Second Time

Edna and Maude arrived for work at the same time. Both looked like they had walked out of a 1950's magazine, wearing dresses with aprons over them and Oxford shoes. Maude asked Edna if she was ready for work as she unlocked the dark wooden American Legion Hall doors and swung them open. Edna just stared for a moment before replying "Deja vu."

This caused Maude to look inside and think 'oh great the return of 1986'. Her mind flashed back to the last time the hall was in total chaos. There had been crude drawings and suggestive remarks left all over the hall back then. The memories still haunted her. Why had she been so sensitive to what others thought? How come she couldn't be like Edna and just let the bad times fade away within minutes of the event?

"Do you think Donny G. is back in town?" Edna asked as she gazed at the mess. The decorations were all torn up and scattered throughout the room. Just as they had been years ago. This time there were a lot more of what looked like personal items. She didn't see the same type of mess. Last time the mess had been made by Donny G. and the football team celebrating the win. Edna hoped there wouldn't be urine all over the bathroom.

"One way to find out. Let's get started," Maude replied. They started at the door collecting trash. There were several index cards that appeared to have speeches written on them, fancy napkins and paper plates as well as some unusual bits of plastic. By the time they reached the back of the hall they had collected four bags of trash. At least this time around there weren't any notes left around the room teasing them about having to clean up after "real" people had all the fun. Next they went around gathering lost items. There were neckties of every color. Sports coats and pens littered one whole table. It looked like mostly men attended last night's party. Only one pair of high heels were found. People must have wanted to unplug, as there were 23 cell phones. As they boxed the lost items, Donny G. swaggered into the room, looking like he had stepped out of GQ Magazine.

"Hey Chickies, have you found my cuff links yet?" Donny G. asked as he proceeded to dump out each trash bag looking for his cuff links, making a huge mess. He did not find them. Then he had the audacity to say, "This is a mess but you are good at cleaning."

The girls were dumbfounded.

"You missed a super party, too bad the help wasn't invited. Seems you chicks miss all the fun. Don't you ever get tired of being maids?"

he asked as he looked in the lost items box.

By unspoken agreement the girls grabbed the punch bowl, which contained a rather toxic smelling liquid, and dumped the contents over Donny G.

Sputtering he asked "what did you do that for?."

Maude replied "You really have to ask?"

Then Edna said "Donny G. you think that it is funny to look down on others and make fun of people for their profession or whatever. Well here is a news flash you cannot walk all over everyone and not expect to get what's coming to you. We are done here. Since you decided to make a huge mess, either clean this place up or forfeit your deposit."

"You can't do that, I'll call the owner and get you fired." Donny G. laughed as he pulled out his cell.

The girls simply smiled as they walked out.

"That felt great. Guess we best let Tom know we got revenge before he hears about it from Donny G." Maude said.

Meanwhile, Donny G. dialed the owner and began his complaint. "Tom, Donny G. here. I want you to fire Maude and Edna. They were here at the hall cleaning and when I came in they dumped the punch bowl over me and told me to clean it myself. I will not put up the such rudeness."

Tom listened with a grin as Donny G. ranted and then responded; "I told you that if the cleaning crew thought the place was too messy they would leave it for you to clean if you want your deposit back."

"We've been friends since the eighth grade, why wont you fire them?" Donny G. demanded.

Tom replied, "If you will take a moment to remember; it's because one is my sister and the other is my wife. Have fun cleaning the hall. I'll be by in three hours to check and see if you get the deposit back. Oh and Donny G.? It pays to be considerate of others."

Donny G was flabbergasted, he sputtered and fumed. He had no cleaning supplies; supplies? heck he had no idea how to clean anything. So he called his wife, Nora and told her to send the housekeeper and her maids to clean up the hall . His wife said "Donny G., you gave those women the weekend off. It’s my understanding that they went out of town."

A now frantic Donny asked "is there anyone you can think of that can and come help me?"

"Donny G. you won't find anyone who can help. You know everyone left for vacation right after the party. I guess you will have to do it yourself or lose the deposit." Nora replied. 

Donny G. would not admit defeat! If he were to accept defeat then Maude and Edna would win. No way that was happening. Next year he would set it up for some cleaning help and bypass having to deal with either of them. That decided, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work. The cleaning supplies turned out to be in a closet in the back room. Two and a half hours later, exhausted and with the

unfamiliar feelings of regret and understanding, he stood back to look at everything he had gotten done.

Meanwhile, Tom found the girls and told them they should accompany him to see if Donny G. should get the deposit back. They chuckled and declared that would be amazing but agreed to go see what they would have to deal with tomorrow.

Upon arriving, they were stunned. the American Legion Hall was looked spotless. The trash was out, the lost and found box was marked and beside the door. All the supplies were put away and Donny G. was nowhere to be seen.

Just then Donny G. returned. He had two bouquets of flowers, "Look, I'm sorry. I get it now. Please, forgive me for being such a jerk", he said sheepishly as he handed Maude and Edna each a bouquet.

The women smiled and graciously accepted his apology, feeling that at long last, Donny G. had learned his lesson.