"What!"
"At the theater last night," Lennox said steadily. "I was a louse. Please excuse me. I apologize."
"Who the hell are you calling Blinky?"
"Oh God!" Lennox groaned. "She's right. It takes practice."
The phone rang. He picked it up. It was the Kansas contestant with her husband counseling her on an extension. It was eight o'clock in the morning in Kansas, and bitter cold, but no colder than those two litigants.
"Good morning. This is Jordan Lennox, the writer on the 'Who He?' show," he began smoothly. Kansas sputtered. Lennox paused and then went on: "Yes, I know. It was an unfortunate mistake last night, but of course you'll get the prize. Mr. Grabinett has mailed your check out. Anyway, it isn't important because I think you'll agree it was your good luck when you hear the proposition I have for you. What?"
Lennox waited patiently while Kansas fumed. Finally he interrupted; "I'm very sorry you feel that way. You see, the accident last night was the springboard for a new TV show that we'd like to build around you. A half-hour situation comedy about a real life couple that competes for prizes."
Grabinett's jaw dropped and he blinked at Lennox. Jake winked and continued: "The idea is to combine realism and comedy. You'll appear on all the give-away shows and compete. We'll follow your adventures, show what you do with the prizes, how your friends react, and so on. We were planning on starting promotion with a publicity spread in one of the picture magazines, but if you insist on suing I'm afraid we'd better forget—What? Certainly I'm serious. I'm a writer. I know a solid idea when it hits me in the face."
Lennox clamped a hand over the mouthpiece and whispered to Grabinett: "Get that check in the mail. Airmail special." He unclamped the phone. "Of course. Of course. I understand. Naturally you were upset; but we can forget about that now. I'll arrange for a few words from Mr. Mason. You'll get your check tomorrow and we'll start preparing your new show immediately. Mr. Grabinett will send out contracts for you to sign. In the meantime.... Happy New Year."
He hung up, reached for the list and crossed off an item.