Ch.16 An Afternoon with Smudge
I told Smudge that we were going to take a walk. I went off at a fast clip temporarily forgetting about the kid. I was trying to figure out what had just happened. Suddenly just sitting next to Copper was strange and I didn't know why. I heard a small voice cry out," Wait for me!" I had left the poor boy behind and he was running to catch up to me. When he reached me he was breathing heavily, so I let him ride piggyback style. It took Smudge nearly a block to get his breath back and then he began to ask me some questions. " Fury, how come Copper looked so sad?" I stopped suddenly," What do you mean?" He answered," It was before we went walking. He looked sad like he might cry." I didn't know what to think about that and I definitely didn't know what to tell the kid. " I think I might of hurt his feelings, maybe." I told Smudge. That was the only reason I could think of. The boy fell silent for many minutes. He finally said," I think Copper likes you." I told him not to be silly. The very thought made me blush deep red. " Alright", I told myself," you gotta stop doing this blushing thing." I had done it twice in twenty minutes. I was glad that Double had not been there to see it; if he had I would've been teased for weeks. I continued walking with Smudge on my back. I made up my mind to take him to Tibby's which was nearby. I had a couple of pennies left so I could buy some milk for Smudge. We stepped inside the cool building and sat down on soft leather seats. I knew that the kid was enjoying himself immensely. He sat up proud and tall smiling at all the customers. Milk was probably best for him, but instead I treated him to a Coca-Cola. It was a new beverage invented only three years before but it was surprisingly good. I was certain that he would like it. There we sat for talking on and off about different things. Smudge told me about the marble that Mush had given him that morning. I was having the best time; I hadn't felt this good in quite some time. A girl walked in wearing fancy clothes and I turned to point her out to Smudge. Somebody took that opportunity to sit down next to the kid.
That boy Spot kept appearing at the strangest times. He had plunked himself right next to the kid like he'd been invited to. " Well this is unexpected. What brings you to Tibby's?" I asked him. He laughed and replied, " I gets hungry just like everybody else." I leaned back against the seat and questioned," Yes, but at the same time as the kid and me? That's a little to coincidental don't you think?" His expression darkened for a minute and then he said," Okay I'll so it's not entirely a coincidence. A little birdie told me ya need something new ta wear." I glared at him and said hotly," I do not need anything from you and I don't see how it's any of your business anyway." He looked me up and down and said smugly, " Well, I don't really mind, but what you have got on is quite revealin'." And then of all the things I could have done like smack him or pour water on him, I blushed. I really need to learn how to keep my feelings from showing so blatantly. " I got things ta do and other people ta see, so I will be leaving ya now. But before I forget..." He slipped a medium sized brown box tied shut with twine from the seat on the table behind him and put it in front of me. " I 'm sure ya will thank me for this later." He ruffled Smudge's hair and dropped some money on the table. He said, " Get the kid a decent dinner will ya", before leaving the restaurant. Smudge reminded me that the big rally was tonight. It was time for us to leave for I had promised Jack and David that I would help them set up for the rally. I paid the bill with my own money, not Spot's, and we walked back to the lodge house. I carried Smudge on my back like before and put the package under one arm. The boy was excited about the present and wanted me to open it immediately. I informed him that it was just clothes and he lost interest almost immediately. One the way home I also decided that I would apologize to Copper for making him upset. He really was a good friend to have and I realized that I didn't like the idea of him being sad about anything. Back at the lodge the atmosphere was filled with excitement, I couldn't wait till tonight.