Chapter Four
Unfortunately, Erma was lying in wait for her. She must have had that long nose of hers pressed up against the window, watching for Myrtle to come out. Myrtle’s cane was only halfway out Elaine’s door when Erma came galloping out of her house. Myrtle groaned.
For years, she’d come up with a range of polite excuses to be on her way instead of engaging in conversation with her next-door neighbor. She’d say that she had a pot boiling or that she was expecting an important phone call. Erma was one of those rare people who were completely oblivious to polite excuses. She kept right on bulldozing through a monologue of the confusing dream she’d had the night before or the rash she couldn’t seem to get rid of. Erma wasn’t the type who even picked up on rudeness.
“Myrtle!” said E
