46

An impulse formed in the box. It rested on the mantel at the home of Stacy Sun and Alan Hamel.

The box was hungry.

The box felt the next step coming on.

"There are two things to do," thought the box. "We need Swiss chocolate and to get Swiss chocolate we need to fly to Switzerland and to fly to Switzerland we need money, and to get money we need to be a successful actress. And to be a successful actress, we need a phone call."

The box blinked and Stacy's cel phone rang.

"Oh! OH!" moaned Stacy and Alan from the bedroom.

"My phone," Stacy said.

"Oh! I thought you turned it off," Alan said.

"I forgotmmm," Stacy said.

"Let it go," Alan said.

"I can't," Stacy said. "It might be -- ooh!!"

The caller was Stacy's agent, Al Alberts. Her phone sent him to voicemail, and he left a message.

"Hi Stacy, it's Al. Listen, I have some good news for you. You'll forgive me for being a little guarded on this one, I think it would be a good idea if we didn't pop the champagne until you get a check, but listen to this.

"I made some calls and Scorcese is interested in you for his next movie. And that's not all. Woody Allen, he's interested in you for his next movie. Also -- Tarantino wants you for his next movie. Look what he did for Travolta, so yeah, I guess he's adopted you. He watched Sheriff on cable, or something.

"And that's not all. Deet! Deet wants you for his TV show. So, um, good news, huh kid? I heard Alan Rudolph is interested too. Let's work this comeback thing together. Okay. Bye!"

The voicemail silently registered and the cel phone went silent. The moans continued.

"Enough," thought the box. "I want to go to Switzerland. Wrap it up."

The moans intensified and grew louder and stretched out and floated away and away and away, on a Bavarian cloud.

The box rolled its eyes.

Then there was silence.

Then there was low laughter, breaths.

"Phew!" Alan gave a respectful whistle.

"Nice, huh?" Stacy said.

Alan asked a low question, too softly for the box to hear.

"Hmmm," Stacy said. "I'm hungry."

The box waited impatiently as the lovers gradually rose and mumbled their way to the kitchen in robes.

"Oo," said Stacy, "I guess I better see who that call was from."

She punched it up on her phone. Her eyes grew wider. "Oh my god!" she said.

"What happened?" asked her husband. "Did you get a part?"

"Scorcese wants me in his movie!"

Stacy relayed all the directors that Al had named in the message. She kissed Alan, shrieking, screeching!

Alan nodded.

"I got the touch," he said jokily, blowing on his knuckles.

"You're the best manager ever!"

"Enough sweet love," thought the box. "Switzerland NOW."