Blink, I'm bored!" Red whined, a few days later. "C'mon, cain't I git up yet?"
"We tried dat yestaday an' ya fell."
"Dat wuz yestaday."
Blink ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Ya wanna play cards?"
"I been playin' all day."
Blink sighed. It had been a long day of selling, and he was tired. "Did I eva tell ya how me eye got dis?" He pointed to the patch over it.
She glared at him for the stalling tactic it was but consented. "No. Indulge me."
"Well, memba' I tole ya me family is all gone, 'ceptin' me faddah, who left when I was born?" She nodded.
He shrugged. "I was left wanderin' the streets cuz I coul' take kire o' meself, ya know? Too old fer the orphanages.
Alexaviar bumped into a woman on the crowded sidewalk. "'Scuse me, miss." He tipped his hat. The woman turned to him.
- - - - - - - -
"Oh, such a nice, polite boy. Oh, and so poor-looking, too. Alfred," she tugged on the man's arm next to her, "Alfred, do you have a quarter for the child?"
The man grunted and dropped a small silver coin into the child's hands. The small, grubby face lit up with a toothy smile, showing crooked teeth. "Thanks, mista! Thanks, missus!"
The woman patted the boy on the head, then hurried to catch up with Alfred turning onto the next street. The boy proudly stuck the coin into his pocket along with a small wad of money that used to be in the woman's purse.
"Hey! Boy!"
Alex looked behind him. There was a tall man in a blue uniform with a baton being waved above his head. Frightened, he started running.
"Boy! Boy! Come 'ere, boy!"
The policeman's long strides soon caught up with the short boy. "What's yer name, feller?" he questioned, as Alex dangled from the cop's meaty hand.
"A…Alex."
"You got family, Alex?"
"N…yes, sir. I got a older sister an' a couple younger brudders an' a ma an' pop." Big tears were soon welling from his eyes. "Officer, I gotta go home! They need me!"
The cop's fist slowly released him. "Alright, kid. But before you go, I gotta lesson to teach ya."
"What's that, sir?"
"Neva steal." The cop jammed his baton into Alex's eye with full force.
- - - - - - - -
Blink sat with his hands folded together, mellowed by the remembrance. He looked toward the door, hiding his patch from Red's scrutiny. She reached for him.
"I'm sorry…"
"Heck, there weren't nuttin' ya kin do 'bout it now." He put his hands on his knees and pushed himself up. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Ya eva notice how evryone's got a story?" He paused. "Makes me wonda how much we lie."
Red chuckled deep in her throat. "Makes me wonda how much the truth hurts."
Blink nodded. "Sleep." He exited the room, silently shutting the door behind himself.
Red sank down into her pillows and turned onto her side, curling an arm under her head. A wince shot across her face, but not because of the pain. At least the physical pain.