By Wednesday morning, Operation Grumpy had acquired a notebook.
This was mostly Vivian's fault. She had found the yellow legal pad in the kitchen junk drawer sometime after breakfast and decided that any operation worth doing required documentation. Martie thought the whole thing was ridiculous. Lou thought it was wonderful. Vivian thought it was necessary.
At nine fifteen, all three sisters were gathered around the kitchen table while Vivian wrote in large, neat letters across the top of the first page:
OPERATION GRUMPY
Underneath it, she drew a line. Then another. Then a third.
Martie watched her. "What are you doing?"
"Organizing."
"We're trying to make a neighbor like us, Vivian. We're not invading Normandy."
Vivian continued writing. "Every successful campaign requires strategy."
Lou leaned over the table. "Are we invading Normandy?"
"No."
"Then why does it need strategy?"
"Because we're dealing with a difficult man."
Martie snorted. "We've known him for two days."
"I know men," laughed Vivian.
"You've dated men," stated Martie.
"Same thing."
"It absolutely is not."
Vivian ignored her. She wrote the first rule.
RULE NUMBER ONE:
DO NOT SCARE HIM.
She underlined it twice.
"That's a good one," Martie said.
Lou raised her hand. Vivian looked at her. "We're not in school."
"I know. I just like raising my hand."
"What?"
"I have a question," said Lou. "Go ahead," urged Vivian.
"What if he's already scared?" Martie looked at her. "Scared of what?" Lou pointed toward the window. "Us."
There was a moment of silence. Vivian slowly looked at Martie. Martie slowly looked at Vivian. Neither woman wanted to admit that Lou might have a point.
Finally, Vivian cleared her throat. "That's precisely why we're going to proceed carefully."
Lou nodded. "Like spies." "No," replied Vivian. "Like spies who don't get caught." "Absolutely not," said Martie.
Vivian wrote the second rule.
RULE NUMBER TWO:
DO NOT SPY ON MR. CALDWELL.
Lou frowned. "That's awfully specific."
"Because of you."
"I haven't done anything."
"Yet."
Vivian continued.
RULE NUMBER THREE:
NO UNAUTHORIZED VISITS.
Martie nodded firmly. "Good."
Lou frowned again. "What constitutes authorized?"
"If he invites you."
"What if he leaves the door open?" asked Lou.
"That does not constitute an invitation."
"What if he waves?" continued Lou.
"No."
"What if he waves twice?"
"Lou."
"What if—"
"No."
Lou sat back. "Fine."
Vivian wrote the fourth rule.
RULE NUMBER FOUR:
DO NOT DISCUSS HIS PERSONAL LIFE WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
Martie immediately objected.
"We don't discuss people's business. Vivian looked at her. Martie looked back. "We discuss facts," replied Vivian. Lou nodded. "Facts that happen to be about people." "Exactly," agreed Martie. Vivian sighed. "Nevertheless, we're not going to go asking everybody in the neighborhood what they know about him."
Lou raised her hand again. Vivian ignored it.
Martie decided they needed another rule. She took the pen from Vivian and wrote:
RULE NUMBER FIVE:
WE WILL NOT TRY TO SET HIM UP WITH ANY WOMAN.
Vivian looked offended. "Why is that a rule?" "Because I know you," answered Martie. "I'm just being friendly," Vivian replied in a hurt voice.
Martie scolded Vivian. "You were fixing your hair when he took the trash out, "
"It was windy," said Vivian.
"It was inside the house."
Vivian straightened in her chair. "That man has a very nice profile." Martie pointed at her. "Rule number five." Vivian sighed. "Fine."
Lou looked thoughtful. "What if he wants to be set up?" Martie answered without looking at her. "Then we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Lou nodded. "Okay."
Lou reached across the table and took the pen. 'What are you writing?" asked Martie. Lou replied, "Nothing."
Lou held up the legal pad. At the bottom of the page, in Vivian's handwriting, were the words:
PHASE ONE: GET HIM TO TALK.
Lou smiled. "I like Phase One." Martie shook her head. "There shouldn't be phases."
"Everything has phases," replied Lou.
"No, Lou. Breakfast doesn't have phases."
"It does if you're cooking eggs." Martie stared at her. "What does that mean?"
"Depends on how runny you like them."
Vivian laughed. "All right. Enough. We need a plan."
They sat quietly for a moment. Across the street, Arthur Caldwell emerged from his house carrying a garbage bag. All three sisters turned toward the window.
Martie whispered, "Don't look."
Vivian whispered, "I'm not looking."
Lou was already standing. "He's taking out the trash."
