Director of Public Works Amos Goode was the first to arrive at the Mayor’s office on Friday, at a little before 6:00 p.m. Noah Pitt, Amos’s former business partner and best friend, followed at his heels. And lastly, looking as prim as a Sunday school teacher at a church picnic, Miracle Elsie Abbot walked into the room.

She hung her black wool coat on a hanger in the office closet, carefully placed her gray felt hat on the closet shelf, and patted a few stray hairs back into place. Then she took the chair that Mayor Bamberger indicated beside the aforementioned two men. Once seated, Mrs. Abbot removed a plastic CD case from her purse and handed it to Mayor Bamberger. The mayor extracted the disc, inserted it into a CD player, and pressed PLAY.

All four listened intently to the dialogue between Hector Van Hooft and Miracle Elsie Abbot.

Although they had known what to expect, they were nevertheless shocked by the caller’s arrogance and hostility. They listened to the audio three more times, during which Mrs. Abbot stared at the CD player with no expression on her face, Amos Goode shook his head in disbelief, Noah Pitt brooded, and Chiquita Bamberger took notes.

For an hour-and-a-half, Mrs. Abbot remained to answer questions about 311 office procedures, policy, and record-keeping. After profusely thanking her for her vigilance, her loyalty, and her professionalism, Chiquita Bamberger sent her home (despite the octogenarian’s vehement protests that she was perfectly capable of taking the subway) by car service at the City’s expense.

As Mrs. Abbot was exiting the mayor’s office, Police Commissioner Lucian McBride was walking in. Chiquita introduced him to Amos Goode and Noah Pitt, and told the commissioner that he should feel free to discuss the Chestnut Avenue situation in front of them.

“Okay by me,” McBride shrugged. But just as he was beginning his report, Amos Goode’s cell phone rang. He read Burgess Meekly’s name on the display screen, excused himself, and left the room.

It took the voice actor only five minutes to update the Director of the Department of Public Works about the changed circumstances on Chestnut Avenue, and to assure Amos that, at present, the documentary producer would be searching for a non-existent parking space on East 83rd Street, videographer was chasing a fictitious gorilla on Milburn Avenue, and their merry band of followers was waiting in Riverside park for their leader to join them – an expectation that would never be fulfilled.

Amos Goode’s response was unequivocal.

“Burgess, you’re a genius.”

He disconnected the call and reentered his aunt’s office just as the police commissioner was saying, “…and by the time the squad cars got to the disturbance, the mob had already disappeared, and the street was as quiet as a tomb.”

Resuming his seat, Amos said, “I can explain that.”

He related Burgess Meekly’s tale of ingenuity, theatricality, duplicity, and adventure (“a marauding gorilla, for God’s sake!”)

Chiquita Bamberger shook her head in awe.

“‘Meekly’ is a misnomer,” she said. “His name should be Burgess the Bold.”

All three men in the room nodded. The mayor looked down and changed the subject.

“Now,” she said, reading from her notes, “This is what we are going to do. I will invite my friend Maid Marion and the people she rescued to meet with us tomorrow in my office at 6:00 a.m. That would be Cadogan McClure’s assistant Daisy Dalrymple, the cub reporter Jimmy Christmas, and Lilly Snow, the girl who possesses a magical power over parking spaces.”

Amos nodded.

“Okay. But why?”

“Because we need to strategize, we need help, and those three young people seem to be on the side of the angels.”

Noah Pitt, who as yet had contributed nothing to the session, raised a hand.

Mayor Bamberger turned to him.

“Speak.”

“Mouse Meekly,” Noah said.

“What about him?”

“So far he’s done more to diffuse the situation than any of us. He should be at the meeting.”

Chiquita Bamberger turned to her nephew.

“Amos?”

“Noah’s right.”

She jotted another few words on her notepad and said, “Agreed. Burgess the Bold will be there, too.