Winter Season

Who called the cops?

As they were walking back to their table, Crash My Party started playing. “Wanna test those dancin’ skills again?” Oscar looked around. No one else was dancing. “We were the first adults to have our picture taken with Santa, now look.” There was a huge line.

“You’re gonna keep me on my toes aren’t you?”

“That’s my job.” She smiled.

He drew her close and they danced. Soon he forgot about everyone else in the gym and it was all about her. She was, he felt, his Christmas present. He wasn’t sick when she was around. The pressures of his life weren’t nearly as bad when he thought that she was on his side.

There were all kinds of games. This young man came to their table giving them tickets.

“What are these for?” Chet asked.

“If you checked your coat, the Cheerleaders kept half the money and they are going to give away the other half.”

“That’s sweet.” Bell smiled.

Esther wouldn’t take her ticket when it was offered to her.

“Why?” The boy asked with surprise.

“There are other people who need that money more than I.”

“Wow!” He just stared at her for a moment. “You ain’t from ‘round here are you?”

She laughed. “No.”

He moved on.

Oscar kissed the top of her hand. “You’re something else.”

All of a sudden everyone’s attention was drawn to the front entrance of the gym. As the noise inside died down, it became clear it was feet stomping and hands clapping to the rhythmic beat of We Will Rock You was coming from that direction. This went on until there wasn’t another sound to be heard. Four, in full uniform state policemen marched in to the beat, singing the song. However, where the lyrics called for a male gender, they changed it to a female. Esther started laughing. They were marching in the direction of their table. The closer they got, the harder she laughed.

When Oscar looked at her, her hands were over her mouth and tears rolling down her face. At the end of the song, they stood in a circle around their table pounding their feet and clapping their hands. Then, in unison shouted, “Esther’s back!”

Everyone started applauding. Who wouldn’t applaud the state police? They each one had a turn hugging her.

“What are you doing back in Kentucky?” One asked.

“Yeah,” they all chimed in.

“Didn’t even call?” One pouted.

One pointed his night stick at Oscar, “this one, is he buggin’ you? I saw that arm around your shoulder.”

“Guys,” she smiled. “You are amazing. What are y’all doin’ here?” She hugged each one of them again, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Checkin’ up on you, Trick Pony.”

“Everybody, guys,” Esther smiled. “This is Chester Longworth, he’s the sheriff and his wife Bell. This is Oscar Patterson my date.”

“Sum bitch,” the trooper growled that had pointed his night stick at Oscar. “Date as in for tonight or dating?”

“Chaz,” she smiled. “Dating.”

“Sum bitch.” He slid his night stick back in its holder with force.

She started with the trooper that asked what she was doing back in Kentucky, “this is Daniel Jones,” the big dude that wanted to whoop Oscar was “Chaz Buchanan. Phillip Davis, and Martin Suzza. We go way back,” she just kept smiling.

“So,” Daniel Jones asked again. “What are you doing back in Kentucky?”

“I’m living here now.”

Chaz asked, “New York too big for ya?”

“Too many burrows. It was hard to keep them all straight.”

They all laughed.

“Are you going to come back to work for us, Trick Pony?” Douglas asked. “We miss you bad. And we always need good cops.”

“We’ll see.” They all hugged and said their goodbyes. She called after them, “feel free to serenade me anytime.”  

They all bowed.

Winter Season