Passing Through
Tank vigorously fans the air with an open hand. An odor of stale urine floats up to his face. "Piss alley!", he moans as he walks past an alleyway that's sandwiched between The 8 Ball liquor store and Wen's Doughnuts shop.
Tank has gotten lost in the city and its avenues, very new to him. The only thing he's sure of, this town is near Fletcher Falls, but it's not Fletcher Falls.
Tank strolls into the doughnut shop and begins to breathe again. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee swims around his cherub face. Cut short of a savory inhale, Tank's cheeks flatten as he looks out the large doughnut shop window and glares at a police officer who is staring back at him. The officer is sitting in a squad car that's come to a stop on the opposite side of the street. Tank stares out the window until one of the shop's patrons blurts, "They're comin' tah' getcha, fatso!"
Tank loosens his glare from the cop outside and starts to stare at the loudmouth who is sitting at a little filthy table just a few feet away. Tank, "Who you calling fat, you moron?!" Tank thrusts the slight bulge of his stomach out to make contact with the man's table.
A cup of coffee drops off the table's edge and onto the taunting man's lap."Agh!" The taunting man jumps up out of his chair where now a small puddle of coffee sits. Tank grins, "You piss out there," Tank is pointing in the direction of the alleyway, "and now you piss in here." Tank points at the abandoned chair and laughs, "Ha ha he he he." The taunting man rages at Tank, "You - - you'll pay for this!" Tank, "I'm not - - " he grabs the taunter by the back of the shirt collar, "fat, you dumb - -" and yanks the shirt hard so that the taunter is forced to fall off balance to the floor. Tank looks out the window and sees the cop getting out of the squad car.
Tank bluntly points a finger at the doughnut shop's cashier, a woman, who begins to drum her long fingernails on the cashier box. About to say something, she remains speechless when attention shifts to her. Tank nearly whispers to her, " Don't say a word about me to that cop." Tank looks down at the fallen taunter and begins to shake him, "And not a peep out of you either. I got connections."
Tank stands the man up and then half-glances toward the police officer who has just entered through the front doorway.. Tank, "Officer," Tank starts brushing a few doughnut crumbs off the mouth of the man he had knocked down, "this poor slob tripped on the coffee he spilled on the floor." The police officer says, "I thought I saw a commotion. Is everything all right?" The man - - who is in Tank's arms - - and the cashier behind the counter, are both gazing down. The officer turns to the cashier, "Any trouble, miss?" She shakes her head without looking up.
Tank pipes up, "Uh, nothing wrong, officer. This guy's just a little shaken, ain't that right?" Everyone is looking at the man who Tank had attacked. Silence. The officer, "Okay, then," moves to head back out onto the street; Tank hurriedly follows him. Tank, "Wait, uh sir, which way is it to Fletcher Falls? I'm going to hail a cab, but I don't want to be taken on a scenic route, if you know what I mean." The officer, "It's due west from here, but just one thing - -" the officer leans his head toward Tank, who is the shorter man. Tank says, "Uh, yeah?" and Tank leans his head in to hear better. The officer, "Get the *bleep* out of my town."
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