Spin doctors

Mobius thought the idea was very annoying. The radio station was worried they weren't getting much of an audience anymore, particularly at night, so they ran a promo. If you are the ______ caller during the playing of certain songs, you could win something. Free dry cleaning for 2 shirts, a free waffle with breakfast at the diner,six BBQ wings for free at the Korean joint, a free game of bowling, and so on and so forth. Mobius found the public generally annoying and phone-ins even more so. The first caller was a kid. Some Peter kid who wanted the waffle deal. I had to tell him he was too young and that it was illegal to give a kid a prize from the radio. But he kept rambling on the line. Something about getting one of this parents on the line, but he couldn't get one of them to wake-up. In the background someone yelled something and then "Peter" said, "Oh well, okay, sorry." and then he hung-up. In a way, Mobius felt sorry for the boy. From time to time when he stepped out on a break to smoke, he'd seen the kid dashing around in the middle of the night. Maybe he should hire him to make runs for him. Perfect candidate for a courier. Mobius thought for a bit. The next caller was some voodoo, card reading flake that had a premonition that she would win and win the BBQ wings coupon. Maybe the spicy-sauce gives her extra psychic  powers.  She was a regular for him in his side business.  Herbs flow freely around in the paranormal world.

Then Mobius got the call. Her voice sounded dreamy, as if she was just a voice on the phone with no physical body attached. Mobius was playing Pink Floyd at the time.  The radio station seemed all the sudden to go quiet and still.  "Hello, Mobius. Am the right caller?  I really want to win the bowling passes.  I think my boyfriend would really enjoy going bowling with me." "Can I ask who this lucky winner is?"

"Penny."

Mobius couldn't understand why he felt at a loss for words.  On the air, he never was lost for words.  His disembodied voice gave him a certain liberty from himself.

"Like the shinny- copper ones?"

"Yes.  I'm a shinny new penny."

The prize choice for this drawing was 3 shirts from the dry-cleaning place.  But Mobius didn't feel he could tell her, so he exhaled and said,

"Okay," He hesitated on the name, "Penny. You have that date-night prize package.  Hold on." He couldn't put her on hold fast enough.  Mobius signaled his producer, who, amazing enough had the same look on his face that Mobius felt for himself.

The door moaned on his way out for a smoke.  Something more than a Marlboro was needed now. As he should in the shadow the smoke drifted into the street light glow and he saw the outline of two ghostly figures stumbling from the old house party. Trailing what looked like a devil's tail and a long, sullied fork.

"Damn this holiday." Crushing the butt of the cigarette and watching the specks, like a sparkler embers flash and die, Mobius returns to spin the record.  "No more callers, tonight."