Episode 26

The Mutual Broadcasting System brings you another episode of Life in Hyperion.

Today's episode: "The Melting of the Iceberg", Part 1

Last week, we finished our second serial.  In that last week, we saw Officer Grace and Phil have their date, which ended in the rise of the morning sun.  Meanwhile, Cy opened up his home to Thomas and gave him a place to stay.  That second serial also served as our tour of Hyperion.  Now, we begin our third serial by proceeding past Sunday and Monday and starting with Tuesday morning...

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In the green room of WHYP, Conrad sits at the green room table, writing in a gift card with a pen. As Conrad finishes writing, Cy enters the room with a grin on his face.
"Good morning, Conrad, my bestest friend in the whole wide world." says Cy.
"Good morning, Cy." says Conrad.
"What are you doing?" asks Cy.
"Writing something in a birthday card." says Conrad.
"Who for?" asks Cy as he walks over to the table.
"My sister." says Conrad.
"That's right. She turns 30 tomorrow." says Cy.
"My older sister." says Conrad.
"Let me see what you wrote." says Cy, who then picks up the card and reads what Conrad wrote, "To Darlene, from your favorite brother, Conrad."
"You like it?" asks Conrad.
"I think it's a sweet thought, even though you are her only sibling." says Cy.
"It's the thought that counts." says Conrad.
"If that were true, you wouldn't even buy this card." says Cy.
"Did you buy your mother a birthday card?" asks Conrad.
"A few, but that's not the point." says Cy.
"Can't you be happy for this?" asks Conrad.
"I could, if I wanted your sister to have a happy birthday." says Cy.
"I know you two don't get along, but can't you be happy just this once?" says Conrad.
"I wish I could, but I just can't see myself up to it." says Cy.
"I thought your mother taught you not to judge people." says Conrad.
"With your sister, I made an exception because how can you not judge her after five minutes in the same room with her." says Cy.
"My sister's a nice girl." says Conrad.
"She's an iceberg, nice and cold." says Cy.
"She's not that at all." says Conrad.
"Really? I wouldn't send her that card. It's hard to have a happy birthday when the total number of cards is one or zero." says Cy.
"Will you at least put your name to the card?" asks Conrad.
"Why should I?" asks Cy.
"Because I feel you should." says Conrad.
"I should? I think you need your brain checked." says Cy.
"Please sign the card. After all, you did help her alwhile back." says Conrad.
"You were sleepwalking and that was entirely for your benefit, not hers." says Cy.
"Then, do it for me." says Conrad.
"Alright, if it will get you to shut up about it." says Cy, who then takes a pen from one of his front pockets and signs the card.
"Thanks, Cy. I'm sure Darlene will enjoy it." says Conrad as he leaves the green room as Phil enters.
"Good morning, Cy." says Phil.
"What's it to ya?" asks Cy.
"What's with you, Cy?" asks Phil.
"It's Conrad. It's his sister's birthday tomorrow." says Cy.
"Another year for the iceberg." says Phil.
"Conrad has decided to give her a birthday card and he forced me to sign it." says Cy.
"Darlene can't be all bad." says Phil.
"You haven't known her as long as I have." says Cy.
"I guess I haven't." says Phil.
"I knew her since I first met Conrad when he and his family moved to New York around the same time me and my mother did." says Cy.
"How was she then?" asks Phil.
"She grew cold as she lived in New York. The opera, library, and museums were her favorite haunts." says Cy.
"I guess that left little time for friends." says Phil.
"Very little, both in friends and time. In fact, she doesn't really have a single friend now, besides Conrad." says Cy.
"We could be called her friends." says Phil.
"By virtue only of our friendship with Conrad. She has no friends that she has made." says Cy.
"I guess that would make someone lonely." says Phil.
"Being an iceberg and a lady of victorian values, it's hard to open up to people without, in her mind, breaking several social codes." says Cy.
"Maybe she'll warm up this year." says Phil.
"Not even global warming could melt that iceberg of a person." says Cy.
"Maybe if you try really hard... " says Phil.
"I don't need to, and I won't." says Cy.
"Well, maybe you can give her something." says Phil.
"I'll get her the same thing I always get her and that's it." says Cy.
"That, every year, keeps getting useless." says Phil.
"One day, it will work, just you see." says Cy.

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Tomorrow, Conrad issues a favor to Cy and Phil, which turns into an order, and Cy decides to take some time and read a little.

Join us, won't you?
Yours truly, John Maxwell.

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