You've Got Mail | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: You've Got Mail | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ann McDaniels
02/10/09
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“Hi, Grammy.”

“Darryl, I didn’t expect you today. Now, I hope that computer company is treating you right.”

“They are Grammy.” Reaching in his inside jacket pocket, Darryl handed Grammy an envelope. “With my first check I brought a present for the lady in my life whose faith in me through all my college years kept me sane, well-grounded, studious, and focused. Plus I could always find a good, hot meal any day of the week.”

“Baby, you didn’t have to do that.” Grammy slowly and methodically tore open the envelope. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped and her head began to shake from right to left. She attempted to speak but words seem to be lost in the back of her throat. Imagine Grammy’s only facial features were two bulging, tearing eyes that have grown so big that they trapped the mouth shut.

After reality set in, she began rambling, “Darryl, did you make a mistake? Holding her heart and looking up just like one of her favorite TV characters, Grammy shouted, ‘Fred, I’m coming, I’m coming.’ Darryl, I have never been outside of this town, but South America is where I have always wanted to go. Are you sure this is what you want to give your old granny – two round trip tickets to South America and an expense check? Who will I take with me? Oh, I know, I’ll ask my girlfriend Mildred. What will we do for two weeks? Where will we stay? How will we get around? Baby, I have to go to the library to find some tourist spots in South America.”

“Grammy, this is the age of technology. Computers are the Yellowbook of the future. Let your fingers do the walking for you. With just the click of the button, our mechanical tour guide will give us all the information we need on South America’s travel.”

“Darryl, that’s fine and dandy, but I don’t know how to use a computer.”

“That’s not a problem, Grammy. I’ll teach you. It’ll be fun.”

I set her up with an account and password; however, before we proceeded to conquer unknown territory, Grammy phoned Mildred, who lived next door. So Mildred, Grammy and I immediately went to the tourism sites for South America. Grammy and Mildred were soon giggling like teenage school girls from the 1950s in a Sex Ed class. I heard Grammy whisper to Mildred, “Maybe we will find a Latin lover or a bullfighter in Brazil.”

“Can we learn the Samba?” said Mildred. “I have always wanted to Samba with my man. Do you think we can go when they have the Brazilian carnival? It’s says that it is usually held around Easter.”

“Darryl, I would love to stay at that beautiful hotel.” Grammy was pointing to the Copacabana Palace Hotel, Rio de Janerio, Brazil.

We reserved tours, made reservations at the Copacabana, ordered tickets for plays, set up Samba dance classes and printed out street maps. We booked the flight around the carnival time and got all the prices and the prepayment dates. I let Grammy hit the send button and now they were all set for their trip to South America. All they needed to do was to wait on the confirmation number to come back via email. Grammy and Mildred were shocked that in one evening we did all that from the convenience of our home.

“Darryl, we still have a problem.”

“What’s that Grammy?”

“What will we wear? These old clothes just won’t do.”

“Not if we want a Latin lover!” chimed in Mildred.

“All right, let’s see what we can find.” With the click of the mouse, we visited Macy’s Department Stores around the world. We even went to Sax Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus comparing their prices to WalMart. We shopped at stores that were only available online. We visited nearly 100 stores; however, our feet were not aching nor did we have to buy that expensive mall food. We also saved a fortune in gasoline. The only fuel we needed was in our own kitchen.

Grammy, expecting a package, quickly got up and rushed to the mailbox. She returned with a saddened, disappointed look on her face. She began fussing, telling me that she did not like the computer. Curious as to why the sudden change in attitude, I asked what had upset her.

She responded that the computer said, “you’ve got mail”, but there was nothing in the mailbox.

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