Little Black Notebook

LITTLE BLACK NOTEBOOK

“THE EARTH IS ON FIRE! Help us, its burning! They shout” Bucky belted at the top of his lungs as he held his script over his head. He just gotten the lead role in his small-town play in Ottawa Kansas. It was titled An Inconvenient Truth, and it was loosely based on the documentary written by former vice president Al Gore by the same title.

It wasn’t a good play. One reviewer wrote that she found herself rooting for global warming and would consider buying stock in the keystone pipeline after having to sit through 2 hours of what felt like a botched Ted talk. That of course was not what the director had in mind when he had written his adaptation.

Bucky wasn’t an especially talented actor. He had never attended an acting school or even an improv class, but he had taken notes of every play he had ever seen. His favorite was Annie, it was the first play his grandmother had ever taken him to and Bucky would often quote his favorite lines when appropriate.

His Little Black NoteBook held all his favorite lines and stage actions. the night of the play he was behind the local theater practicing his bows for the end when he threw his note book. With a large over exaggerated swing of his arm he flung it across the ally and into a green garbage dumpster. Grumbling under his breath he trudged to the large waist container, when he lifted the lid he saw his notebook sitting perfectly unharmed, only it was also sitting on a large stack of one hundred dollar bills, there had to be at least twenty thousand dollars just sitting in the trash like old lettuce.

Bucky quickly grabbed the money and hid it under an old red Kansas city Chiefs hoodie in the back seat of his silver ford focus.

He went back to the theater and preformed the play, he remembered his lines and smiled larger than he ever thought he could, he was distracted by the possibility’s but also excited to preform for the first time in his life on a real stage. Bucky had never gotten the parts in school plays those were for pretty kids, Bucky was not fat, but he also wasn’t in good shape. he was just average and, in that way, didn’t stand out. This is good if you’re an international spy, but lousy if you wanted to be an actor.

Bucky stayed after the play to celebrate with the cast, they drank soda and ate pizza like a middle school party. Bucky found himself lost in the excitement of preforming so much that he had in fact totally forgotten about the money until he was driving home.

When he pulled into his driveway, in the dark of night he lifted the football hoodie from the back seat and there it was like a dream just staring at him with those big green Benjamin franklin eyes, Bucky folded the money into the pullover and rushed into his apartment. he went to bed feeling like he had just won the lottery.

At 5 am there was a knock on Bucky’s door, he awoke thinking it was just another neighbor who had gotten drunk and forgot what apartment they lived in, this happened often.

When Bucky answered the door, he was shocked to see a 2 foot tall man dressed in all green.

I believe you have something that belongs to me son; the little man scoffed

I don’t know what you are talking about. Replied Bucky

Oh I think you do boy’o . the little green man grinned

It was at this point Bucky felt like he was floating and could no longer touch the carped with his bare feet.

Oh no, what’s happening? Bucky cried

The little man let himself in, walking by Bucky like he was a curtain hanging in his way. Where is it boy? where is it at? The tiny fellow smiled with wickedly perfect teeth.

If you want the money it’s in my bedroom at the end of the hall, under the bed, in the red hoodie. Cried Bucky

Money? No, that’s yours. I came for my trade. It was a trade made fair and square after all, you gave it to me and I gave you its value. Where is my notebook boy’o? he said this time with no smile

He flew up his little green shoes sparkling throwing fairy dust all on the floor of Buckys apartment.

Give me what’s my mine by right boy’o. Said the itty-bitty gentleman one last time, his breath smelled of strawberries and peppermint. The notebook!

But for the life of himself Bucky couldn’t remember where he had placed it.

did he leave it in his car?

Did he leave it backstage after the play?

His head was buzzing

Wait you want my notebook? Bucky asked? My Little Back Notebook?

Yes! your treasure! Squealed the green imp as he clicked his heels throwing even more sparkly dust from his boots.

I, I can’t re-remember where I pu-put it. Bucky stammered.

The small man produced a pen knife from his small green vest, it might as well have been a sword in his little hand, he held it under Bucky’s throat, “then you better have it for me this time tomorrow before I find something of grater value” said the green man as he slid the knife up to Buckys ear.

Just then bucky fell and just as he was about to hit the floor he woke up In his bed covered in sweat, heart pounding and confused.

He looked under the bed and the money was still there he shook his head and just chalked it up as just a bad dream, until he went into the living room and it looked like it had been glitter bombed by a St Patrick’s day parade.

What the heck happened last night? what was in that pizza? Bucky asked himself.

My notebook! He thought

Bucky rushed to his car and it wasn’t there, but his cellphone was. He must have forgotten to take it in with him last night with all of the excitement of the play and the money. He had several missed calls form the director of the play on his phone and 2 voice mail messages. Bucky listened to the first message.

“Bucky its me you were wonderful tonight I wanted you to know that you left your little black notebook on the back of the flaming polar bear prop. I picked it up for you because we had to have all of our stuff moved out to make room for Benjamin Butten the musical by today at noon. End of message”

“Next message so something weird just happened Bucky there was a little man dressed in all green smashing the dumpster behind the theater shouting where is it, where is it. and then he asked me where you went, I told him I didn’t know, he was very angry, I think he has it out for you, I don’t want to sound raciest but I think he was a leprechaun. I’m not sure that that pizza was safe to eat. But it seemed so real. End of message no new messages “

At least I know where the note book is now, Bucky thought to himself

So Bucky grabbed his keys and went over to Bentleys house. Bentley was the director of the play and his house was more like an old rundown art studio than a home. full of knickknacks and tools scattered about.

Bentley you home? Cried Bucky.

In the back. Bentley replied

Do you have my Little Black notebook? Bucky asked

Yeah its right here, but I want to talk to you about that little man that was smashing the dumpster, I think I have another play idea and If you know this guy I have a part for him if he is willing to preform on stage. Bentley said excitedly

I don’t really know him to be honest I just met him last night after the show. But now that I have my notebook I know the sun will come out tomorrow. smiled Bucky

Bucky ran home and took the money out from under his bed counted out four thousand dollars and went to the pet store then he came home to set up and wait.

Just like clockwork the little man cam knocking on Buckys door at five am on the dot. Bucky said come on in the door opened and in walked the little man dressed in green, just as he was far enough into the room Bucky sprung his trap and closed the gate on the large dog kennel he had set up in his home Infront of the entry way.

You literally walked right into my trap little guy. Bucky grinned

Looks as if I have. said the short intruder, As he shook the side of his new cage. Do you have the notebook or no?

I do, but I caught you don’t I get a wish? Asked bucky

Listen to me mortal. Said the small man in green. I am older than the waves. I am as hard to hold as a sunbeam and this cage is not for me. With a blink of his eyes he and Bucky switched places.

Sitting in the cage now himself Bucky was startled. what do you want from me? he asked

Just what’s mine nothing more. replied the mini magical gent.

Bucky gave him the notebook and with a smile and a giggle he vanished along with the book.

Well it was worth a shot Bucky thought as he sat in the cage in his living room.

The next day he bought a new little black notebook and bought a season pass to every theater within driving distance But he always looked in the dumpsters behind them when he could.