To: Paul Emerson
From: Doug Graham , Circulation
Subj: Up Front/Commentary
Reply to: Doug Graham

Paul:

Attached you will find my copy of an article I hope you'll consider for the Up Front column.

Thanks.
Doug Graham (Circulation)

Attachment: upfront.doc

"So, tell me, Morgan, how did this happen?" I asked.

"Well," she started, "I've been like this ever since the fall of 1998."

Oh...wait...I'm getting ahead of myself here.

Morgan Whitehall of Lewiston isn't your average person. In fact, there's Internet Jargon that describes her situation:

True Femme Invisible (TFI).

Most people would dismiss that as fiction or fantasy, reserved only for The Sci-Fi Channel or classic comic books, such as The Fantastic Four. I, for one, believe there's much more to life than fiction. In fact, even as I sit at Daylight Donuts in the Lewiston Orchards, writing down everything Morgan is telling me about her unique (well, to her) situation, I can't help but think of how I'm going to tell her she's not alone in the world.

She shyly admits, "It's rather unusual, going to bed one night after partying with friends, then waking up the next morning to take a shower, and finding that there's no one staring back at you in the mirror." She sips her coffee again. "I was understandably freaked out, then incredibly depressed for months. I figured it was a bad dream, but so far, I haven't woken up. I try to make the best of my situation, but what can I do? So far, I haven't noticed anyone else like me. It's so...awful."

I can tell she's really getting down on herself, so I decide to let her in on a little secret. I tell her there's a unique community on the Internet, specifically Yahoo!, that has an entire section devoted to people in her situation. I tell her all about the other FIs (Femmes Invisible) that we know of, from Miss Pippa Moran to Nicole and Kim Ali.

I notice the timbre of her voice shift.

"You're serious?" she asks.

"Well, of course...in fact, there's a couple of ladies in Asotin right now," I tell her. "Tell ya what...howabout I give them a call?"

(obnoxious on-hold music as we wait for Terry and Staci to show up)

30 minutes after I've called, I'm surrounded by three very beautiful ladies, all telling the story of how they were affected by invisibility, and what they've done with their lives in the meantime.

Terry worked at Twin City Foods when she was affected. Staci got a blood transfusion from her mom. Morgan, it turns out, was caught in a lab accident at Washington State University. She admits to heating up several chemicals and inhaling the vapor, then going to a party that night...

"Wait, wait, wait," I interrupt. "Wazzu? About how long ago?"

"1998," Morgan reminds me.

"Well," I start, "I remember when I worked at The Daily News, I was coming down Stadium Way near Martin Stadium, when I saw a young lady crossing the street in front of me. When she waved at me for stopping, I noticed her hand was missing..."

"Were you driving a white pickup truck that said 'Moscow Pullman Daily News' on it?" Morgan asked.

I nodded. "You know," I said, "I've been trying to find you for three years."

Morgan smiled...well, at least I think she's smiling. Her arms move to her chest and head. "You were the only person who noticed me," she shyly admits.

"I'm pleased to make your acquaintance," I say to her again, shaking her hand.

Staci finishes off the last of the donuts as we all say goodbye to one another. Terry offers to give Morgan a ride home, while I sit at Daylight Donuts and ponder...

Are there more invisible women out there?

If there are, you can bet I'll do my best to find them.

--END

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