Personals
by WriterJC
Chet Kelly schooled his features as A-shift's two paramedics entered the kitchen, and made a bee-line for the coffee pot. Having been called in half-way through C-shift, Chet had gotten first dibs on the morning coffee and the box of doughnuts Cap had brought in. The remnants of his third one was sitting on a napkin on the chair beside him.
Mike and Marco, already seated at the table greeted the two new arrivals. Chet remained silent.
He pretended not to notice when Johnny stumbled to a halt and did a double take in his direction. "Morning, Chet," he said pointedly before continuing on toward the stove.
"Oh, morning Gage, DeSoto." Chet kept his tone distracted, barely looking up from the pages of the magazine before him. Henry, laying half across his lap, almost dislodged the paper just as Roy shot Johnny a sour look for stealing a freshly poured cup of coffee out of his hands.
Johnny didn't register Roy's annoyance, and was instead drawn toward the open box of pastry on the table. He scanned the remaining options before zeroing in on the half-eaten doughnut on Chet's napkin.
"Hey! Is that the last -"
"You snooze, you lose, babe," Chet cut him off. "Besides, Cap took the last glazed."
Miffed, Johnny picked another variety and took a large bite, then settled into the seat next to Roy. As he chewed his way through first one doughnut, and then another, Chet bided his time.
"What are you reading that's so interesting?" Johnny wanted to know.
"Oh, this?" Again, Chet barely glanced upward, mostly because he was afraid he would give himself away. "Just reading the personal ads. You know."
"Oh," Johnny chuckled. "You think some girl desperate enough to place a personal ad is going to date you?"
Chet replied with as much seriousness as he could. "Remember Susie, that beautiful blonde Charlie was with at the picnic? He met her through the personals."
"He did?" Gage was intrigued.
"Oh, yeah. She even has a sister who went out with Davis over at 110s last week."
While Gage mulled that over, Chet went in for the kill. "You like brunettes, don't you, John?"
"What's wrong with her?" the pigeon was suspicious. No matter.
"Nothing. Listen to this. Beautiful, with chestnut hair, lots of spirit, very friendly, long legs, athletic. Oh, get this, she's even part Arabian."
"Ooh, she sounds exotic," Marco piped up.
"Oh, she is, Marco. Good breeding, too." Chet made a point of circling something on the page. "I'll just save this for Phillips."
"Now Chet, are you going to overlook someone on your own crew?" Johnny demanded. "I thought we looked out for each other."
Chet almost felt bad. This was too easy. "It's just that you didn't seem interested is all."
"I'm interested. I'm interested."
"Oh, well, it that case. Her name's Celestia. Her picture is right here. I'm sure you could work out a deal. She's not gonna be cheap."
"Deal? Cheap?" Johnny crossed the room in three strides and snatched at the paper. "Let me see that!"
Chet let the magazine go with a gleam in his eyes. He watched as it registered on Johnny just what he was looking at.
"A horse?! Chet!"
"Like I said, Gage. Just perfect for you."