Howard returned to the Nabootique. He opened the door and walked in solemnly. He sat behind the desk and rested his head against it with his arms around his head as if to hide himself. This was his home, his domain, and his prison. He would never be free of it. He would have to accept that he is to remain here, eventually becoming an antique here himself.
Vince came in from the back door. He noticed Howard sitting behind the desk. "Oh you're back," he said. "Well I just want to say… hey what's the matter?" He could've sworn he heard Howard sniffling. Vince came to check on him.
Howard sniffed again and wiped his eye. "She's gone…" he mumbled.
"What?" Vince asked.
"Alice, she's gone! Are you happy now? She's gone!" Howard exclaimed. He buried his face in his arms.
"No of course not, why would I be? How'd this happen?" Vince asked with deep concern.
"Oh come off it and stop pretending to care! Go ahead and jump for joy, have your fun! At least one of us will be happy right now!" Howard glared.
"Howard don't be like that, I do care," Vince placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Don't touch me! What makes you think I want to be touched right now?" Howard furiously recoiled.
"Howard c'mon I do care, you're one of my best mates," Vince said.
"No you don't! Now go away or I'll really lose it!" Howard exclaimed.
"Come here, it wouldn't be the first time," Vince hugged him. He knew Howard was only hardening himself to hide the pain deep down inside.
"No! Let go of me! Let go you Bastard!" Howard pushed and shoved at Vince, wishing he could rip him to shreds. "Let go! Let go! I don't like to be… I don't… I don't… I don't…" Howard let out a loud cry. "She's gone Vince! She's gone! Why oh why did she have to go? Why?" He grabbed hold of Vince and sobbed hard.
"Easy now, easy," Vince patted his back. "Just let it out."
"She was my everything Vince! Everything! She may not've seemed like much but she meant the world to me! Not just the world but also the sky and the sun and the clouds and the moon and the stars up above! Everything!" he squeezed Vince's thin frame.
"Ack! Howard I said to take it easy!" Vince was finding it hard to breathe with Howard's arms small body.
"W-whu-what am I gonna do without my Alice? I need her! I need her more than anything! Even air!" Howard sobbed and squeezed Vince tighter.
"Not as much as I do!" Vince gasped. He pushed on Howard until his hold was a little bit looser. He took a deep breath and sighed, getting his breath back to normal. "And what do you mean? You'll be fine."
"That's where you're wrong Vince, finding someone at my age is as easy as finding a four-leaf clover or a magic genie..." Howard said weakly.
"Well we kind of have one as both our boss and our landlord Howard and just the other day I found two…"
"You're not helping Vince!" Howard interrupted. "I'm alone and I'm getting old faster by the minute!"
"Oh Howard you're not that old…" Vince forced a smile but it didn't seem too convincing.
"You're too kind Vince but it's the end for me… I'm just an old lonely man now with my hopes lost...I might as well go disappear into the woods…," he sobbed.
"Howard don't be ridiculous," Vince stroked his back. He felt like he was cradling an over-sized baby.
"I should've known… when I first saw Kodiak Jack… I was getting a glimpse of my future self…" Howard sobbed harder.
"What are you daft? You're nothing like that freak!" Vince squeaked.
"Yes I am… in fact he must've been like me when he was younger… he probably loved once… he probably had hopes and dreams… but then one day his world turned upside down and he had no one so he decided to disappear…." He gripped on Vince.
"Howard please, listen to yourself," Vince said.
"I guess before I go… I should…. I should learn what it's like to have a key party with a herd of rhino then…" Howard sniffled like a small child.
"Howard stop that!" Vince frowned.
"…and then I guess I should get an insurance policy put on my scrotum incase a…. a mountain goat tries to sell it on eBay so I can rightfully…"
"Howard! Do you even know what you're saying?" Vince shook Howard violently.
Howard sniffed. "No…" he looked tremendously pitiful. His eyes were bulgy and swollen as tears streamed down and snot was running out of his nose. "All I know is that I want her back!"
"Oh Howard, no one's worth this much emotional train. Just don't think about it. You're bound to find someone new."
"Like where?" Howard asked glumly.
The door to the shop opened abruptly and a well-put-together woman with glasses and a formal pantsuit walked in. "Hello," she said. "I don't mean to disturb you, but I wanted to know if you have any jazz records for sale. You see, I work at the local museum and we're having an exhibit on the jazz Age and so I came here hoping this charming little antique shop would have some. Could any of you gentlemen possibly be of some help?"
Vince shifted his eyes from Howard to her excitedly. He smacked Howard on the back to get his attention. He pointed at her and nodded. Howard looked at her indifferently. He slumped down and lowered his eyes. "Sorry can't help you there, this isn't a good time."
"So I see, well here's my business card so you can keep in touch… with the museum that is," she grinned and handed him her card.
"Thanks, I'm very much obliged," Howard's tone was a tad sarcastic.
