MISTER GREEN or THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE MAN WHO REMAINS QUITE INVISIBLE

MISTER GREEN  or  THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE MAN WHO REMAINS QUITE INVISIBLE

When he had arrived at the hotel, he should have asked to the reception, but even to the porter, where Mister Green was waiting for him. The communication had reached him through a phone call. He seemed to be hearing again   the  clear, polite voice of that one who had called him, while he was going up on the wide stairs to access the imposing-looking  hotel.

“ Mister Green is waiting for you in the underground.” The receptionist had said him. “ If you go down the stairs on your left, as soon as you arrive in the underground , you will see ( will find) a door in front of you. There is no name, no indication on that door, but it’s that door you have to go in to meet Mister Green.”

Julio went down the marble stairs, but when  he arrived to the underground he found , facing himself, not one door, but two. There were no names or signs on either door. He did not really know which door to knock on and, besides, he didn’t want to go back to ask the receptionist or the porter or anyone for an explanation. First he knocked on one door, which remained close, and no one invited him to enter. Yet he seemed to hear noises coming from the room beyond that door, perhaps they were footsteps. Then there was someone in there, but if there was someone, why he didn’t give Julius permission to enter , or, at least that someone didn’t look out the door? While, putting his ear close to the next door, Julius couldn’t hear any noise. However he decided to knock even on this other door which, oh what surprise, he would never have expected it, suddenly opened in front of him, while a gentle voice was inviting him to enter. He, almost stunned, walked through the door that had opened, not realizing that , as he entered the room, from the other door , now opened just a little, the face of a woman, wearing large eyeglasses, had appeared, whose look followed him as he entered the room , then the bespectacled face disappeared and the door closed again.  The door behind Julius also closed with a sharp snap, yes, as if someone had closed it from the outside.

The room Julius ( had) entered was furnished a little like an office, a little as a living room. The leather armchair were for living room, including that very high armchair at the desk, which was instead an office desk . On the desk there was a computer, which was turned off.

“ Welcome Julius, make yourself comfortable. You can sit wherever you want, even at the desk. If you want, you can turn on the computer” The same, kind, polite voice, which had invited him to enter, said softly. He, Julius , kept on looking around: there was no one in the room. Where did the voice that had spoken to him come from? In the room he saw no other doors than the one he had entered. The window was closed, no light was coming from it. Julius threw his head back , and stared  at ceiling. THE VOICE, that voice had to be coming from above, maybe from the ground floor, or perhaps from the first or the second floor. But then, why did they make him to go the underground? Was that of Mister Green the voice he had heard? And he, Mister Green, where was he? The questions overlapped in his head, which was beginning to spin, for ( because of) the effort to keep it bent back, intent as he was in looking at the ceiling.

“ I…I have an appointment with Mister Green” Julius said, hesitant.

“ Of course, I know” that polite voice replied.

“ I have an appointment with Mister Green, but I see that he is not here”

“ Oh, it’s me Mister Green!” that voice exclaimed . “ I assured I’m here” the voice now sounded with an accent of laughter “ I never miss an appointment” mister Green, or truly his voice, added.

“Okay, then can I wait for you here?”Julius asked, dropping himself in an armchair.

“ Dear collaborator, and dear friend, it is not at all necessary that I come to you, that I sit in front of you….

Ah, I remind you that you can sit at my desk , and turn on the computer too “ Mister Green’s voice sounded harmonious but , at the same time, extremely firm. “ Oh, excuse me, but I really cannot understand ….I seem you don’t want to be seen by me, but WHY?” Julius asked, in anguish.

“ Ah, dear, very dear boy, you don’t have to worry if we don’t see each other. We can make all the necessary arrangements, and we can fix everything , without having to be facing each other” mister Green said, in a calm tone. “ Oh, but how can it be  possible? I seemed to have understood that this ….is a very serious, a very delicate matter “ and , so saying, Julius suddenly stood up, left the desk and startd walking up and down the room.

“ Of course, my dear friend, that     this is a delicate matter, which we have to consider  very carefully so that( for that) everything goes as it should go”

“ I…I would so much like to know what…what I will have to do! What task I ‘m going to be entrusted with!” Julius almost shouted , even if in a pleading tone, keeping his eyes fixed at the ceiling, holding his hand on the nape of his head, walking up and down the room.

