Page 134 of Nuts

“Me too.”

We walked to the front of the store, and he motioned to the bench. “Have a seat, I’ll bring it to you.”

“I can go in.”

He wrinkled his brow. “Have a seat.”

Reluctantly, I sat. “What are you going to get me?”

“Butter pecan, and pralines and cream, what else?”

I liked it that he knew my favorite flavors. “Fine, I’ll wait here.”

I watched as he walked to the counter, ordered the cones, and waited. He was a wonderful man, and very few realized it. Being one of the few who knew him made me feel privileged. I hoped he felt the same way about me, but had no real way of knowing.

I watched as he talked to the boy at the counter, and then grew curious as he motioned toward me. The boy made eye contact, and then quickly looked away when Percy said something. I imagined him threatening the poor kid with violence for looking too long, and smiled at the thought.

He walked out of the store with two ice cream cones and a cup of water. He sauntered toward the bench, struggling to hold all three.

I stood. “Let me help you.”

He handed me the cone. “Here.”

I accepted the cone, took a bite, and then looked at him. “Were you being mean to that kid?”

He set the water cup between us and licked his cone. “What kid?”

“The kid in the store?”

“No. I was just talking to him.”

“It looked like you were scolding him.”

“Looks are deceiving.”

I glanced at him, and then took another bite. “They sure are.”

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“It means what it means,” I said mockingly.

“Finish your cone,” he said. “We’ve got shit to do.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Gonna ride to Meathead’s house.”

“Who’s Meathead?”

“One of the fellas.”

“Haven’t heard too much about him,” she said.

“Been in jail awaiting trial,” he said. “But they dropped charges. He’s free now. Pretty happy about that. I want you to meet him. He wants to thank you.”

“For what?”

“His freedom.”