Disclaimer: I don't own Big O, but I love it.

This story is one of a series of short stories and vignettes that was posted to the "Story a Day" thread in the Amadeus Bar and Grill forum at the Save Big O website (see my profile for the link since the site won't let me put it here). I dusted off this one because it's one of my personal favorites

Feedback is greeted with delight

"Dammit!" Dorothy looked up in surprise at the racket coming out of Roger's study. There was another crash, a loud bang, and then he was yelling "Norman!" at the top of his lungs.

The normally unflappable butler rolled his eyes and quickly went to his employer's aid, declining Dorothy's offer of assistance. "I'll handle him, Miss Dorothy. He's gotten out on the wrong side of the bed today, it's best just to stay out of his way."

Dorothy found this statement decidedly odd. While it was true that Roger unfailingly got out on the right-hand side, there was no reason he couldn't get out on the left. The bed, after all was open on all sides save the headboard.

Maybe that was what had caused him to stub his toe this morning. She had been playing the piano to awaken him, he had yelled, slammed open the door... and then totally bemused her by yelling some more and hopping up and down on one foot.

When she had politely inquired why he was acting in such a ridiculous fashion, he had growled something about needing exercise and stormed off to the table, conspicuously burying his head in the paper when she came down to join him.

"Very good, sir," Norman was saying as he and Roger came into the hall. "I'll see to it while you are at your appointment."

The rest of the afternoon was spent repairing the bookshelf that Roger had managed to pull off the wall when he had tried to use the shelves as stairs to reach a volume on the top shelf.

"I've tried to impress upon him the need to use the ladder," Norman said as they sorted the fallen books and returned them to their proper places. "Perhaps now he will."

"It would certainly make life simpler," she agreed.

It was after dark when the door opened and a bedraggled Roger Smith stumbled in. "Norman!" he shouted. The butler got his slicker and toolbox and the two men went back out into the rain to get the Griffon, which had stalled after going through a particularly large puddle.

Dorothy got the mop and put it in the hall, preparing for the inevitable mud that would be tracked in upon their return. She was straightening out the coat closet when they came in.

There was another crash, and she realized that the mop must have fallen down when she opened the closet door to rearrange it. "What the hell is this doing in the middle of the floor?" Roger demanded.

She came out of the closet prepared to apologize, but he waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind, I don't want to hear it!" He turned to the butler. "Don't worry about dinner, I'm no fit company for anyone today. I'm going to get a hot shower and go to bed."

"Very good, sir," Norman replied, sighing in relief when his employer was in the elevator heading upwards. "Thank goodness this day is over," he said, heading downstairs to put away his tools.

Dorothy looked at the floor, picking up the mop to begin cleaning up the mud, and then a thought struck her. The solution was obvious--she had no idea why they hadn't done it already. She put the mop down and hurried up the stairs.

"R. Dorothy Wayneright!" Dorothy was nearly finished mopping when Roger shouted her name. She got the last bits of dirt and responded to her summons.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked. He was standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed.

"What is the meaning of this? He indicated the bed.

"If getting up on the wrong side of the bed can cause you to experience a day such as today, I felt it was only logical to prevent such an occurence in the future," she said levelly.

"So you moved the bed?" he asked.

"It was much easier to move the bed against the wall than to stack furniture against the wrong side," she answered.

He looked at her and looked at the bed. Suddenly his lips twitched . "Thank you, Dorothy, that was very kind of you," he said gravely.

She heard him laughing as she made her way back down the stairs and wondered what was so funny. Still, the laughter was certainly a welcome change from his previous mood.

She put the mop away and went up to her room.