Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg Read Free Book Online Page B

from work.’”
    Macky knew she was never going to shut up, and cut her off. “How is she, Doctor? Is she conscious yet?”
    Norma, who still didn’t know that Aunt Elner had been knocked out cold, turned and looked at Macky. “What do you mean, is she conscious yet?”
    The young doctor sized up the situation and said, “Let’s go sit down.”
    “What do you mean, is she conscious yet?” asked Norma again.
    When they were seated, the doctor looked first at Macky, then at Norma. “Mrs. Warren, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but your aunt”—he glanced down at his chart—“uh, Mrs. Shimfissle, died at 9:47 AM . We tried our best to revive her, but by the time she got here, she was already in bad shape, and considering her age and the circumstances, there was nothing we could do. I’m sorry.”
    Norma collapsed and slowly slid off the chair, and Macky and the doctor were just barely able to catch her, a second before the back of her head hit the floor.

Bad News Travels Fast

    9:59 AM
    B ack in Elmwood Springs, Elner’s neighbors Ruby Robinson and Tot Whooten had received the news about Elner, even before Norma and Macky. Earlier that morning, after the ambulance left with Elner, Ruby and Tot had gone inside and Ruby had called her nurse friend, Boots Carroll, who worked at Caraway Hospital, and told her that her neighbor Mrs. Shimfissle was on the way and to be on the lookout for her. As a professional courtesy, Boots had called her back and informed her that the word had just come out of ER that her Mrs. Shimfissle had officially coded at 9:47, and Boots read her the report over the phone. When Ruby put the phone down, she turned to Tot, who was sitting at the kitchen table, and shook her head. “She didn’t make it.”
    “Oh, no…. What happened?”
    “Anaphylactic shock. That many wasp stings all at once, her heart just stopped.”
    “I don’t believe it. Are they sure?”
    “Oh yes, Boots said she was practically a DOA, never had a chance from the get-go. I knew her pulse was weak, but I thought she would pull through, poor old Elner, but at least she didn’t suffer, that’s something, I guess.”
    “So she’s really dead?” said Tot, not believing it.
    “Yes.” Ruby walked over and sat down. “Sad to say, but she’s really dead.”
    “I’m just glad if it had to happen, she didn’t die down there in Florida, around a bunch of strangers.”
    “Yes, thank God, she was in her own yard when it happened.”
    They both just sat for a moment staring into space trying to come to terms with the fact that they had just lost their friend and neighbor for good.
    After a while Tot breathed deeply and said, “Well…it’s the end of an era, isn’t it?”
    Ruby nodded and said solemnly, “Yes, it is. I’ve been knowing Elner Shimfissle all my life….”
    “Me too,” said Tot. “I won’t know what to think anymore, not to see her out on her porch every day, waving at everybody. She was one of the oldies but goodies, wasn’t she, Ruby?”
    “She was that,” said Ruby.
    They sat there and thought of all the ways their lives were going to be affected now that Elner was gone for good. Not only had they seen her every day, but for years, every evening the same group had all brought their lawn chairs over to Elner’s yard and sat and talked and watched the sun go down.
    Tot said, “What’s going to happen to the Sunset Club now?”
    “I don’t know,” Ruby said.
    “And who’s going to do the Easter egg hunt this year?”
    “I haven’t a clue. I guess somebody will.”
    “Easter just won’t be the same without Elner.”
    “No it won’t, I tell you one thing, Luther Griggs is going to be very upset when he hears about Elner…and poor Norma, you know she is going to take it hard.”
    “Oh…don’t you know it?” said Tot. “She’ll probably just fly all to pieces and have a running fit.”
    “She’ll be beside herself, you know that. I think she was closer to Elner than