"Is there anything else you would like, Mr. Burleson?" Kelly asked as she looked over at James trying on a new suit jacket. It was black with red interior, but it was almost ready to rip at the shoulders. "Yeah, let me get you the next size up. I'll be right back, alright?"
James nodded and looked into the mirror. He could see Kelly get smaller in the mirror on his left, and another man get larger on his right. He turned and was face to face with the other man. The latter extended his hand with a small business card that James took. He nodded and turned back, and then he started to walk the way he came. James watched, confused, but turned back to the mirror and saw Kelly getting larger again. She was holding a hanger with a red suit jacket and black interior.
"This was all they had in the next size up," she started, "if you don't want it, I'll take it back and try to find something else, something more suiting, in your size."
James shook his head and said into the mirror: "Oh, come now Ms. Powell. I'm not one to make a big fuss out of simple matters like that. If you think it looks good, then I will accept it. You know, you don't even need to do this. It was my fault about why it happened. I was being my usual self and ignored all warnings."
"Mr. Burleson, you must know, I take pride into the people I hire," she said with a smile, "and I often times want to give them a Thank You gift for their efforts. This is yet a small price to pay for your efforts, alright?" She asked as she held up the hanger to James' back. "This looks like a perfect fit."
"Indeed, ma'am," James started then looked at the card. "Leonard H. Bost," he said to himself; he thought to himself, at least.
"Mr. Burleson, why did you say that name?" Kelly asked, shocked. She hated him and felt like that name was the devil's call. "What are you reading? Please, give me that card." James obeyed and handed the card over his shoulder. "Listen to me, never ever listen to that man. He does not believe in God, yet he believes I'm the devil out to do evil. Trust me, he will find a way to hate you too once you give him the information he needs."
The man gave James his business card and walked away. He knew the miner was the curious type and that he would be called for questions. "Who are you?" Simple: a man with a dream to quest for the truth and a want to stop all the biased news reporters out there. "Why did you give me this card?" For one purpose and one only: to find the truth about Powell and expose her for her corruption. She is the scum of Funland Amusements and she is unable to properly run an amusement park if she tried. "How can I help?" Go out and gain her trust, which he already has,
The man exited the store and went back up the street. His printing shop was just up the street, and he had enough photos to get ready. He had to stop, though, when he saw the flashing lights up the street. Those lights had the colors he knew too well: Red and Blue.
"I don't care if my press is too loud, I need to make a living somehow, don't I? I even have a right to own this thing! Wanna see my paperwork for it to belong here? I'll bring them right to you!" The man, younger than now, yelled at the officer before him. The officer just shook his head and chest; the badge shined and only Adkins could be read.
"Look, Mr. Bost, I don't care if you have paperwork to own it, don't use it late at night like you were," Adkins said slowly, like he want to insult Bost's comprehension abilities, "I have complaints from all the tenants in the building that say they can't sleep at all. If possible, please, use the press during the day. Thank you, and have a nice day." He tipped his hat and bounced once on his heels; his stomach didn't bounce (as it is smaller than it is now). He turned around when he felt water on his neck.
Bost spit at the cop before him and slammed the door. He went into the backroom and turned on the press, and he ignored the pounds at the door. This was his machine, for god's sake, and he isn't going to listen to donut eater and not use it when he needs to. Let's just say, for hopes of a bloodless description, that Bost's actions caused him into a jail cell, multiple stitches and a large fine.
Bost's better interests won him over and he clenched the camera around his neck. He took a few steps before he began to sprint down the street towards the lights. He stops before he got to the accident and hid in the alleyway just before the intersection and watched the scene. He saw the multiple suited pigs and the sheeted body in the middle of the street.
He waited until there were no more pigs in suits around the body before he made his way over to the body and uncovered the face. He's seen that guy around, but never really took note of who he was. It's such a shame to see another person die without a proper cause.
He raised his camera and clicked the shutters closed. The click attracted the man in the doorway, whom just stared and smirked. "Long time no see, Mr. Bost," he said and the addressed turned his head in the direction the call came from. "I see you've gotten better with that camera of yours."
