Two For Story

Before you read this truly unremarkable story just a few words about how it came into existence. John and I decided it would be fun to write a story together and thus the idea for this story was born. To keep us from killing each other a few rules were devised.
1. Each person would write one line and then the other a line until the end of the story.
2. We would not discuss what we had in mind or where we wanted the story to go.
3. No hitting or screaming.
This then is the product of our effort published on both blogs on the same day.

Sandy was just becoming comfortable with living with the stupid penguin when she found the two messages from Father Bill on her answering machine. Of all people, Father Bill wanted to know about the penguin. He wanted her to come down to the church hall now even though this was the day of the big casino fund raising effort and the place would be packed. She dressed quickly and grabbed the recently gifted stuffed penguin.
Ann Haggerty met her at the door to the hall and asked her if she knew anything about roulette wheels as it seems nobody could get the church's new wheel to work. Sandy looked at Ann with an odd expression on her face.Out of the corner of her eye she saw her penguin rushing toward the wheel. She felt that there was going to be trouble ,or maybe help,because that penguin was so unpredictable.Suddenly, the wheel began to turn and it certainly looked like it was working. Applause echoed through the hall, and Ann grabbed a bouquet of yellow roses used too decorate the hall and gave them to Sandy.
Sandy, however, was more concerned about where the penguin had disappeared to and what it was up to now. She excused herself , and walked into the sanctuary. Father Bill was not there so she went immediately to his office and waited for him to come back. There was a side door to the office, which opened, causing her to jump back in response . At the same moment she saw through the window her penguin running up and down on the fire escape of the building next door and being watched by a strange man in a white hat. Brother Joe had come in the door and commented on her watching the man in the white hat. Sandy not being able to say anything about the penguin on the fire escape said she had just noticed the fancy sunglasses the guy was wearing and thought she might get a pair.

Sandy heard a commotion coming from the hall , so she left the office running past the softly lit candles in the sanctuary. It seems the wheel was now stopping on number 10 every time and Ann was about as angry as you can get. Sandy said," The penguin did it. The penguin in the cinnamon floppy hat and the yellow jacket did it." It was at that point that the man in the white hat showed up, took her by the arm, and said " They can't see him dear".

"He looks like this." Sandy pushed the stuffed penguin in his face sobbing softly. " I know dear. I can see him. Father Bill called me in to help you. I'm an expert on the para-normal."