“ On, stop fidgeting! I assure you there is nothing you have to worry about, dearest Julius!”  Mister Green’s voice arrived ( sounded) clear, cheerful, that it seemed to be fluttering, dancing around the room.

” Now, listen to me, Julius. Go at the desk , sit and turn on the computer. Then you have to go on our program. Come on, what are you waiting?” Julius sat at the desk in front of the computer, he turned onthe computer, then typed in the name of the program: HERE IS MISTER GREEN. “ I’m ready” He said.

“ Well. Now read the directions which will appear , step by step, on the screen. If you need explanations, ask me”

Julius was very excited. The task that Mister Green had entrusted to him was of the utmost importance, and he (Julius) should have carried it out in complete secrecy It was nothing less than capturing , ie

blocking A VIRUS, which had escaped from a research laboratory, before that this virus, ___it was not a natural virus, since it had been produced in a laboratory of advanced biological research _____interaging with the environment, could infect plants, animals, humans. The terrible virus had to be stopped in time, that is as soon as possible, or it would have been a catastrophe .

“ CATCHING A VIRUS is not catching butterflies. A net is enough to catch butterflies ( a net is enough for butterflies), instead TO CATCH A VIRUS you need specialized equipment, produced by the most advanced technology. And even, virus catcher, unlike butterflies  catcher, runs the risk of becoming, from hunter, hunted “ Julius was reading the beginning of the program ( titled): HERE IS MISTER GREEN”. Which seemed rather a preamble than an introduction. But, strange, what was happening meanwhile (there ) around him in the  room?  When he looked away from the computer screen  and so, absently, he glanced ahead he saw…..oh , but how many butterflies, and all stuck together….it was like a cloud of butterflies, as a bunch of butterflies flying before him, around him, above him “ It will probably have to do with the tests to overcome before moving on the operational phase of my task … the task that I have been entrusted “ he thought.

“ Then, are you there, Julius? What step of the program did you arrive at?” mister Green, or rather his voice, asked..

“ Yes, I’m here.” He said, wincing, as if he was ( had been) roused by that voice. “ I’m at the BUTTERFLIES, I mean (at) the first page….And how many butterflies here in your office! I’m just wondering what they are for….they have to be part of the tests to overcome, haven’t they?” Julius asked, looking around almost worried. Meanwhile in the room  there were more butterflies, more groups or bunch …which seemed clouds….of butterflies which were flying , all stuck together, and now they were approaching  Julius, a bunch of them ( butterflies ) were just touching his nose, another was flying close his head

“ Butterflies there? in my office? What the fuck are you saying? No!  It is absolutely impossible! Butterflies couldn’t be in my office !  Since they, butterflies have nothing to do with our   very special enterprise, a great enterprise, of extraordinary importance! No, butterflies have nothing to do with the very important  task,___almost delicate, and heavy too____  that we have been entrusted with” mister Green said, making his voice bigger and bigger, speaking with increasingly fury.

 “ And instead I tell you: (and) how if there are butterflies here, in your office! Lots of butterflies! Clusters of butterflies! Which ( they) are coming upon me, around me, which are besieging me! Oh, this is really a butterflies invasion” Julius shrieked , even if in a trembling voice. 

“ Eh boy! Can you hear me?” The voice of Mr. Green , it sounded like a roar. “If I say ( you) that it is not possible that there are butterflies in my office, it means that really there are not butterflies! You, only you are the one who sees butterflies which aren’t there, and they aren’t there, since they must not be there! But, of course, just now, when is time to go in action, you let yourself be overcome by fear….oh, damnation…So you start to see butterflies!” Mr. Green screamed, in an angry voice.

“ Oh then, if you don’t believe what I’m telling , come here, so you can see for yourself, so also you will see how many butterflies are really here, in this room. There is even an invasion of butterflies in your office!” Julius shouted in anguish, as he tried, with his hands, to push away the bunches of butterflies , which were landing on his head, on his shoulders, which were buzzing close his face.

“ And stop with butterflies! I don’t even want to hear of butterflies, damnation! You, you haven’t even mention butterflies to me! And, here, do you know what I say you? “ the invisible Mr. Green screamed, with a voice like a roar. “ But butterflies are female stuff! On, let’s leave  butterflies to women!”

