The Devil Comes Back to Retroville

by Gary D. Snyder

Part 6:

"Well?" asked Libby as she and Cindy slid into a booth. "Do you see him here anywhere?"

Cindy looked nervously about. "No," she admitted.

"How about when we were walking here?"

Cindy shook her head, but was far from convinced. "I tell you I saw him here earlier. And he's around here somewhere. I can feel it. I've felt it ever since I noticed him this morning."

Libby nodded but looked skeptical. "I don't know, Cindy. Maybe this is something serious and you should tell your parents about it, but on the other hand maybe it's totally innocent. Maybe he was just someone who saw you and thought you were cute, but he was just too shy to saw anything. He could have followed you home just to see where you lived so he could send you a love letter or something."

"Maybe," Cindy said doubtfully. "It's just a weird coincidence that he should turn up at the same time as –" She suddenly broke off, uncertain how to continue. Libby looked puzzled.

"The same time as what?" asked Libby when Cindy didn't finish her sentence.

"The same time as…the shoe sale," Cindy offered weakly trying to laugh. She had almost said, "The same time as Lou", but the less she said about Lou the better. She would rather look like an idiot than go over with Libby her previous encounter with him.

Libby nodded slowly, her expression clearly indicating that she believed that Cindy was losing her mnd. "You know, girl, I think you'd better lay off the Purple Flurp for a while." She looked over at the booth where she had noticed Jimmy when they had first come in, wondering if maybe Jimmy could figure out what was going on. But Jimmy was no longer there.

Jimmy had taken advantage of Cindy's and Libby's conversation to make his way to the boys' room. "So far so good," he said, pacing nervously about. "All I have to do is wait for them to leave, and I'll be fine."

"Don't you mean, 'wait for her to leave'?" he heard a voice say.

Jimmy turned to see Lou standing before the mirror, carefully styling his hair with a long black comb. "What?"

"It' not them you're worried about, Jimmy," Lou replied, pocketing the comb. "It's her."

Jimmy felt his face redden and he began to sweat. "I don't know what you mean," he stammered, his hands twisting nervously.

"Yes, you do." Lou hopped up on the washstand and gave Jimmy a knowing smile. "You're just afraid to admit it. It's okay," he continued, interrupting Jimmy's protests. "It happens to everyone. You want something, but you're afraid to risk going for it because it might not work out and you might get hurt."

That made sense to Jimmy. "But why her?" he demanded. "Why not someone I knew I was attracted to, like Betty Quinlan? Or Sagebrush Sally? Or even Beautiful Gorgeous? It seems logical that if I were to be in love with anyone –"

Lou interrupted Jimmy with the sound of a game show buzzer. "Lesson Number One, Jimmy. Never use 'love' and 'logic' in the same sentence. They have nothing to do with each other."

"They don't?"

"No. At best people fall in love and then try to rationalize it, but not the other way around. Thinking and feeling are two different things. In your case you were thinking so much that your thoughts got in the way of your real feelings. When you shut down the rational side of your mind it finally let the feelings that were always there out. And now that you've amped up the emotive part of your mind it's time for you to act on your feelings."

"But – but how?" Jimmy sounded desperate.

"You're on your own there, Jimmy, so you'll have to play it by ear. But whatever you do, always be sincere and always listen. The two unforgivable sins with women are insincerity and being a jerk." He smiled and hopped off the washstand. "Got all that?"

"I think so," said Jimmy. "Be sincere and always listen. Don't be a jerk."

"Right. Good luck." Lou opened the door, passed through the doorway, and was gone. After taking a few minutes to collect his courage Jimmy left as well, and headed to the booth where Cindy and Libby were still sitting and apparently disagreeing about something. After pausing briefly near the jukebox and pretending to inspect the selections Jimmy steeled himself to the task and came up to their booth.

"Hi, girls," he greeted them with a smile. "How's it going?"

"Oh, hey, Jimmy," answered Libby looking up. "Not bad. Ot it wouldn't be if Cindy here would just put her problem aside for while and relax."

"Problem?" Jimmy asked, giving a concerned look. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Cindy looked surprised and a little suspicious. "Uh…no. Why do you ask?"

"Well, usually you're pretty good at handling things that come up. If it's really worrying you it must be something serious."

Is this actually Neutron talking? thought Cindy. This has got to be one of his practical jokes. She carefully searched his face but had to admit to herself that his concern seemed genuine. "Well," she replied hesitantly, "it may be nothing, but…" She paused. It had seemed reasonable enough when she had told her story to Libby, but relating it now to Jimmy somehow made it all seem ridiculous. He'd probably just laugh at her, call her story a paranoid delusion, or worse.

"Go one," Jimmy urged, squatting down a little to get closer to her level.

His tone certainly seemed sincere. "Well…I think that maybe someone is following me." She braced herself for the caustic retort, but Jimmy only looked thoughtful. Encouraged, she continued, "I've only seen him once, but there's this feeling I have that he's been around somewhere, keeping an eye on me. He may just be some new kid in the neighborhood, but…" Her voice faded into silence.

Jimmy nodded. "But it might be more serious than that. I think you're right to be cautious. Better safe than sorry."

"What?" asked Cindy, pleasantly surprised.

"What?" echoed Libby, absolutely astonished.

"Maybe it is all harmless," Jimmy said firmly, "but then again it might not be. Until we're sure, I think that Cindy is wise to be concerned. In fact…" He hesitated and then went on in a rush, "Would you like me to walk you both home, just in case?" Both girls looked startled but before either could respond Jimmy quickly added, "If there is anything odd going on my being there might make a difference. If there isn't a problem, no harm done."

"Well…" Cindy hesitated and looked at Libby. "If it isn't any trouble…"

"No trouble at all. Libby?"

Libby shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm covered, Jimmy. Sheen was going to come by my place anyway to get his soundtrack CD from Ultra Lord: The Movie."

"What were you doing with that?" asked Cindy. "I thought you hated Ultra Lord."

"Hello? Buff guy in metal and spandex? Besides, there were some kicking jams from Hip Hopalong Cassidy on it that were great for my aerobics. In any case, you two can go on without me."

Cindy and Jimmy looked at each other, and something seemed to melt a little between them. "Okay, then," said Cindy, rising from her seat. "I guess I can go now."

"Fine by me," agreed Jimmy. He accompanied her to the door, held it open for her, and followed closely behind after she had exited. Behind them in his obscure corner Lou watched them depart, a pleased but cold smile thinning his lips. So far everything was going to plan.

On a corner across the street from the Candy Bar another pair of eyes watched the two young people as they departed. Lost in conversation neither Jimmy nor Cindy noticed the stranger as he pocketed his book, gave a quick look up and down the street, and began silently to follow them.

End of Part 6