By Day or By Night
Page 11
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Momma just sat and listened as Daddy continued on with another story. I kept real quiet and listened too.
"Where's Chief Long?" Allen Lott just stepped in off of Main Street and blurted this out to Jenni Bresh as she sat at her desk in the Police Station.
Startled a bit by the abruptness of what she usually knew to be a quiet, polite man; Jenni replied: "Umm well ? he's out on patrol."
Allen Lott's just an average man of about forty-five years of age. Average in virtually every way really. Not particularly physically imposing or mentally imposing; though his salt and pepper hair had begun to provide him with an air of wisdom that Jenni wasn't quite sure he actually possessed.
"Ha!" yelled out Allen with a loud laugh. "On patrol huh ? what's to patrol in the big town of Barnsdall anyway?" Allen strolled over and took a chair without any invite from Jenni. He believed his anger was all the invite he needed.
"Jenni I just gotta tell ya, that John Long's 'bout as incompetent as, as ? as well as incompetent as a fella can be!" Jenni noted how articulate Allen was, especially in his similes.
Jenni said nothing and made sure not to nod her head or anything. She didn't want to egg him on. It didn't matter; Allen didn't need any nudgin' to express his opinion that day.
"I mean with all those murders, now a hit and run. No suspects, no clue!" Allen got up and walked to the front door, looking out through the screen door. He was fidgeting with his hands and his tip tap with his feet made him look like he was about to wet his pants. Jenni smiled and almost laughed at this when Allen had his back to her, but straightened up once he turned back around.
"Am I the only person in this town' that's concerned about this?" Again Jenni didn't say a word or move an inch.
"Surely I'm not. Can't folks see that Barnsdall's not bein' represented very well in the law enforcement department right now? Isn't that pretty damned obvious Jenni?"
Jenni felt like Allen wasn't goin' to let her get away with silence this time. She'd have to answer his question, or: "Would you like me to see if I can radio Big John to come in and chat with ya? I'm sure I can have him in here right quick." Jenni had a pleasant inviting tone to her voice; experience has taught her to keep calm in situations like this.
"Well yeah ? I mean I guess so," Allen sounded like he hadn't thought of that; that maybe all he really wanted to do was complain about John behind his back. He resented how Jenni pinned him down like that, made him make a decision to actually tell all this to Big John ? face to face no less. However, he still liked Jenni, she was so pleasant he thought.
"Ok then," replied Jenni as she began doing her thing on the radio. Chief of Police Big John arrived lickety split. Probably not fast enough for ole' Allen Lott though. He probably counted the seconds.
As Daddy got out of his car and started the short walk to the front door of the police station he noticed the smell of honeysuckle in the air. He had a pleasant feeling ? that was quickly interrupted by Allen as he met him half way to the door.
"'bout time John," said Allen rudely as he burst out the police station front door. As the screen door settle back into its frame, Allen settled into his diatribe.
"Where you been John? Out patrolling the big town of Barnsdall?" Allen laughed as if that was no job at all. Daddy was offended but still managed to keep his cool; on the outside.
Daddy reached out his hand, to shake, and said: "How are ya today Allen? What can I do for ya?"
Allen shook Daddy's hand extra firmly. Daddy found this humorous, but didn't laugh. Jenni watched out the window with moderate interest.
"I'd like to talk to ya about what's been goin' on in this town. I'd like to tell ya ?" Daddy interrupted.
"Allen would you like to come inside and sit down ? have some coffee?"
"What? Huh? Oh ? no, no this'll be fine," Allen replied as if sitting down to have a civil conversation was the furthest thing from his mind. He had other plans.
"Suit yourself then," Daddy said as he pulled out a dip of snuff. "I like the outside air anyways," Daddy had a breezy tone to his voice, like hadn't a care in the world. He was faking it. "What's on your mind then Allen?"
"I'm just fed up John ? fed up!" Allen sounded like a whiny baby to Daddy. Big John seriously thought about slappin' him to bring him back to bein' a man; to actin' like a man. He saw this in his mind and the thought gave him great pleasure.
"What's that Allen?" Daddy began to tune out what he figured was about to come. He tried to tune it out anyway. The negativity still ate at him somethin' awful.
"John ? now with all due respect ? I just think you're in over your head here." Allen tried to sound diplomatic, but came across completely judgmental.
Daddy spat a line of brown snuff into the little flower garden at the side of the police station. He thought to himself: no good conversation ever started with the words "now with all due respect ?".
"Look John, you've made a fine Sheriff when Barnsdall was just a small town, but now it's a small town with many murders. You're just not ready for that sort a thing. You have to admit that. Right?"
Daddy wondered how serious Allen really expected him to take him. Hell he couldn't even get his title right; Sheriff ? he was the Chief of Police ? not the damned Sheriff. Did Allen really expect him to say: "Yeah you're right Allen, I'm way in over my head here ? wow what a revelation ? here's my gun and my badge, now I'm gonna run off to Mayberry where I can handle the little crimes again. Daddy whistled the tune in his head.
"Come again," Daddy asked Allen politely. He thought if he made Allen think his position through again, and repeat it, he'd come up with a different assessment; one that wasn't so ? so ? stupid. He wasn't in over his head!
"Did I stutter John? Was there somethin' I said that was hard to understand?" Allen began to look angry, but pulled back quickly when Daddy glared down at him with violent eyes. Chief of Police Big John gloated at his ability to put another man in check with just a glance. He thought: now that's law enforcement, no action needed, just a look and they obey.
"I suppose not Allen ? I 'spose not, Daddy replied with confidence in his voice. He sounded like Allen's words didn't faze him a bit. He spit out his dip of snuff and began picking his teeth with a toothpick he retrieved from his shirt pocket. He took a long time to do this without saying a word. Allen began to appear visibly nervous.
"Well ?" Allen began to speak, desperately needing to break the awkward silence.
"Well what Allen?" Daddy said with a bland expression on his face.
"Well ? uh ? what are you gonna do about it?" Allen expected more of a response than he was getting. The lack of aggressive reply from Daddy was taking the wind out of his sails.
Daddy took one of those deep sighing breaths, as if annoyed and said: "do about what Allen?"
"What I've been saying' ? what are ya gonna do about how you're in over your head?"
"Swim," replied Daddy with a grin.
"Swim?" Allen looked confused.
"That's right Allen, when you're in over your head you swim ? to shallower water, you stand up and walk to shore." Daddy had a laugh in his voice. Allen looked at him, as if lost.
"What?" Allen didn't know what else to say.
"Look friend," Daddy put a hand on Allen's shoulder. "I know you're concerned, and I appreciate that, but we've known each other for years. You know I'm a man of my word. You can trust me Allen. I will take care of this." Daddy paused for a moment and looked up Main Street. He then said: "All right then".
"Ok John, alright. I know you're a man of your word. Ok." Allen gave in quite easy. Daddy thought his little speech to Allen would rival any that SOB Mayor Tolson could muster. He was quite proud of his political accomplishment.
Allen went on about his daily business and Daddy stood there with his thoughts. Pride quickly ran away from him as wrath crept in. He was insulted. How dare Allen say those things
to him. How dare he even think them. What a pompous ass!