We'd no sooner entered the pet shop when Maynard's enthusiasm about returning the pocket watch began to waiver. And by that I mean that he took it upon
himself to stop at each and every cage, sliding his fingers through the holes to greet the puppies and kittens that barked and meowed at the attention. Then
Maynard said hello to the fish, the hamsters and even the snakes! Yes, Maynard was definitely an animal lover if there ever was one. Had the circumstances
been different, I might have found the scene amusing, but I had no time to waste. We had to turn that pocket watch in.
"Maynard, come on!" I coaxed. But he wouldn't budge. "We've got to turn in that pocket watch! Tell your friends goodbye!" As ridiculous as I felt saying it, I
should have known what would happen next. Maynard went back through the store and said goodbye to each and every animal. I didn't have the heart to tell
him to stop. Besides, as few more minutes wouldn't hurt anyone.
Several minutes later when Maynard was through with his goodbyes, we walked up to the counter where Harry was busy counting change.
"Like hi!"
To my horror, Maynard's words startled Harry, causing him to drop the coins he was counting. They rolled in every direction across the tiled floor. Harry looked
like he was about to blow his top.
"Maynard! How many times do I have to tell you-."
I quickly came to my friend's defense. "I'm sorry Harry. It's my fault. Maynard and I will pick these up. Just finish your counting."
"How can I? I've lost count and now I'll have to start all over."
"I'm really sorry, Harry." Daringly I glanced at my good friend. Just as I feared, poor Maynard looked almost like my mother had when my father yelled at her for
breaking the jars of tomato sauce.
"I'm sorry, Dob."
Once again I felt sorry for my friend. I didn't have the heart to scold him or even to remind him not to sneak up on people like that. "It's okay, Maynard." Quietly
I handed the money that I had collected back to Harry, who gave me a disgusted look. I only hoped that some of the change wasn't hiding in places that weren't
readily accessible, even by lying on the floor. The fact that he was furious about having to start counting the money all over was not lost on me. I considered
asking him if he would like Maynard and I to count it for him but somehow I already knew the answer.
Harry plastered on a fake smile; the kind of smile my father wore when I annoyed him (which was a lot) but he didn't want my mother to know. "Is there
something I can do for you boys?"
Maynard pointed to a cage containing a Welsh Corgi who barked happily. "Like yeah. Like how much is him?"
"He, Maynard." I corrected. I shuddered to think about what Mr. Pomfritt would think about Maynard's grammar.
"He what?"
"He-Oh never mind." It was useless to try to explain proper grammar to Maynard when his folks would never let him have a pet anyway. Truth be told, if the day
ever came when Maynard was allowed to have a pet, I certainly envied it, for it was sure to be the best loved pet in the history of pets. Why, Maynard was even
nice to the lion who escaped from the city zoo!
"He's not for sale!" Harry snapped.
"But the sign says-."
"Never mind what the sign says! Now get out!" Harry yelled.
"Um, Harry, Maynard and I didn't come to buy anything anyway." I said by way of explanation. I had to say something before World War 3 could commence. And
this time my father wasn't there to participate. "Actually Harry, Maynard and I were wondering if you could do us a favor."
"A favor, huh? Are you crazy? After you practically threw my earning's across the floor and now I have to recount them?"
"Look, I'm really sorry about that but if you could just do us this one small favor, we'd be awfully grateful."
Harry crossed his arms. "I don't know…."
"Please?"
"What kind of favor?"
Carefully I removed the gold pocket watch from my jacket and placed it in Harry's hands. He looked at it with interest.
"What's this?"
"Maynard and I found it underneath the bench across the street..." I explained.
"You're… giving this to me?"
"No, I… we… were hoping that you could find the owner."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"Well, we found it across the street…" I reminded him.
"Across the street, huh?"
"Yes, and-."
"What makes you think it was one of my customers?"
"I don't, actually. I just thought-well, maybe you could take a picture of it and put up a flyer in the window. You see, Maynard and I figured that whoever lost it
might return to this area to look for it."
"Like yeah." Maynard chimed in. "You see, Dobie was tired and wanted to sit down for a minute and I just happened to look down and like found the watch."
"That's right. Maynard is really the one who found it."
"But Dobie is the one who said we should do the right thing and turn it in."
"That's right, Maynard."
"Like, we were going to take it to Mr. Arnold at the pawn shop, but Dobie said-."
My eyes widened in horror. "Maynard!" I looked over at Harry. "So will you? Put up a flyer? Please?"
Harry grumbled at the request but when he nodded I almost jumped for joy.
"Really? You'll do it? Oh Harry, you won't regret this!" I shook his hand the way I would have shaken a celebrity's hand (if I ever met one, that is)-with the
utmost enthusiasm.
"I already do." Harry said. "But I admire your honesty, Dobie Gillis."
I was so happy when I turned to leave the store that I didn't even mind Maynard stopping to say goodbye to all of the animals. In fact, I said goodbye to a few
of them myself.