ANOTHER LUCKY BREAK

It seemed like Carolyn had been on hold forever. She swiveled her
chair and looked at Lisa, who had just finished applying mascara and
was now lining her lips with one hand and holding her compact with the
other.

"You're never gonna win one of these dumb contests, Carolyn. Get a
life."

"Can't hurt to try. I might get lucky . . . hello? Yes. I'm here. KYAK
- the best talk radio in the west. Okay. Yes. The answer is "Hold Me,
Thrill Me, Kiss Me" by Mel Carter. I won? You're kidding? I can't
believe it! I won? Lisa, I won! I just won a cruise for two! Oh my God.
I can't believe it! Okay, Okay, yes. I'll hold."

Lisa was out of her chair, jumping up and down. "I don't believe it.
Talk about luck!" Then, she stopped in mid jump and plopped back down
in her chair, staring at Carolyn.

"What's wrong?"

"Who are you going to take? It's a cruise for two."

Carolyn squirmed in her chair. "I've got friends."

Lisa said, "Yeah, right," and glanced at her watch. "I'm going to
lunch."

Carolyn leaned back in her chair feeling it groan under her weight. Who
would she take? Her parents had died years ago. Her best friend was
finally married. She really didn't have anyone else. Maybe she could
lose enough weight before the cruise that she could dare ask someone
from work. Anyone but that spoiled little Valley Girl, Lisa.

Someone from the radio station came back on the line and took down her
information. She had to sail within 30 days in order to lock in the
price. Oh, Lord! She'd never be able to lose enough weight in 30
days.

After lunch the next day, Carolyn came back to the office with armloads
of packages.

"Gee, Carolyn, you rob a store?" asked Lisa, filing her nails.

"Well, I have nothing to wear. So, I bought some stuff - dresses,
shorts, a couple of other outfits and a bathing suit.
"A bathing suit! That ought to be a laugh!"

Carolyn's heart sank. She felt like she'd been stabbed. She shoved her
purchases under her desk and sat down with her back to Lisa.

Lisa rolled her eyes and went back to work. She had to be kidding. That
lard ass in a bathing suit?

Carolyn felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she'd die before she let
that little snot Lisa see how much she'd hurt her. Easy for her - a
size two. Wait until she was 38. See what she looked like then!

Carolyn lay awake that night considering her options. She could go
alone, but that would be even worse. Nobody, not even a loser like
herself would go alone. God, what if she couldn't find anyone but Lisa.
who'd go in a heartbeat, but could she stand her for a full week?

The day they were scheduled to leave, Carolyn called Lisa to see what
time she was picking her up.

"Oh, sorry, Carolyn. You'll have to get a ride. One of my boyfriends is
taking me. Ciao."

"Yeah, ciao. I'll see you there." Damn her! Now she'd have to spend
thirty bucks for a taxi. She found Carolyn in the terminal, and they
boarded in silence and headed toward their cabin together.

"I suppose you're mad?"

"Why ever would I be mad?"

"God only knows."

As soon as they reached their cabin, Lisa dragged her bags inside,
threw them on the bottom bunk and chuckling, said, "I'll take the
bottom. Just don't fall through the top bunk and kill me!" She dug
through her luggage and found her swimsuit. "I'm going to the pool.
What are you going to do? Eat?"

Carolyn forced smile.

"I think I'll just explore the ship. See you later."

When Lisa left, Carolyn climbed up the ladder, praying it would hold
her weight and lay down on her bed. She felt sick. What possessed her
to take this trip? She hated herself. She was old and fat. Who would
even want to talk to her?

She read the informational flyer and decided to take a tour. She was
leaving her room when she ran into the steward. "Is everything okay,
Miss?"

She looked around. "Me? Oh, yes, thank you. It's just great."

"Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks. I will." How about a new body, got one of those?

She found herself on the top deck in a small, deserted lounge. Already
panting and out of breath, she sat and ordered a Tom Collins. The
bartender, a dark handsome Latin type, said "Would you care to try my
specialty? Sex on the Beach?"

Carolyn blushed.

