The Armadillo Files, Episode 31, What’s her name? — Featuring Tim Price

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, July 16, 2022

Promo image by Teagan Riordain Geneviene
Promo image by Teagan

You’ve reached The Armadillo Files… the serial is hopping toward its conclusion.  If you’re wondering what’s next, please take a look at my previous post.  I put out a call to photographers and artists.  You might want to participate.

Random Reader Things

New Mexico’s Tim Price and I have been following each other since almost the beginning of my blogging days.  Tim’s “three things” added fun to this new episode.  Those things are: rotary phone, S&H Green Stamps, and adding machine.

Previously in The Armadillo Files

When Dilly and Fang “landed” in a cave in tenth century Bagdad, they ran afoul of Ali Baba’s wicked brother, Cassim. He and a traitor who works with the evil organization, Tumult, will try to sell the Calutron Girls into slavery, if our heroes don’t stop them.

Fang and Sesame went looking for the furry weasel that stole the timey-wimey bobble that was supposed to slow down Dilly’s transformation… into some unknown critter. Then Sesame came back with a brunette (who should have been familiar) instead of Fang.

If you need to refresh your memory, you can always find all the past chapters by going to the categories on the right side of the screen.  Click on Armadillo Files.

All aboard!

31 — What’s her name?

Dilly

Dilly & Fang, Green Stamps, by Teagan
Dilly & Fang by Teagan

Admittedly, it was selfish of me.  I was glad to see Sesame safe and well.  However, the first words that burst out of my mouth didn’t make it seem true.

“Where’s Fang?” I asked, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind my ear.

Ali Baba took a step closer to me.  She lifted her hand as if she meant to touch my ear.  Tilting her head, she inspected my other ear.  I could have sworn she murmured something about “longer.”  However, my attention was on Sesame.

Sesame heaved a sigh that could have brought down a mountain.  The brown ferret, Musa, hurriedly ran down from her head and on down her leg.  He scampered over to Ali Baba, which probably seemed safer.

“Alas, my habibi never made his way to me,” Sesame cried — literally.

Tears ran down the face of the giantess.  Ali hopped onto a crate and stood there to put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

I was so concerned about Fang that the brunette didn’t come into my thoughts until she asked a question.

“Is there a phone I could use, please,” she asked with an apprehensive look around the cave.  “Or could someone take me to one?  I knew some foreign countries were backward as far as modern conveniences, but I haven’t seen a telephone since I woke up here.  Not a rotary phone, or a phone booth, or even an old-fashioned candlestick phone…” her voice trailed off as she continued to look around in confusion.

Victory Rolls hairstyle at "Yank - the Army Weekly" 1944 Wikipedia
Victory Rolls hairstyle at “Yank – the Army Weekly” 1944 Wikipedia

Only then did I take in her victory rolls hairdo.  That was a 1940s fashion.  The woman was in such a disheveled state that I barely recognized her.  She was Marie Browning, Harry Morgan’s missing girlfriend!  She was also a dorm mother for some of the Calutron Girls.

With that realization, Ali’s curious examination of my ears was completely forgotten.

“Marie!” I exclaimed to the woman’s shock, as she had never met me.  “Sesame, you must be a genius.  How did you find her?”

“It required no great feat of intellect,” the very tall woman began and held up an empty coin purse.  “I learned which slaver had the young women.  Then I convinced him to sell this one before the auction.  He would not sell the young ones.  His greed makes him want the auction block for them.”

Musa started chittering.  The ferret darted away.  A moment later he dived into an open crate.  He looked quite pleased with himself when he ran back, with a long green ribbon trailing behind him.  Although I saw that it was not a ribbon, but unrolled S&H Green Stamps.

Marie Browning watched the ferret in bleary-eyed fascination.  I could tell that she had been drugged.  It was important that the woman get her wits about her.  Looking at her expression, I thought that she was struggling hard to do just that.

“Musa, you are most keen.  However, the auction will not accept these as payment,” Ali said, taking the stamps from the ferret and petting him.

Ferrets 2 playing iStock
iStock

The wooden box, which produced the facial recognition image that Ali had called a hologram, began to make a sound that reminded me of an adding machine.  A moment later it spat a printed copy of the information the mechanical voice had spoken regarding Klaude Frucht.  He had betrayed the Manhattan Project and later went to work for Prime’s nemesis, Tumult.

“That’s the man who brought us here!” Marie exclaimed in amazement at the hologram.

♦ ♦ ♦

I’m not sure which one I’m more worried about, Dilly or Fang.  Although, maybe what I should really be concerned about is Klaude Frucht, or Tumult… or both. 

Next weekend the three random reader things drive “Episode 32 — Who would do that?” They are brothel, toilet paper, and B-29, from Pete Springer. Tune in next time.  Hugs on the wing!

♦ ♦ ♦

Dead of Winter has now concluded with Journey 14, The Veil.  It is now available!  

