09-09-2008, Seattle, USA

We’ve just entered one of Seattle’s finest houses: the Ashborough residence. We are here on a quest to find the distinguished Ms. Ashborough; 73 years of age (but young at heart), established historian, lecturer and public speaker, author of two bestsellers and first-class agent of Mission 909. Most likely we will find Miranda in one of the upper rooms of this stately home, where she’s probably reading, writing or doing an online presentation. Through the crack of the door of one of the many rooms, we can see a light burning. Let us enter imperceptibly to see if she is here..

Before we move forward, we ought to try to identify the nature of the room we find ourselves in. Could this be a bedroom, a hobby room or is it an office? It is hard to say because all items that are required for such living spaces, are present. Placed against one wall is a sofa bed, buried under a stack of cushions and blankets. A plenty of photos, diplomas and certificates in bright colored frames hang on the white wooden paneling that covers the wall on this side of the room. The nook by the window holds a modern desk with a large computer screen, a laptop and other gadgets such as a camera, an ink-jet printer and an old-fashioned tape recorder. Pens, pencils and paperclips are lying about and the computer’s keyboard is tucked away under a heap of legal pads. If you wanted to sit in the comfortable office chair, you would have to put away the bundle off freshly washed, but unfolded, t-shirts first.

The long wall opposite the sofa bed, is covered with solid hardwood lumber bookshelves, crammed with books, binders and stacks of newspapers, printed articles and magazines. Positioned on either side of the book rack are two identical floor lamps with colorful Tiffany shades, purposed to shine their light on the top shelves. Other than the lamp covers, nothing stands out on this side of the room really. The biggest eye catcher by far is the thick Persian wool rug on the floor. Seen from the corners and edges; this is an authentic Persian piece of art with beautiful colors: Oriental azure, bright red and ocher yellow. Alas, the hand-woven pattern in the center is difficult to distinguish because of the many doughnut boxes, crisp bags – some full, some empty – and pizza cartons that are scattered all over it. We can agree that this is a sloppy sight. Yet, a joyful ray of evening sun bounces off an empty wine bottle, making it all look almost picturesque. Likewise sparkling in dim sunlight, in the middle of the carpet, is a metal wastebasket. It is as if it’s on display, alike the centerpiece of an exhibition. With pride it holds its loot of disposable cups, chocolate-wraps and candy bags while overseeing a battlefield of food packaging.

In any which way; it appears that this room is used for a variety of activities, so let us label this space as ‘multifunctional’ for the time being.

Lastly; a haggard, well-worn red velvet chair is placed at an angle in the corner next to the door, and with this we have found the person we were looking for.