The Holy Machine
“We still had a human receptionist in those days, and she sounded oddly excited. ‘Who is it?’ I asked.‘Well, she says it’s a surprise.’‘Are you sure it’s me she wants to see?’ ‘Definitely.’This time the receptionist could not quite prevent herself from giggling.I went down to the reception area. There was only one person waiting there, a very elegant young woman. She looked up at me and gave a warm smile of recognition. My blood froze. It was Lucy! …or so it seemed for a moment. After a second o...r so I realized that, although my visitor was blonde like Lucy and had the same kind of gentle, flawless beauty, she did not have the same face. ‘Hello George!’ she said, standing up, ‘I wondered if you’d like to come out for lunch?’The receptionist looked from her to me, smiling.‘I’m sorry,’ I mumbled, red to the roots of my hair, ‘I don’t think I know you…’ The young woman laughed.‘Do you really not recognize me, Georgie?’I didn’t recognize the face or the voice, but there was something in the tone – half-teasing, half-plaintive – that seemed familiar… ‘I’m sorry, I…’The stranger laughed.‘Aren’t you going to give your mother a kiss?’ she said.A half-stifled splutter of incredulous laughter came from the receptionist behind me.‘This is a Vehicle!’ Ruth told me excitedly in the lift, talking through the mouth of the pretty blonde.MoreLess
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