Dead of Winter — All the Journeys

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♦♦♦

This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2022 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

…

61 thoughts on “The Armadillo Files, Episode 31, What’s her name? — Featuring Tim Price”

    1. Ms. Frances, you are a delight. It’s an easy way to differentiate between the characters. Dilly has unruly hair. Also, in these episodes that draw toward the ending, descriptions of her hair changes are reminders that she’s transforming (and very small hints as to what animal).
      I hope you’re having a wonderful week. It’s very hot here, but then, many places across the world are saying the same. Stay safe and well. Thanks for opening this door. Hugs on the wing.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Thanks very much, David. Maybe it comes from (partly) having to do that for decades at work.
      Or from the PTSD stuff. I never had dissociative identity disorder as a child, but I did dissociate as part of the fight, flight, freeze response. I think maybe the need for multiple projects is related. (Not to diminish anyone, but…) Better multiple projects than multiple personalities, I guess. Although it sometimes interferes with finishing things. LOL, I guess I’m in an introspective mood. I appreciate you visiting. Hugs on the wing.

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  4. I remember those stamps! Growning up I’d help put them in the booklets after getting them at the grocery store. And yes, I’m very worried about Dilly also. So many things are going on!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m happy you enjoyed it, Priscilla. It would have been fun to have a tangent with Marie and her confusion over being dumped many centuries in the past… but that would have been a different kind of story. Thanks for reading and commenting. Hugs on the wing!

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      Reply

  13. I forgot all about those “Three Things”. It all adds up now. Great episode, Teagan. A candlestick phone? Is that the kind the receiver sits on top and makes the whole set look a “T”?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Tim. I’m not sure if we’re talking about the same kind of phone. If not, they were from the same era. I *think* what you describe is sort of a wall-phone version of the candlestick. These were from the 1920s. Here’s a video showing a candlestick with rotary dial. I think the first ones didn’t have any dial, you just clicked on and off to summon the operator.

      Happy Caturday. Hugs on the wing!

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        1. I see. The best I can tell, that style of cradle came out a little bit after the candlestick. I found some (like that one) that were non-rotary, just as some candlesticks were. I’m sure their usage overlapped, since (gasp!) people kept their phones after the next model came out.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

          1. The nerve of people not keeping up with the latest. As long as there were operators like Lily Tomlin and my mom, you didn’t need no stinking rotary dial.

            Liked by 1 person

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  14. This story is so crazy and fun. I remember S&H green stamps. My mom used to give them to us kids and we’d fill in our little books. What a memory that raised. The story seems to be coming together, Teagan, with some of the plot threads coming together. Keep up the good work. 🙂 Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Diana. I remember being made to lick page after page of those stamps. Blegh…
      I’m glad you enjoyed this episode. Yes, we’re drawing close to the end. This one doesn’t have as many threads to pull into place as most of them do. LOL, right now, that was a relief. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  15. I grew up with S&H Green Stamps! What fun they were.

    So now Dilly’s ears have gotten bigger. Fang is still nowhere to be found. But he’s a crafty guy, I’m not too worried about him. The Calutron girls seem to be on a short time line. I’m hoping Fang’s absence is because he’s located them and is figuring out how to get them to safety.

    Seems to me all these ferrets could band together and help.
    Ginger

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. It seems like a lot has to happen before they can a get back to their own time/form. I wonder where Fang is? I have so many questions. I suppose I can wait a week, but I know my mind will be pondering those things.

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Teagan.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  20. Reblogged this on Just Olga and commented:
    Episode 31 of Teagan Geneviene​’s The Armadillo Files is here, and it’s full of surprises. Don’t miss it (we’re close to the ending) and don’t forget Teagan’s call for pictures!

    Liked by 1 person

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  21. Another great episode, Teagan. I wonder what’s going on with Dilly, what Fang is up to, and, more than anything else, how you are going to manage to use Pete Springer’s three things. I guess I’ll have to wait a week to know the answer, but I’m sure it will be worth the wait. Thanks for keeping us on our toes and happy weekend!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Pete’s 3 things are an example of how these pantser serials don’t go where I expect them to land, Olga. Once the “things” had led to TROLLEY and using it as a bar (cover) named The Pink Armadillo, I kept thinking that sounded more like the name of a “house of ill repute”. I was sure someone would make that assumption and fun chaos would ensue… BUT it never got there. So his things didn’t get used in such a comical way.
      Thanks for being part of this story. Hugs on the wing!

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    1. Thanks, Robbie. When I was a teen, for a little while there was a huge trend for 1940s retro styles. I remember trying (not too successfully) to get my hair into victory rolls. To me it was sort of like doing a French twist. But my hair is fine, and not cooperative. I think it probably took A LOT of bobby pins.
      Have a beautiful weekend. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

        1. I relate to the drying issue too. My hair was always thick for a blonde (my natural color). By accident, I found that it seems to help mine dry *a bit* faster if I comb volumizing mousse through it. Maybe one of the ingredients.
          Huge thanks for the photos. You are the first to send any.

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