|
New in Town By Shay Nicole Malpass Biloxi MS Word had come down the line to Paunch and Lefty in the usual manner. There was another new one in town. No doubt about it, this had to be checked out; and sooner, rather than later. There were the usual complications, of course. They both knew that well. They also agreed, as always, that they had to do what they had to do. With a sidelong glance at each other, they slowly exited the shadowy safety of the alley. Ever since the new sheriff had arrived in town, Paunch and Lefty had learned to take extra precautions when going out in broad daylight. They mostly avoided going out in the daytime at all; instead preferring the relative obscurity of darkness. At night, even though the new sheriff had instituted more frequent patrols of the downtown area, there were the old familiar hide-outs. Sometimes, a buddy would share quarters with them for a night or two. They had often returned the favor. But lately, buddies seemed to be scarce, and hide-outs had begun to disappear. Progress was slowly but surely obliterating the only way of life Paunch and Lefty had ever known. Their reputation as mavericks was well known in all circles. Where once, others had been proud to say they were personal friends of these two, and had even run with them on occasion, now all the others were slowly drifting away. Keeping a low profile seemed to be the preferred method of survival in today’s times. As the two life-long friends sauntered casually down the sidewalk, Paunch made a conscious effort to be calm and collected. He reflected upon how it was difficult to look cool when one’s belly was practically the size of a regulation basketball. There had never been any doubt as to how he got his name. He wasn’t sure about Lefty though, since he had never noticed his buddy preferring the use of one side over another. Lefty, for his part, knew his friend was self-conscious about his size. To be sure, Paunch would be difficult to overlook. Lefty had often questioned himself in these situations as to whether he would stay with Paunch if the law caught up with them, or run with the lightning speed his slender frame would allow. He took a deep breath, let out a long sigh, and hoped now as he always did, that his loyalty would never be put to the test. As they approached a dark alleyway, they both checked it carefully for informants; those ready to sound the alarm and warn of any transgressions. Some of those informants had once been friends; others were just unaware of the consequences. With the alleyway determined to be clear, they began the dangerous descent down the long stretch of Maple Street. Staying in the shadows as best they could, they walked purposely and silently. Words had never been necessary between these two. They shared an instinct stronger than any intelligent words could ever communicate. The aroma from the bakery caused both their stomachs to growl with hunger as Paunch and Lefty approached it. Seeing a young deputy approach the bakery from the opposite direction, they moved to the corner of the building and hid behind an overgrown Azalea bush. The deputy stopped in the doorway, glancing up and down the street as if he felt their presence. Their hearts beat furiously in their chests as they lurked behind the shrub, waiting. Soon, the deputy’s desire for one of Mr. Saul’s crème-filled concoctions overcame him, and he turned to enter the shop. The two friends took this chance and ran past the doughnut shop. They kept running hard until they reached the corner of Third Avenue and Riser Street, which marked the city limits. The bright mid-day Sun was directly over their heads, as they stood at the corner panting with exhaustion and heat. Lefty wondered if all this was worth it. He and Paunch looked at each other long and hard. In the other’s eyes, each saw that the decision had been made as soon as they left the safety of their hide-out. They looked in unison across the Town Green. There it was; the new one, all red and shiny; proudly standing there in the middle of the square, waiting, seemingly daring them to approach. Without another moment of hesitation, Lefty ran and Paunch trotted across the Town Green into the square. They circled the new one from afar at first, then approached it and circled again, three times; no movement. This was it, their one chance; take-it-or-leave-it time. From his window on the second floor of the Courthouse in the Square, the sheriff watched as two dogs, both on the downside of scroungy, lifted their hind legs and christened the new fire hydrant. He scratched his head in wonder. How many dogs was this; he had lost count. He knew they were breaking the new leash law, but he also knew they couldn’t read the signs posted which warned against such lawlessness. He smiled at the notion of a canine communication network wherein all the stray dogs in the city, and there appeared to be many of them, were informed of this new fire hydrant. When he looked out the window again, these two latest mutts had taken care of their business and were gone. As Paunch and Lefty made their get-away, each felt he could run forever. Yep, Lefty reflected, we’ve still got it. And now, we’ve got one more memory of a grand adventure we’ve shared, two best buds, just hanging out and having a little fun. Paunch glanced back at the new one and then hurried to catch up with his friend. |