“Oh, where are they?” Deckman said, pacing back and forth. He was really beginning to sweat. The Better Angels were signed up for a Halloween benefit appearance and they were nearly late. There was already a long line of fans in costume outside the door and all the way down the hall that lead to the Delphian Ballroom in the Blue Sector of the Truck Stop at the Center of the Galaxy. Then he heard loud girlish laughter approaching in the corridor.
Charging out, he quickly clapped his hands and called, “This way, Angels! This way! Everyone’s waiting!” And, without looking, he turned and waved his hand, directing them into the room.
After a moment of consternation, the Butter Angels followed him. The Butter Angels were minor celebrities on Volpex where they did a cooking show. But they were vacationing on the Truck Stop and just happened to be walking by. They found the grand Ballroom organized with velvet ropes and decorated with banners and elaborate backdrops for fans to get a signed photo with their favorite Angel. Deckman turned and did a double-take when he saw the Angels.
“Amazing! Those costumes are simply amazing! I love the aprons!” he said. “You almost look like completely different people!”
He directed them to each stand by one of the backgrounds.
Then he looked around, checked everything over one last time, and finally opened the doors exactly one minute early.
“Welcome, fans! Welcome! Don’t push!”
The first little girl entered, wearing a pink-and-blue Better Angels costume, complete with rainbow ribbons.
“What’s your name?”
“Madeline,” she whispered, looking down.
“And who do you want to get your picture with?”
“Zaza,” she whispered.
“Where’s Zaza?” Deckman called.
“Did you say Zsazsa?” Zsazsa asked.
“Over there!” Deckman said, pointing.
At that moment, the Better Angels arrived, just in time. They charged in breathlessly, all dressed up wearing their Halloween costumes: Zaza was a perfect Icy Elsa, with Tutu as the Evil Stepmother, and the rest made up as the Seven Androids.
“I’m sorry, girls,” Deckman said, pointing. “You’ll need to go to the end of the line.”
“But…” Zaza said. Then, with a grin, she perceived what had happened.
“C’mon, Androids,” she said. “Let’s wait in line!”
“Beep, beep, boop,” said six of the androids.
“Bebe, beep, boop,” said Bebe.
Madeline got her picture taken with Zsazsa who signed it with a Butter Angels’ catch-phrase, “Keep on cookin’!” Madeline was a little puzzled, but happy enough. And she clutched her picture and the bag of candy she’d received as she headed out.
Other children came and went for two hours until finally it was just Icy Elsa and the Seven Androids left.
“Who would you like your photo with?” Deckman asked.
“Can we get a group photo? With all of us?” Zaza asked.
“I don’t see why not,” Deckman said.
They took the photo, waited for the copies, and then the Butter Angels all signed them together.
“I’m amazed,” Susan said. “We were just here visiting the Truck Stop for a vacation. We had no idea that anyone had set this up. Who knew we were so popular out here?”
“Right?” Zaza asked, with a wink. “What will you do now? Would you like to go trick-or-treating?”
“Oh, that sounds like fun,” Susan said and then added, regretfully. “But I don’t know what we’d wear as costumes.”
“How about Better Angels costumes?” Zaza said. “I know where we could get some.”
“The Better Angels?” Booboo said. “I’ve heard of them!”