"It's a drink - is delicious."

"Sure, whatever," Carolyn said, gazing out the window. He slid the
drink in front of her and smiled, waiting for her to take a sip.

"Wow, it is delicious! Thanks so much!"

"My pleasure - enjoy your trip."

Most of the passengers had gathered along the railing of the main deck,
waiting for the ship to sail so they could throw confetti and wave
goodbye to friends. She savored the solitude. She was starting to feel
a little better, but her stomach was growling loudly and aching with
hunger. Two and a half hours until dinner. She dug into the bowl of
peanuts.

When Carolyn returned to her cabin, she found Lisa in the shower,
clothes and bags strewn everywhere.

"That you, Carolyn?"

"No, it's the butler."

"What? I can't hear you?" Lisa came out of the bathroom in towels.
"Guess what? I got our table changed so we're sitting at the singles
table! Won't that be great. They had us stuck with some oldies. I
thought this would be more fun."

Carolyn was in the shower when she heard Lisa leave. Thank God. She
dressed in one of her new dresses and hoped she looked okay. In the
dining room, she found the table number Lisa had given her. She heard
her shrill laugh before she saw her - dressed in a tight, low-cut
halter dress, always the center of attention.
Lisa saw Carolyn and stopped in mid-sentence. "Oh, hey, everybody, this
is the person I was telling you about - Carolyn." She could only
imagine what Lisa had said.

Around the table, six carbon copies of Lisa scrutinized her as she sat
down and nodded hello. When the meal arrived, Lisa looked at the
moderate portions on Carolyn's plate and said loudly, "Don't worry,
Carolyn, there's always the midnight buffet." Her little clones burst
into laughter, and Carolyn smiled thinly, appetite wilting.

"See you on the dance floor," Lisa chirped after dinner. Carolyn
waved.

With each token she slid into the slot machine, bells rang and coins
poured into her basket. She'd never been this lucky before. Just
another lucky break.

"Gee, looks like your lucky night!" She looked to her left and nodded
to the smiling man.

"Yeah, guess so."

"First cruise?" Must be 'Save a Fat Girl Week,' she thought.

"Yes, you?" It was Ralph's third cruise, and the more he talked, the
better he looked. They cashed in their tokens, and Ralph suggested the
piano bar.

"It's the best place on the ship," he whispered in her ear as he placed
his hand on the small of her back to guide her to a corner booth. By
the time their drinks arrived, he had Carolyn laughing out loud.

"Request time!" Ralph took a small piece of paper off the provided note
pad and scribbled something. He slid the note in front of Carolyn -
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me." She gasped and covered her mouth with
her hand.

"You know that song?" he asked.

"Know it! I won this cruise with that song!" He looked older than his
forty years old, but was never married, and he worked as an office
manager in a town near hers. Coincidence? She was actually enjoying
herself for the first time in what - years, maybe? At one o'clock,
Ralph walked her to her cabin and kissing her lightly, asked to meet
her for breakfast.

Inside, Lisa was already in bed. "Well, what kept you? The midnight
buffet?"

"Screw you, Lisa."

The entire week Carolyn and Ralph were inseparable. Could this be the
real thing? On the last night of the cruise, she was leaning on the
railing on the top deck waiting for Ralph to bring champagne. The stars
had never looked so beautiful.

"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Popularity. Where's the old geezer?" Lisa
was drunk. "Mind if I stand by Your Highness. Wouldn't want to put a
crimp in your social schedule." Lisa climbed up the railing and stood
arms out, her hair blowing in the wind.

"I'M KING OF THE WORLD!"

Suddenly, she lost her footing and felt forward over the railing. She
caught the edge of the deck with one hand. She looked up at Carolyn,
eyes wild, "Help me, Carolyn. Please, help me."

Carolyn looked down at her and then stepped hard on her fingers. Lisa
let go with a scream. Just another lucky break.

"What was that sound?" Carolyn spun around. It was Ralph.

"Oh nothing, Sweetie. Just a seagull, I think." They toasted and Ralph
said, "To Fate."