The Case of Addy, My Missing Address Book

The Case of Addy, My Missing Address Book

by CJ Alexander

“There you are, you rascal!” My little blue address book popped out from between two sofa backrest cushions and onto my lap. “I haven’t seen you in ages!”

“Hi there, CJ. Did you miss me? I’ve been on vacation.”

“I didn’t know paper address books could speak,” I said, “let alone travel.”

“Well, now you know. I was getting bored and lonely, sitting in your desk drawer for months on end without so much as a nostalgic flipping-through.”

“Okay, Addy, I get that you were feeling neglected. If it’s any consolation, I did look for you in December.”

“Didn’t know I needed permission to leave the house,” Addy grumbled.

“I tore the place apart looking for you! A heads up would have been nice.” I softened my tone when Addy’s cover slammed shut. “Hey, I envy you. I haven’t had a trip in fifteen years.”

“I know,” Addy said. “That’s why I had to take matters out of your hands and into mine.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. Where did you go?”

“There are some faraway places in me,” Addy said. “This time I—”

“You’ve done this before?”

“See what I mean? You don’t pay enough attention to me, CJ! Yes, this time I followed the itinerary on page H. Unlike one of us, ‘S. Hurley’ is no couch potato. Don’t roll your eyes, you know it’s true!  North Carolina, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, New Jersey, and Lake Placid. Great trip!” Addy yawned so wide, she almost snuffed out a candle on the long exhale.

“Is that all?”

“That’s not enough?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t follow her to—”

“To where?” Addy’s ruffled innards riffled.

“Aha! I see what’s going on here. You only came back because you exhausted all of her addresses. Well, she moved again, so I put her latest one into my—”

“You didn’t!”

“Sure I did. You were ‘on vacation’, remember? Look,” I said, “From now on I’ll keep you in my purse and you’ll go everywhere I go. Will that satisfy your wanderlust?”

“As long as I don’t have to sit next to that thing.”

“If you mean my iPhone,” I said, waving it in Addy’s direction, “Sorry, I can’t live without him.”

“I’m becoming obsolete.” She shuddered in my hand. I petted her, but didn’t deny it.

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CJ Alexander
CJ Alexander is the editor and blog host of the Whitesboro Writers Group in Central New York and an active member of Silver Pen Writers. She encourages others to hone their creative prose skills and is the founder of a monthly fiction writing group called Plotters Ink. Occasionally she publishes anthologies of short fiction and poetry written by local, national and even international authors. What a wonderful retirement hobby!

6 thoughts on “The Case of Addy, My Missing Address Book

  1. This story is so clever. It contains so many nice touches, real details that enhance the story and leave room for imagination and wonderment. Address books still have personalities! The story is almost all dialogue, easy to follow, and a good read. .

  2. Quirky and playful from my pov as well. Two suggestions: identify the speaker of the opening dialogue; maybe tighten the close a tad–“i’m becoming obsolete. She shuddered. I stroked her, but didn’t disagree.

    AGB

  3. Not as surprised as I would have been, had my old address book talked to me. Good idea that could be expanded.

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