Episode 34

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

Today's episode: "The Melting of the Iceberg", Part 9

Yesterday, Cy and Joanne, after the party ended, stood watch over the body of the unconscious Darlene, waiting for her to relive.  When she did three hours later, her behavior was very different.  It took Cy only a moment to realize that Darlene's icy core had melted and the human within had sprang forth.  As we begin, Darlene was taking Cy and Joanne out to celebrate her re-birth...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Cy and Joanne soon follow Darlene down to Cathy's Tavern, where, as they enter, the nightly crowd is starting to pour in.
"Hello, Cathy." says Cy as he walks in.
"Hello, Cy. I see you brought Joanne back here." says Cathy.
"And we came here with someone I never thought would do that." says Cy.
"Who?" asks Cathy.
"May I please present Darlene Harris." says Cy.
"The iceberg?" says Cathy.
"Not anymore. The ice has finally melted." says Cy.
"Hey there, Cathy. We meet for the first time." says Darlene.
"Will you have anything?" asks Cathy confusingly.
"'Will I have anything?' What a kidder!" says Darlene.
"Answer her question." says Cy.
"Okay. A shot and a beer. I've heard so much about it from Cy here." says Darlene as she walks her way up to the bar and takes a stool.
"A shot and a beer, coming up." says Cathy as Cy takes the stool next to Darlene.
"I'll take a beer." says Cy.
"And I'll take a glass of wine." says Joanne as she takes the stool next to Cy.
"What happened to you, Darlene?" asks Cy.
"What do you mean, Cy?" asks Darlene.
"I mean, is this the human being hidden under all that ice for so long?" says Cy.
"I must be. I mean, how did I ever live the way I do?" says Darlene.
"I don't know." says Cy.
"Well, that whiskey did something and I think I like the new me." says Darlene.
"I'm starting to like her, too." says Joanne.
"My mother often called alcohol a magic potion, capable of things that boggle the mind." says Cy.
"Your mother sounds like an interesting person." says Darlene.
"She does to me, too." says Joanne.
"She was. She spent the better part of her life in search of things and pass what she found on to me." says Cy.
"She must have been wise." says Darlene.
"I should know." says Cy.
"Here you go, a shot and a beer." says Cathy as she gives them to Darlene.
"Thanks, Cathy." says Darlene.
"Which one are you gonna drink first?" asks Cy.
"Yeah, which one?" asks Joanne.
"I think the shot first." says Darlene, who then downs the shot in a second.
"My mother used to knock them back that fast." says Cy.
"Heavy drinker?" asks Darlene.
"Her input was normal. She always said, 'Never drink alone.'." says Cy.
"Smart advice. That's what I'll say, too." says Darlene.
"Same here, Darlene." says Joanne.
"Good for you." says Cy.
The next morning, Cy makes his way towards the green room with a book in his hand. His walking has a slight wobble in it as he reaches the green room door. Inside the green room, Phil is reading a magazine.
"Good morning, Phil." says Cy with a slight slur as he enters the room.
"Good morning to you. What is with you this morning?" says Phil.
"Good thing you're here this morning instead of Conrad. By the way, where is my usual sidekick?" says Cy.
"He's decided to take the day off. Said he needed to think about something." says Phil.
"Well, nice to see that you'll be by my side today." says Cy.
"Let's get back to my original question." says Phil.
"Well, my night last night was interesting. Ask me why." says Cy.
"Okay, why?" says Phil.
"Because I had the most unusual drinking partner." says Cy.
"Who was it?" asks Phil.
"It was Conrad's cold as ice sister Darlene." says Cy.
"What did she do, lecture you into a stupor?" says Phil.
"Phil, what I'm about to impart to you is information I don't want flying into Conrad's ears." says Cy.
"Gotcha. Now, tell me what happened." says Phil.
"Well, you remember what happened at Conrad's disaster of a party." says Cy, feeling his forehead.
"Darlene drinking the booze and passing out." says Phil.
"Well, Me and Joanne, after you left, took her into the bedroom and put her on the bed. Three hours later, she woke up and she actually called me 'Cy'." says Cy.
"She's never done that in her life." says Phil.
"Not only that, she was playing with her hair and saying things so unlike her." says Cy.
"What happened to her?" asks Phil.
"Apparently, that whiskey was all that was needed to melt the ice and make her human." says Cy.
"And how was the human Darlene?" asks Phil.
"You wouldn't believe it. She has wit, charm. She actually spent the night telling me stories she had heard." says Cy.
"What was she like, overall?" asks Phil.
"She seemed to have my mother's personality hidden under that ice, and she said all those things about her." says Cy.
"I wish I could see for myself." says Phil.
"That's why after the show, I'm gonna take you over to the library and see if the ice is still melted and introduce you to the human Darlene." says Cy.
"That would explain the book in your hand." says Phil.
"Last time I was there, I got on the unmelted iceberg's nerves and I had to check it out. I'm returning it as an excuse." says Cy.
"Always with a plan." says Phil.
"Would I be me if I didn't have a plan?" asks Cy.
"I don't know, but let's not find out." says Phil.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Tomorrow, a visit to the library finds the melted Darlene enjoying a new life, and a new worklife, to the surprise of Cy and Phil.

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

A production of WGN Chicago.  All rights reserved.