Medallion Madness #1

copyright June 12, 2000 Richard Kaplan

I was doing what I normally do on a workday morning - sitting on the train and reading the paper. At one of the stops, somebody wanted the window seat, so I stood up to give it to him. Suddenly, I saw what he was wearing. No, not the tank top - that just let me see it.

Me (in my best Little Red Riding Hood Voice): "My what a big chain you have!"

I hooked part of mine out from under my shirt. He looked, and in the Martin's Paint ad style, replied: "Oh,yes. I recognized it right away."

I'd never 'played doctor' as a child, and can't do children's voices for beans anyway, so I simply said: "You show me yours and I'll show you mine."

We fished into our shirts and out came - yup, two matching Phoenix medallions.

Me: "Unless there's a sci-fi convention in NYC that I don't know about, do you realize the odds of two people wearing these things meeting on the train?"

He: "Even AT a conventions, do you realize the odds of two straight men wearing them meeting?"

I did an imitation of the Bill Cosby routine, looking wildly about the car and going: "Where!, Where?"

He: "OK, I guess that is stretching the odds. Hmm. You ought to be able to answer this questions - Is Judson really as utterly fantastic-looking as I think he is?"

Me: "Ab-so-lutely! ESPECIALLY if your favorite type is Nordic blonds. Hmm, yourself. I could be wearing this for a variety of reasons. You're straight - you must have felt the Touch of the Phoenix, too."

He: "Wonderful, isn't it? You know, you're the first person I can say 'I love Judson Scott for that' and NOT be misunderstood. 'Judson's Gift' says it all."

Me: "Thanks."

He: "Thanks for what?"

Me: "For liking it. I wrote it. Meant it, too!"

He: "YOU did all that stuff on Diane's website? Wow! Are you a writer?"

Me: "No, not professionally. Why?"

He: "If you want to change careers, here's my card."

I looked at it, gulped, and said: "You've got a deal! I propose a toast. To The Phoenix!"

We clinked medallions and started laughing. What a strange turn of events! Especially since the Touch isn't to bring material wealth . . .