what about my hair?” begged Trixie.
The answer was silence from the other end as Diana had abruptly ended the call.
“I can do this,” Trixie said as she flipped the car’s visor back into position. “I really can.”
She got out of the car, grabbed a hoodie sweatshirt and her prepared questions, then went into the building. Trixie was surprised at the level of activity she found, but then remembered that the morning news aired seven days a week and required the necessary staff no matter the day. Unsure of where to go, she wandered around for a bit, peeking into the weather room, where several computers showed radar from around the country and the reporters’ room, where the desks were cluttered with stacks of papers and cups of cold coffee.
“Trixie,” called Tony as he trotted down the hall toward her. “Are you ready to rock this?”
“I am.”
“Then let’s get going. Oliver’s out in the car.”
The two left through the side entrance and hopped into a car enblazened with the station’s logo. Zipping down the empty highway toward Croton, Trixie ran questions, comments and potential scenarios through her mind until she thought she would go crazy. Her jumbled worries were interrupted by Tony, who twisted around to address her.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Stop thinking about the segment. If you’re too rehearsed, you won’t come off as natural.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve been in your position and I know you’re trying to anticipate anything and everything that might come up during your interview, right?”
Trixie nodded.
“Don’t do that. If you get your mind set on the interview going in a certain direction, then you’ll miss the real conversation and the whole segment will come off as disconnected and forced.
“Got it. I’ll just think about how good a nap will feel this afternoon.”
Tony nodded knowingly. “Now you sound like the rest of the morning crew.”
Driving along the winding roads of Croton Point Park, Trixie tried to relish the early morning beauty of the dew sparkling on the grass, the serenity surrounding the lake, and the small boats dotting the calm water carrying the hopeful and optimistic fishermen. But as hard as she tried, her nerves wouldn’t allow her the luxury of appreciating the scenic views of the park. In the front seat. Oliver and Tony chatted, as Tony, with the assistance of the visor’s mirror, smoothed out his hair. Trixie’s thoughts switched to her unadorned ponytail.
“I knew I should have done more with my hair,” she fretted inwardly. “Too late now.”
As Oliver slowed the car, Trixie sat forward and peered over his shoulder, spotting the three paddle boards that lay on the beach. Immediately, her nervousness escalated and her breath came out in short gasps. After parking the car, the three got out. With a big yawn, Tony stretched his long arms over his head while Trixie fidgeted with the zipper of her hoodie, pulling it up and down in a frantic manner.
“Hey,” she asked abruptly as a new thought popped into her mind. “Is Oliver going to be on a paddleboard too?”
Oliver opened the back of the SUV and hoisted his gear bag and camera onto his shoulder. “No. I’ll be safe and sound in a rowboat.”
“Ahh, that makes sense. Someone will have to be available to fish Tony out of the water,” she teased in an attempt to alleviate her jitters. “And I’ll be too busy doing my yoga.”
“Just you wait,” remarked Tony who was again primping using the car’s side mirror. “We’ll see who ends up in the water.”
Feeling herself relax a bit, Trixie and Tony walked over to the sandy beach where the park instructor, Lindsey, was waiting for them. After a quick introduction, Lindsey gave them a brief lesson while Oliver got busy setting up the gear he needed for the live feed back to the station.
“Have either of you ever done paddle boarding before?” Lindsey asked.
Trixie raised her hand. “I have.”
Looking sheepish, Tony admitted he hadn’t.
The instructor laughed. “Okay. So I know who will actually be doing the board yoga and who will be doing the basic instruction. Shall we hit the water?”
The three grabbed their boards and headed down the short beach and into the lake. Then they waded out until they were in waist-deep water. After following Lindsey’s instructions to climb onto their boards, they began paddling around, keeping their profiles low by balancing on their knees. While Lindsey was working with Tony, Trixie laid her paddle across her board, then carefully stood up. Feeling confident of her abilities, she paddled further out into the small lake until Lindsey called her back. Trixie dutifully turned her board around and headed back to the more shallow waters where Tony was struggling to get into a standing position. That morning, success eluded him and, with a loud whooping noise, he fell off his board. Trixie worked hard to suppress a giggle but lost the battle when Tony surfaced, clutching his dark hair and complaining that now he would have to redo it before they aired their segment. Unable to climb back onto his board, he finally gave up and pushed it to shore. Tirixie and Lindsey continued to work through the plans for the interview. Suddenly, Oliver, who had been loading the rowboat, called out.
“Five minutes, guys! And here!” He tossed life jackets toward the two hosts. “Gotta set an example.”
Trixie and Lindsey headed back to the beach where Trixie took a few minutes to neaten her ponytail and to apply fresh lip gloss. She slid her arms into her life jacket then took her place next to Tony. When Oliver handed her a microphone, she momentarily froze, realizing that in a few minutes she would publicly become the new “about town” personality for the station. Pushing down the thought of all the people who would be watching, including her friends and family, Trixie accepted the microphone, suddenly wishing she was anyplace else besides standing on a beach waiting for her cue.
