After several weeks of stealing, Jed looked over their pile of stolen goods and figured it was time to take a trip to Los Angeles. He told Joshua and Justin to hop in the pick-up and chain Mister to the truck bed. There was a lot of stolen goods under the tarp and Mister was sitting on top of it. Once they were loaded up, Joshua got really excited. He’d never gone on any of the Los Angeles trips with them before and everything was new for him.
During their trip there, when they would see something Joshua had never seen before he would yell out, “Wow! Look at that.” Jed and Justin were really getting a kick out of watching Joshua’s reactions to seeing everything new.
When they got to Los Angeles, Jed sold all the stolen goods they had brought with them. They had made a pretty nice haul, so when they were getting ready to leave Jed decided they would stop at a local McDonalds and grab something to eat. When they got out of the truck, Jed told Joshua that dogs weren’t allowed inside the restaurant so Mister would have to stay in the pick-up while they went inside. Joshua wasn’t very happy about leaving Mister all alone in the pick-up but went along with it because Jed told him he had to. They went in and sat down at one of the empty tables. Jed asked them what they wanted to order. Once they told him, he went up to the counter and ordered for the three of them.
While they were waiting for Jed, a guy wearing dark glasses, came in. He had a big yellow lab with him that had a harness around its body with a handle attached to it. The guy had one hand on the handle controlling the dog and another one on a white cane. He walked up to the counter with his dog and ordered a Big Mac special with a large drink. He asked the person behind the counter if someone could bring his food over to him when it was ready. Once he had ordered he used the dog to guide him over to an empty table and sat down. The dog then plopped down on the floor right next to him.
When Joshua saw the guy bring his dog into McDonalds, he looked like he was confused as he looked over at the dog and then back at Jed. He said to Jed in a soft voice, “I thought it was no dogs?” His mom had always told him that dogs weren’t allowed in stores and other public places, but now a dog was being allowed in McDonalds. He didn’t understand, especially after Jed told him they weren’t allowed. He didn’t know why Mister couldn’t come in with them, just like that guy. Jed whispered to Joshua, “The guy is blind and he is allowed to bring a dog into a restaurant because it’s a guide dog. If you’re blind, you can take your guide dog with you anywhere you go because it helps guide you around.” Joshua didn’t say anything else, but seemed fixated on the guy and his dog.
After he ate his food, Joshua inched a little closer to the dog and the blind man. He just sat there for several minutes, observing every movement made by the man and the dog. He kept looking at the handle and leather straps that were attached to the dog until Jed said, “What are you doing, Joshua?” Joshua didn’t break his stare or say a word because he seemed to be totally captivated by what he was seeing. Jed finally said, “You need to go to the bathroom because we have to hit the road now.” Jed got a few hamburgers for Mister and before they left for home they let him jump out of the pick-up and relieve himself.
Once they were on their way back, Jed was curious as he asked Joshua, “What was it about that guy and his dog that you liked so much?” Joshua laughed out loud and said, “I’m going to make Mister a guide dog.” Jed didn’t have a clue what he was talking about as he said, “You have to be blind Joshua to have a guide dog! Mister can’t be your guide dog because you’re not blind.” Joshua smiled at Jed and said, “We’ll pretend.” Jed and Justin both laughed and joked with Joshua for about an hour on the drive back about his guide dog.
Making the money inspired Jed and Justin to want to get back out and break into more places so they could get the money they needed for the new truck. They started going out more and each time came home with items they could sell. It was about eight weeks later when Jed figured they had about all the stolen goods they could carry in one trip. He and Justin loaded up the truck. Once he was ready to go, Jed yelled to Joshua to get Mister and hop in, because it was time to head to L.A.
Jed and Justin were standing by the pick-up waiting for Joshua when he finally came around the corner of the house. He had made a device that resembled the guide dog harness and it was wrapped around Mister. It had the sissy bars of and old bicycle and leather straps with buckles that were attached to the bars. It was a little crudely built, but it worked. It was attached to Mister and he was walking right next to Joshua, just like a guide dog. Joshua was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and he had his right hand on the bar holding Mister. He also had a stripped down umbrella in his other hand and was bouncing it off the ground. He looked at Jed and Justin and said, “Okay. I’m ready.” Jed and Justin were cracking up as Jed said, “Where did you get that contraption?” Joshua proudly puffed out his chest and said, “I made it while you and Justin were busy.” Jed couldn’t stop laughing as he said, “Okay, have your guide dog, guide you over here, get in the pick-up, and let’s go.
When they got to Los Angeles, they sold all their items just like before and when they got ready to go back home Joshua said, “How about let’s go to McDonalds to eat.” Jed said, “That sounds good to me, it’s about that time of day anyway.” Jed decided they would stop at the same place they went to the last time they were there. Joshua didn’t say anything, he just had a big smile on his face as they drove to the McDonalds. When they got there, Joshua quickly jumped out of the pick-up and put on his dark sun glasses. Mister still had the “guide dog” harness attached to him so Joshua unhooked him from the bed of the truck and had him jump down next to him. He grabbed the handle of the harness and had Mister next to him. He had the handle in one hand and the stripped down umbrella in the other as he had Mister guide him to the entry door. Once inside he had mister “guide” him over to an empty table and he sat down. He then had Mister lay down on the floor next to him and then told Jed what he wanted to order. The entire time, Joshua was very serious in his movement and mannerisms. Jed could hardly contain himself as he headed to the counter to order. Justin was also trying really hard not to laugh as he sat down next to Joshua.
Once they ate their lunch and were ready to go, Joshua had Mister “guide” him into the bathroom and then back to the pick-up. Joshua had Justin attach Mister to the bed of the pick-up as he climbed into the cab. Once everyone was in, Jed and Justin started laughing, as Joshua said, “See, I told you Mister was a guide dog!”
On the way home Jed had time to reflect on the entire incident with Joshua and he thought. How in the world did he make that harness in the first place? I can’t believe he remembered how to make it! Maybe we haven’t given Joshua near as much credit as he deserves.
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Chapter 16 - Ridgecrest Close Call
Night Crawlers Page 15