The Valentine Photograph

THE VALENTINE PHOTO--2014 Bubba was tired and his feet were aching from walking so much. He and Carly had walked up and down the block 5 times looking for his wallet. It only had $46 in it but he didn't want to lose the pictures. There was a snapshot of them making love on the sofa in their first apartment that first valentines night and then a photo of Carly when she was in her valentines dress. His drivers license was in the wallet, too, but it had expired and he never could remember to re- new it. "I don't think we'll ever find it, Bubba," Carly said, resting her backside against a brick building. Just then Raston came around a building and saw them. "Hey wots 'appenin Bubba?" Raston said. "Lost my damn billfold," Bubba said. "You lose you wallet in this neighborhood and it's in somebodys pocket before it even can hit the ground," Raston grinned. "Who lost they billfold?" a girls voice said. It was Patti; and she had followed Raston around the corner of the build- ing. "Is they a reward for that billfold?" She asked. "Maybe, you know who gots my bill fold?" Bubba said. "I seen that guy over cross the treet lookin in a green billfold just now," she grinned. "My billfold is a green one!" Bubba said, heading across the street. "You be careful now Bubba, that dude is one mean dude! He chew you up and spit you out." The guy was over six feet tall and looked like he should be able to win some kind of a muscle contest. "Hey man you find my billfold?" Bubba asked him. "Was they a picture of you wife in a valentine dress"?asked the guy, a big grin on his face. "Sure there was," replied Carla. "Now we know you got that wallet for sure." "I ain't found nobodys billfold." said the guy, spitting on the sidewalk. "Did too," said Patti. "I seen you." "Give my billfold now!" shouted Bubba. "And if'n I don't?"laughed the guy. "Well I just havta take you apart I guess," said Bubba, "You talkin pretty mean for such a little fella," laughed the guy. "You gonna give me my billfold now?" asked Bubba. "Sure I give you your bill fold," said the guy, grabbing Bubba's ding-dongs in a hammer hold. "But first I'm gonna make it with your woman right her on Broad Street in broad daylight, and you gonna hold my coat while I do it, and you better not let my coat sleeves drag the ground neither." Bubba was still wrenchig in agony and pain when the guy finished and disappeared around the corner. "Boy that guy sure was mean," said Carla after the guy was gone. "Now I told you not to mess with that guy, I told you he was one mean dude." Raston said. "He sure was mean," Carla said, a sly little twinkle in her eye. "I don't know about that," moaned Bubba. "I done let his coat sleeves drag the ground three times!" © ron wilson aka vee bdosa the doylestown poet.