The telephone rang three times. Ruth picked up the receiver, cleared her throat and managed to croak a raspy “hello.”

“Ruthie?”

“Yes. Estelle? Is that you?”

“Uh-huh. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“Of course not. I was just getting my shoes on. I’ll be ready to leave as soon as I get Gordon’s breakfast together. Are you coming?”

“I’m not sure if I can.”

“Why?”

“I can’t drive this morning. I was wondering if you might be able to pick me up and we could go together. If it’s not too much trouble. Otherwise I won’t be able to make it.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” said Ruth combing her hair. “What happened to your car?”

“Oh, it’s not the car. It’s me.”

“Okay, what happened to you?”

“Well, you know how David always leaves his stuff around the house. I’ve been yelling at that man to put his crap away for 50 years. You think he ever listens? Of course not! He still believes what his mother said when she called me his maid. I dunno’. Maybe she was right. I have been…”

“Estelle, what happened?”

“I fell. Tripped over his damn shoes on my way to the bathroom Sunday night. I called my daughter. She came over and drove me to the hospital. We were in the emergency room for hours, and they said I broke my arm in 2 places. I have a cast, and a sling, and I won’t be able to drive for at least 6 weeks.” Estelle sighed heavily.

“Stay put! I’m on my way!”

“Oh, Ruth, thank you so much. But before you hang up I have one more little favor to ask. Would you mind coming inside for just a minute. I need just a tiny bit of help getting ready. If it’s not too much trouble that it.”

“Don’t be silly. What are friends for?” said Ruth, putting on her earrings and pouring pulp free orange juice into a brandy snifter. “Just tell me what to do.”

“Well, I can’t seem to tie my shoelaces with my fingers all swollen.”

“Don’t worry about that for a single second, Estelle. I’ll get them tied nice and tight for you.” Ruth smiled, reached for a box of corn flakes and was about to hang up when Estelle continued talking.

“And the dog food.”

“What?”

“I can’t open the can of dog food.”

“Oh. I forgot that you had a dog,” said Ruth, putting a paper filter into the coffee pot and filling the base with water. “It’s okay. I’ll get the can open and feed the beast.”

“He’s not a beast,” Estelle protested. “He’s a Chihuahua. His name is Morton.”

Ruth sighed. “Just get yourself together, Estelle, and I will be over in about 20 minutes. I will tie your shoes, open the can of dog food, and feed Morton. And then we will go off to Dante’s. Okay?”

“But what about Gloria?”

“Gloria? Who’s Gloria?

“My other Chihuahua. She’s a girl Chihuahua.”

Ruth took a deep breath. She remembered what she heard once on the Dr. Oz show, about how smiling makes your endorphins shine. Or something like that. She forced her lips to curl upward and made a pleasant face. “Of course we’ll feed Gloria also,” she said in her most cheerful voice. “Anything else?”

Estelle removed three pink plastic curlers from above each ear, scratched her head and twirled her snow white hair into little ringlets using her left hand. “Nope. Nothing I can think of right now.”

“Good.”

“Oh, and I’ll leave the front door unlocked so you don’t have to ring the bell. David is still sleeping, and I wouldn’t want to disturb him. This has been very hard on him, you know. We had to order out the last few days because I couldn’t cook.”

“Hrumff,” Ruth mumbled through gritted teeth. Ruth hung up the phone, put a bowl of fruit salad and a container of 2% milk on the table and went into the bedroom. She poked Gordon in the ribs.

“Get up lazy bones,” she said, grabbing her shoes. “Your breakfast is on the table and I’m leaving.”