"Howard don't be a Burk!" Vince whispered loudly. He smiled kindly at the woman. "Sorry m'am, my mate here is a little under the weather."
"Aw, you don't say? Well sir, I can assure you that you're going to make a great deal of money and if you happen to know a thing or two about jazz, you could be a tour guide for the exhibit. If you're available sometime, we could maybe discuss this, so when would be the best time?"
"Never…" Howard muttered gravely.
"I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that," she tilted her head and placed her hand to her ear.
"Just go," he said.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
"Get out! Out!" He yelled. He jumped out of his chair and charged at her. "I don't want to sponsor anything and I don't want ant anything from you!"
"But Sir I…."
"I don't give a damn!" He yelled. He almost thrashed her but she frantically scampered away from him.
"Sir please, this is important…" she said. He growled as he flung whatever he could at her. She hid behind the record rack and poked her head out from the side. "How 'bout a latte?" a ceramic figurine hit the wall and shattered.
"Out God damn you!" Howard shouted. He chucked another thing at her and then chased her out the door. He slammed the door, using his body and slid down to the floor. He pulled his knees close to his chest and wept.
Vince popped open the cabinet under the desk and crept out cautiously. "Sheesh, this is worse than I thought," he said. "Howard?" he reached his hand out, offering to help him.
"Don't touch me! I want to be alone!" Howard cried out, swinging his arm at him.
"What the hell's going on? I heard some things break," Naboo said. He walked out accompanied by Bollo.
"He's fine, he's fine. Come on Howard," Vince grabbed his arm.
"Get off me, I can get myself up!" Howard pulled away from him and brushed off his arm.
"What do you suppose's wrong with him?" Naboo asked.
"Maybe Harpo's lost his marbles," Bollo said.
"Howard Bollo, his name is Howard," Naboo whispered.
"Oh yeah, I mean Edward," Bollo said.
"Howard come on, we're not gonna be able to get through this if you keep acting so damn stubborn," Vince said.
"Just leave me alone already. I don't want anyone to bother with me," Howard said as he turned his head away and sat back down by the door.
"Vince do you know what's wrong with him?" Naboo asked.
"His girl left him, Poor Bugger," Vince sympathetically pat Howard on the shoulder.
"Stop touching me for god's sake! I'm not a dog!" Howard frowned.
"She did? I can't imagine why she'd leave you, what happened while you were gone?" Naboo asked.
"I know, what happened Howard?" Vince asked earnestly.
"I… ah well you see…" Howard sighed. He didn't want to recall any of it. He was going through enough pain from not being able to forget her. His mind repeatedly played memories of her like a crude projector. She was still with him even though she was gone.
"Well c'mon tell us," Vince said.
Howard grunted. "Well what the hell do you care? You hated her," he narrowed his brows.
"Oh I didn't hate her Howard. You kidding me? I liked her," Vince smiled.
"Really?" Howard turned his eyes up at him in disbelief.
"Yeah I did, really. She was good to you and she really influenced you. Like really, I noticed while you were seeing Alice, you weren't so irritable and up-tight as much, not to mention your Indian rub burns started to heal up," Vince tapped Howard's arm. Howard made a slight smile but then his face relaxed back into a melancholy expression. "I believe she brought out the best in you," Vince said.
"You really think so?" Howard asked. Vince nodded in approval.
"Lady weird but good for Herbert," Bollo declared.
"Well I don't know, what's done is done. I can't get her back," Howard said with a voice filled with sorrow.
"Of course you can, she'd take you back in a heartbeat. In fact, In fact, I know a way how," Vince said.
'No, no please I really can't. She told me it was best for the both of us."
"Howard do you really believe that?"
"Well… not really," Howard looked down. "But I'll manage eventually and I'll be fine."
"Uh… you told me you wanted to go disappear in the woods and become a hermit a moment ago, no you're not fine Howard!"
"Well maybe I exaggerated. Believe me I'm fine. I'm solid as a rock. It takes quite a bit to bring me down."
"Oh c'mon you're as soft as Play Dough! If someone told you that Weather Report broke up, you'd have a mental breakdown."
"Why would you say that? I'm already in enough pain as it is! I lost my girl and now you're jinxing Weather Report! Why God why?" Howard cried out, having a crisis.
"Alright, alright, calm down, just calm down," Vince raised his hands.
"Oh! Vince! Vince! I'm about to black out!" Howard put his hands to his face.
"Howard if you don't knock it off right now, I'm afraid we'll have to send you to the happy hotel where they wear white jackets," Naboo said.
"Ok… ok… I'm fine, I'm calm and serene," Howard took a few deep breaths.
"Better?" Vince asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright now," Howard said.
"Good 'cause I have a plan, but you're going to have to really trust me on this Howard," Vince put his arm on Howard's shoulder.
"Oh boy…" Howard knew whatever it was, it didn't sound too promising.