Martie grabbed her sleeve. "Sit down."
"But—"
"Sit."
Lou sat.
The three sisters watched through the curtain. Arthur crossed his yard. He opened the trash bin. He put the bag inside. Then he stood there for a moment, looking toward the Bellamy house. The sisters froze. Arthur looked directly at the window.
Three heads disappeared at once. Silence. Then Lou whispered: "I think he saw us." Martie whispered back. "Of course he saw us." Vivian straightened her hair. "Nobody panic." "We're hiding behind a curtain," Martie said. "That doesn't mean we're panicking." "We're spying," said Martie. "We are observing," said Vivian. "We're spying," repeated Martie.
Vivian peeked around the curtain. Arthur was still standing there. He was staring at the house. Then, slowly, he lifted one hand. The sisters stared. He waved. Lou waved back. Martie slapped her hand down. "Don't!"
Arthur lowered his hand. Then he walked back toward his house. Lou looked at her sisters. "I think he likes us." Martie shook her head. "He was probably telling us goodbye." Vivian smiled. "No."
"What?" "He was saying hello."
Martie looked at her. "How do you know?" Vivian smiled knowingly. "Because I know men." Martie groaned. "Oh, Lord."
At noon, Phase One began. The sisters decided to take a walk. Not toward Arthur's house. Just in that direction. There was a difference. At least that's what Vivian said. They had made it halfway down the sidewalk when Arthur emerged from his garage. He stopped when he saw them. They stopped when they saw him. Nobody moved.
Finally, Arthur nodded. "Morning." Vivian smiled. "Good morning, Arthur." Martie waved. "Mr. Caldwell." Lou smiled. "Art."
Arthur looked at her. "Art?" Lou shrugged. "I thought we'd gotten past Mr. Caldwell."
"We met two days ago."
"Exactly."
Arthur looked toward Vivian "Does she always do that?" Vivian smiled. "Usually." Martie corrected her. "Always." Arthur nodded slowly. "I see."
Lou stepped forward. "So, what are you doing?"
Arthur looked at the wrench in his hand. "Fixing my lawn mower."
Lou nodded. "Does it work?" "No," he answered, Why?" Lou continued. Arthur answered sarcastically, "Because it's broken." Lou looked impressed. "That makes sense." Arthur's mouth twitched. It was barely noticeable. But Vivian saw it. Martie saw it too. Lou definitely saw it. He had almost smiled.
Arthur looked at them. "Why are you three out walking?" Vivian answered immediately. "We're getting some exercise." Martie said, "We walk every day." Lou said, "We were hoping we'd see you."
All three sisters looked at Lou. Arthur raised an eyebrow. "You were?" Lou nodded. "Yes."
"Why?" Lou thought about it. "Because you're new."
Arthur looked at her for a long moment. Then he nodded. "Well, you've seen me."
He turned back toward the lawn mower. The sisters continued down the sidewalk. They made it to the corner before Vivian grabbed both women's arms. "Did you hear that?" Martie looked at her. "Hear what?" Excited, Vivian replied, "He talked,"
Martie said, "He has talked before." "Not to us." said Vivian. Lou smiled. "And he smiled." Martie looked toward Arthur's house. "Did he?" "Yes."
Vivian looked triumphant "Phase One is working." Lou nodded. "I told you he was lonely." Martie crossed her arms. "Or he was just being polite." Vivian shook her head. "No, darling." She smiled. "I know men."
Martie groaned. "You've said that approximately seventeen times this week." Vivian turned toward home. "Because it's true."
Lou followed. "What happens in Phase Two?" Vivian smiled. "We get him to dinner."
Martie stopped walking. "Absolutely not." Vivian kept walking. Lou followed her. "At his house?"
"No."
"At ours?"
"Of course."
Martie hurried after them. "I said no dinner." Vivian looked over her shoulder. "Why not?" "Because we've known him for two days!" Vivian smiled. "Exactly." Martie frowned. "What exactly does that mean?" Vivian stopped at the bottom of their front steps. "It means we've got to hurry." Lou nodded solemnly. "Hurry before he gets away."
Martie stared at both of them. Then she looked across the street. Arthur was standing in his driveway. Watching them. He raised his hand. This time, all three sisters waved back. Arthur shook his head. And although none of the sisters could see it from that distance, he was smiling. Just a little.
Then he muttered to himself: "Wonder what in the world those three women are thinking now?" He had no idea. Neither did they. But by supper time, Vivian Bellamy had already decided that Arthur Caldwell was coming to dinner on Friday night. Whether he knew it yet or not.