Overheard at Chipperfields' ... Part XXXIII ...

Anna was getting an order for an iced latte ready when the lights and power suddenly flickered out ...

"Oh, Oh ..." Ross' voice carried from the back of the store.

"Ross !!!!" Bonnie;s voice boomed like a tolling bell through the store, "What did you do??"

"Um," Anna, who for the first time looked confused and uncertain of what to do next flashed a very brief smile at the customer in front of her and then said, "I don't think I can finish your order right now." As she spoke, she began regaining her composure and continued, "If you want to have a seat I'll bring it right out to you when we get our current problem fixed ..." She ended with a charming smile.

"Sure thing, and um ... thanks," said the customer as he and his wife headed to the sofa's at the front, he seeming to shepherd her out of harm's way as they both of them glanced back nervously to where Ross was still standing on a ladder in the back.

"Ross," Bonnie's voice was a tad above a hiss, "What did you do?"

Before Ross could do any more then open his mouth to speak, Bonnie continued, "I was in the middle of month end reports when you do SOMETHING to cut the power to the whole building ..." she paused very briefly, "what did you do?"

Ross opened his mouth to speak, then glanced up at the flourescent light fixture over his head and back down at Anna who was standing at the front counter looking up. "Is she laughing at me?" Ross thought.

"Ross," Bonnie's voice had a level almost ominous tone, "Ross, what did you do?"

"Um," Ross gulped and then started to speak, "I was trying to fix this light fixture, and I noticed this loose wire here and ..." as he spoke he absent mindedly reached up and touched the wire.

In an instant four things happened ... First there was a blinding flash of light ... Second Ross was flung from the ladder as though a fusillade had suddenly been unleashed over the kitchen and he had become it's unwary victime ... Third, Bonnie gasped in horror as Ross flew over her head and landed with a thump on the floor behind her ... and fourth, Anna burst into an uncontrolled fit of laughter watching Ross flung haphazardly from the ladder ...

"Oh my gawd," Bonnie whirled to look where Ross had landed, "Ross are you alright?"

A loud groan was the only sound Ross could manage.

"Ross?" Bonnie kneeled beside Ross, though she was careful not to touch him for fear that some lingering electrical current might still be pulsing through his prone form, "Ross, are you okay?"

"Ooooohhhhh," Ross again moaned.

Bonnie looked up and cast a withering glare at Anna who was standing in the door way, smiling while at the same time looking somewhat concerned, "Can I help?" she offered cheerily, "should I call an ambulance?" As the last syllable left her mouth Anna burst into laughter. She covered her mouth and beat a hasty retreat saying "Sorry ..."

"Oooooohhhh," Ross repeated, "that really hurt ..."

"Yes, dear" affirmed Bonnie, and again she asked, "are you alright?"

By this time the few customers who were in the store on a Sunday afternoon were crowding in the doorway of the kitchen to get a better look at the tableau before them ...

"I'm okay," Ross moaned as he started to sit up.

"Should you sit up?" asked Bonnie visibly concerned, "that WAS quite a fall?"

"And spectacular," said a young boy in the door way excitedly, "could you show us again Mister?"

Bonnie glared at the boy. Ross grimaced as he tried to smile.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie again repeated.

Ross was sitting up by this time, "I'm fine, just a little winded is all ..."

"So, what did you do?" Bonnie asked as she ran a hand down Ross' back, partially out of affection, and partially to see if there was anything visibly out of place ...

"Well, I was trying to fix the light fixture up there, and I guess I hit that wire and ..." Ross pauses as he looked up, his neck creaked to the action, "I guess that blew the breakers ..."

"Oh Ross," Bonnie shook her head. Her hand was moving across his shoulders, again checking for obvious injuries, "Didn't I say to get someone to look at that?"

"Yes dear, but I thought I could do it myself," Ross said still looking up at the light fixture where there was now a dark black smudge where the tiny wire protruded, "but I thought I could do it myself." Ross' tone sounded hopeful almost childlike, "I'm sorry."

"It will be okay," said Bonnie as her hand moved slowly down Ross' arms, still assessing him for injury, "I'll take care of it ..."

"Okay," said Ross softly as he gingerly stood up and moved out of the kitchen. As he approached the door, the people clustered there moved back slowly, not moving their eyes from him.

As Ross left the Kitchen, Bonnie looked up at the light fixture above her head and sighed, "I guess the month end reports will HAVE to wait now ..." she picked up a pair of pliers and a screwdriver and began climbing the ladder, " ... I'll just have to do it myself."

Ten minutes later, the light fixture was back on, the power was restored and Bonnie was punching in the selection for Helen Reddy singing "I am woman" on the juke box.

"Do you have to?" asked Ross, his voice a whine, as he sat at the table beside the juke box, "that's like pouring salt in my wounds ..."

"Yes, I have to..." answered Bonnie as she punched in a dollar's worth of the song ... "Yes, I have to ..."