Page Two Hundred Fifty-Two.
The scene was like something out of Frankenstein. First of all, Quito looked like a wet, gray rat since the hench-poodles had been spraying him with a clear water bottle to keep his powers at bay. Second, he was harnessed up to a tan and brown corduroy sofa which had been out of style for 30 years. Third, the pink and purple TV camera-looking thing was aimed right at his furry, dog chest. Fourth, the small black and white TV was now very close; just on the other side of the sofa and it was showing some old flick on one of the classic movie channels. Fifth, there were all sorts of electronics strewn about here and there. There were violet, red and blue wires and yellow, green and orange cables everywhere, hooking components together. It was just a colorful ball of confusion. And furthermore, he still was trying to figure out why the odor of the room was so familiar. It was some kind of sunshiney-lemon cleaning solution that he'd smelled before, but for all he was worth, he just couldn't figure out where.
Quito heard Wanda in the corner give the hench-poodles lots of instructions which kept them preoccupied. But he couldn't make out any of her directions 'cause the TV was so loud. She also seemed to be off her own world. "She seems off her own world", he woofed to himself. It was as if she didn't even notice him, how he was quickly drying off, the TV or anything else, for she was so involved in her project of sending him into the parallel universe next door. She was just barking orders to the poodles over and over and not paying any attention to what was going around her.
Quito was observing all this while out of the corner of his eye was simultaneously watching TV. After all, he needed something to do since it takes no energy to be tied up to a sofa. (This isn't to say that Quito wasn't scared. Of course he was. But in addition to being scared, he was also a bit bored and antsy.)
The movie ended which was good because he didn't understand it at all. It was about some computer named HAL from a long time ago, the years 2001 to be exact, up in outer space. But then, the ending didn't have anything to do with anything else. The whole thing just didn't make any sense and frustrated Quito terribly. After the flick ended, the movie host talked for a while about how it inspired everybody. But, Quito didn't feel inspired at all. He felt confused.
Then after a few commercials, the host was back and began talking about Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, whomever they were. Then he began talking about a guy named Truman Capote and some book he wrote which was entitled Breakfast At Tiffany's and how a director, Blake Edwards, turned that book into the movie which would start in a moment. When Quito heard the phrase "Breakfast At Tiffany's" he realized that Wanda had made a gigantic boo-boo by leaving the TV on a classic movie channel and then not even paying enough attention to realize what she'd done.
Then the movie started. The logo for Paramount Pictures appeared and then there was a scene of a taxi driving down the street. The music began and Quito, now dry as a bone, knew he'd be just fine.
Continued next week... Quito. Chapter 13. Some Unlikely Help.
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