“ But very crazy! Unbelievable! You…you MASTER, as soon as you, master, had spoken of females, of women, oh, incredible! Here, in this room,  in the midst of  this invasion of butterflies, a woman appeared! A naked woman, master!” Julius yelled, in a trembling voice, that sounded really incredulous, startled.   “What did you say? How ( What, with what name) did you call me? Who the fuck said you that you can address me calling me Master? I’m not at all Master for you! I’m Mister Green!” The voice of….the Master! thundered.  “But, Mister Green, excuse me…since also I know that you belong to a very powerful Masonic Lodge….I have thought to call you…MASTER….Eh, since everyone says that you have been entrusted with the direction of the big, and secret, operation ____CATCH THE VIRUS! ____especially ( (mostly) for your ties with…Masonry “ it came to say impulsively to Julius, completely unaware of the  danger he was putting himself with his words .  “ Shut up unfortunate! Stop to speak, cursed man! If I hear you ( to) mention ( to say) : Master, or Masonic Lodge….or Masonry again, look at that :I come over there to beat you as you deserve ! Or rather I kick your ass!” Mister Green growled  and also hissed, that a thin scraping hiss was perceptible in his growl.

“ Oh, Mister Green, I apologize for  having called you MASTER, and for talking of Masonic Lodge….I apologize…But, Mister Green, I cannot understand what is happening here, in the room, that is your office…That one, the naked woman, whom I saw appear just now, in the midst of the butterflies, oh, she suddenly disappeared! So , here, I don’t know if she (it) was really a woman, of if it was only a vision of mine. Oh, Mister Green, I really need you to come here to help me! I need desperately your help, mister Green! I’m surrounded by swarms of butterflies, that are besieging me!” Julius begged.

“ Ah, boy….bad, very bad that the naked woman has disappeared. She, unlike the butterflies, I assure you that she is real! I sent her to you so that she would be of support in facing the tests that you will have to overcome before moving on the operational phase of your task which, I remember you, is ___CATCH THE VIRUS!____” Mister Green said, in a firm, decisive voice.

“ Mister Green, are you saying that one, the naked woman should have to help me? Oh, I didn’t know she was a help for me! And how was she supposed to help me, eh? Oh, incredible! Mister Green, she, the naked woman , now has suddenly reappeared! She is again here, in front of me! Oh, now she will help me!

But damnation, she is already gone away, this time too! My God, who will help me, now? I need help , mister Green! Oh, you saw Mister, here in this room, in your office there are dogs, cats, rabbits, even mice!

And a lot of butterflies! These damned butterflies are besieging me! They are suffocating me! Help, Mister Green! Ah, I see that the other animals, cats, dogs, rabbits, mice….oh, but they are not real animals, in flesh and blood, they are figures cut out of paper! Why are they here, mister Green? Did you send these paper animals too, Mister Green? Do they have to help me, too? Oh, Mister Green, but WHY don’t you come to me? Oh, mister, I pray you, come to me! I need your help, MASTER!”

“ Aughruunfff! What ( How) did you dare to call me, very bad, most disgusted boy? Ruunff!” The screaming voice of ….the mister who didn’t want to be called MASTER not only made Julius’s head thunder, but it even seemed to him that it was making the room jump, that it was shaking the room like an earthquake. “Damned idiot! I must take note that you’re not at all suitable for the great operation, indeed the mission  for which I had engaged you! You would be a danger for us! You would certainly make our mission fail! With you in the team, instead of we catching the virus, the virus catching us!” Mister Green’s voice boomed tremendously, furiously. 

“ Oh, Mister Green, it doesn’t matter if I will not be part of the colossal operation to save the planet, to save the whole humanity from the terrible virus! But, Mister Green, please, I pray you, come here! Come to me! I need your help! Clouds of butterflies, flocks of butterflies have invaded this room! They are besieging me! They are attacking me! And other animals, cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, snakes, are invading this room! All these animals will kill me! Help! Help, mister Green!” Julius cried, trembling with anguish.

“ And you…do you dare to ask me for help? You, very bad boy, you wretched, you, very miserable man, you have to disappear!”  Mister Green’s voice sounded terribly threatening.

“ You condemned me to death, mister Green! I obey, Mister Green!” Julius shouted, impetuously.

Julius was found sitting at the desk, with his head reclined on the desk. He was dead.

In the room, which was Mister Green’s office, there was only one big , golden winged butterfly. The big golden butterfly was on Julius’s head.