"I see you've gotten better at stuffing those donuts in your mouth, Adkins," Bost said mockingly. Adkins shook his head like so many years ago. "How did he die? Being run over by a car or your stomach?" Bost laughed and so did Moon, whom stood behind the photographer
"That's a good one, Mr. Bost, was it? Want to hear a better one?" Moon asked the photographer, whom looked up and nodded. He quickly snatched the camera and tossed it to the approaching officer next to him. "You and one thousand dollars- oh, that wasn't the right pairing of words."
"One thousand?! That's how much that camera cost!" Bost exclaimed and threw himself at the officer holding his camera. He grabbed it but dropped it from the officer's hands. The camera fell and exploded into a million pieces, each scattering in every direction. "You... I'm going to sue you for that!"
"I'm sorry, but there's no proof and no witnesses to verify your statements. Looks like you don't have to pay your fines though," Moon said mockingly. Bost looked him in the eyes of Moon and the other officer, then he turned his head to the empty doorway. Adkins had left the scene and only left the two officers and Bost, which the latter stormed off from the amount of laughter from the other two. He looked off to the horizon and saw the sun resting its last eyes.
Night is a peaceful time, except for those daring the time of the devil. The owl's hoot and crickets chirp as a warning of danger for those dumb enough to run the streets after the locking doors. Yet, when you're as drunk as a sailor man after a night out with a group of friends, you're willing to do the dangerous.
It wasn't unusual to see a drink inside of the returning home sailor. He was a busy man and anything that does go right pisses him off, especially if it's the most trivial piece of information. Tonight was no different, with how tomorrow was the opening of the new park and his kids just had to go to damn thing- no, no, must not put words in his mouth. His loves his kids and his wife even more than his life at sea, but his father and his father's father were both sailor men. He just had to live up their expectations; he honestly had to, or face the disappointment in his pap when he crosses to the afterlife.
"David!" One of the other sailors from the table across the place yelled. Night had just fallen and David was going for a drink with his friends. He walked past the jukebox and the bartender holding two martinis in front of him. He sat down at the seat across the sailor whom called him.
"How have ya been? I heard your family is forcing you to that park tomorrow," the sailor added. David nodded silently and the table busted out laughing.
"Hey, don't worry. I was forcing your mom last night, so it's not a big deal, eh?" David responded and the roars of the table grew. The other sailor glared yet laughed it off shallowly. "Nevermind that! We're supposed to have fun tonight and be carefree until Wednesday, so let's drink up!" He grabbed the beer bottle next to him that belonged to the sailor who already left and raised it up. The other sailors raised theirs. "Cheers!"
Caps, beer bottles, and sailors flew by as time sped up. A sailor without a cap decided to fight with David after the latter gently brushed his arm. The capless sailor threw a right hook to which David stepped back and grabbed the arm in front of him. He pulled it down and pushed the sailor to the table; part of it broke and the face of the sailor had both splinters and fallen straight to the floor.
It was then that the owner of the bar had enough. He ordered them all out; all but David got into their cars and crashed into each other. David, just living a block or two away from the bar (he couldn't remember exactly how far) and decided to walk from home and back. He walked past the precinct and turned right, continuing past the dojo and right again until he reached the restaurant. He made a left turn and walked into the apartment building just across the street from the restaurant.
He grabbed the railing and climbed the stairs; his apartment was on the second floor and to the left. He opened the door and smelled the familiar smell of his wife's favorite dinner. It was something about his wife that sobered himself before anything else did.
"Honey!" His wife said and threw her arms around his neck. His wrapped his arms around her waist. She started to pull him to the couch while she said: "I missed you all night. The kids are in bed and I've waited on the couch for you to come home." She sat him on the couch and then sat herself down. "Tonight, it's just us. What do you want to do?"
He stared at her for a good half a minute before he mouthed the word, "Sleep," and stood up. He walked past the edge of the couch and to the bedroom. His wife followed him and closed the door behind her.