TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "PICK" - ANOTHER EPISODE OF "MIDNIGHT IN CENTRAL PARK"

Welcome! Thank you for coming. This week our word prompt is "pick." We have another episode of "Midnight in Central Park." Scroll down to go back to Tuesday Tales and read the other wonderful stories. Thanks for stopping by. 

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The sun woke me up around six thirty. Tucked into the rocks, the cops never spotted me. I swear they just sit in their building drinking coffee and telling dirty jokes. Boy, I’d love to tell them that instead of them chasing down two muggers, I had to rely on a metal dog. They’d love that, cart me off to some mental hospital.

I wondered if I could tell Trevor and Abby. Maybe. But you ready had to be there. I stretched and headed for the men’s room. Time to wash up before school. I headed over to the Bethesda Fountain where I dropped my pants and waded in. God, the cold water felt good.

I got dressed and headed off to school for early breakfast. I was hungry. I hope Mrs. Hernandez would take pity on me and give me an extra donut. Trevor and Abby didn’t need free breakfast, but they showed up early to sit with me. Made me feel less like a freak.

“Listen. Something really weird happened last night.”

“Are you okay?” Abby always cared about my welfare.

“Yeah, yeah. But something I don’t think you’re gonna believe.”

“Then why are you telling me?” Trevor asked.

“Because I have to. Sometimes you just have to tell somebody something. And you’re here.”

I told them the story while I shoveled in powdered eggs, a roll and two donuts. First, they laughed. Then their eyes grew wide.

“Can you make him come to life?” Abby was curious.

“I have no idea. I didn’t do anything. It just happened.”

“I want to see it. Can we go with you? Will you make him alive?”

I shrugged. “I don’t think it was me.”

“Okay. Just weaseling out of doing it for us, too.”

“I can’t. Don’t you get it? Something just happened. I was there. That’s it. I didn’t do shit.”

“Okay, okay.” Trevor got up. “I gotta get to class.”

I pushed last night out of my mind and focused on school. When it was over, I had to go home. I needed a real shower and a change of clothes. When I got home, Mom was asleep in the bedroom. I checked the fridge and cabinets for food. Not much there. She left her purse on the table. I rummaged through it. Damn. She had a hundred bucks.

Looks like I get to pick up food. I grabbed eighty and headed for Gristedes. Mr. Johnson, who lived at the end of the hall stopped me.

“Get me a newspaper and a pack of cigarettes. Okay? Keep the change.”

He gave me seventeen bucks. I’d score an easy five. “Sure. Thanks.”

He nodded and closed his door.  Food money. Five bucks. Balto defending me. Maybe my luck has changed?

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