“You ready?” asked Tony who once again sported perfectly coiffed hair.
“Nope.”
“Too bad. It’s go time.”
When Oliver cued them, Trixie and Tony smiled into the camera. Tony introduced Trixie as a new reporter for the station and the two chatted a bit. Then he introduced Lindsey and the two talked about the water programs at Croton Point Park. Trixie’s role for the first segment was to listen to the discussion and to project her congenial personality. She was caught off guard when Tony threw her a question.
“But Trixie is an experienced paddleboarder, so she’ll probably spend her morning fishing me out of the lake.”
Trixie panicked, then, with a large exhalation, smiled. “Don’t be silly, Tony, I'm not that good at fishing. You’ll just have to master the board. That’s why we’re here with Lindsey.”
When the short segment ended, Tony praised her quick response. “I really think you’re going to be great at this. Next segment, you’re going to have more camera time.”
As the morning progressed, Trixie focused more on the interview and less on the fact that she was on live television. She and Tony paddled out onto the lake with Lindsey, then both practiced sitting before advancing to standing. As Trixie performed the moves, Tony fed relevant questions to Lindsey. The next part involved them actually getting a feel for their balance and standing up. Then they moved onto board yoga and Trixie took over the interview, asking the questions that came to her naturally. Under Lindsey's coaching, Trixie moved through several yoga poses, waving off Tony when he clapped and hooted. At one point, while trying to get into a warrior pose, Trixie suddenly wobbled and wiggled then lost her balance. Her spectacular splash was caught on camera for all to see. Even swimming upwards through the cool water, Trixie felt the familiar blush spread across her face. When she surfaced, Tony was right there with the microphone.
“So, Trixie, how did that feel?”
Trixie’s mind whirred then she grinned. “Considering how hard we’ve been working and the fact that it is a beautiful morning out here, that cool dip felt pretty good.”
A thumbs-up gesture from Tony let her know she had handled herself well. The segment ended with Tony talking and Trixie smiling as she held onto her board. When their next segment started, they reminded the viewers where information for the class times could be found, then Trixie asked Lindsey about other activities available at the park. The interview ended and Oliver called out,
“That’s a wrap.”
“And you’ve got your first “about town” segment done.” Tony high-fived Trixie. “How do you feel?”
“Great!. It was actually a lot of fun. And it wasn’t hard at all, except for that fall.”
Tony shook his head. “You looked adorable when you came up all sputtering and laughing. And your splash was spectacular too. Did you realize that as you fell off the board, you yelled ‘gleeps?’”
Trixie momentarily panicked. “Did I really do that? Did my ‘gleeps’ get bleeped?”
Tony’s brows furrowed. “I’m not sure what you just said but trust me, this segment was good.”
Oliver stowed his gear in the back of the SUV, then slid into the driver’s seat while Trixie skipped to the car and climbed in. Her excitement bubbling over, she chattered all the way back to the station. Coming through the back door of the building, she couldn’t suppress the grin that graced her face. As she traveled down the hall, several people called out their congratulations on the good segment and applauded her paddleboard skills. Trixie happily replied and accepted the kudos. Stopping in the conference room, she grabbed a doughnut from the nearly empty box that sat in the middle of the table then checked the schedule for her next segment. She pulled out her phone and quickly typed a message to Tad, telling him how great she felt now that her first segment was done. Still on an emotional high, Trixie waved her goodbyes and headed out the door.
“I did it! I did it!” She smiled as she drove through the streets that were beginning to come to life on that sunny Saturday morning, not yet feeling the fatigue that would set in soon.
Back in her cozy apartment, Trixie peeled off her damp clothing, got into a comfortable pair of shorts, then settled down on her couch with a cup of tea. She pulled out her phone and was surprised to find dozens of messages from friends and family congratulating her on her successful morning. The first message she read was from Mart.
“Wow!” thought Trixie. “High praise from Mart. And in simple words. Well, eventually.”
She quickly read through the rest of the messages but, as she started to reply, the excitement of the day plus the early report time, caught up with her. Suddenly feeling very tired, Trixie set down her phone, stretched out and promptly fell asleep, a faint smile on her face that still bore the make-up she had so carefully applied hours before.
Word Count - 6298
Author’s notes: I claim no ownership of Trixie, Tad and the rest of the gang. I big thank you to my editor, Judith, and to my DD for her final editing. Picture by me! Background by Vivian. A very sincere and deep appreciation to Jixers, especially Mary N., Janice and JJsgirl who worked with me to get parts of my site up again after my computer deleted them. I wouldn’t be here without them. Croton Point Park actually exists in Westchester County and has the facilities that are featured in this story.
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