The Cane

Mr. Merriwether sat at the table in a small conference room. A cane with travel emblems from around the world leaned against the table beside him.  

Detective walks in. 

Detective:

Mr. Merriwether, can you give it to me once more from the top? 

Merriwether:

I’ve gone over this with you and that other man at least five times now. 

Detective:

I know. Just for the record. We don’t want another George Zimmerman situation. People claiming we didn’t do our job. Led the witness. Stuff like that. 

Merriwether:

Do I need a lawyer? 

Detective:

We already read you your rights. Only people I see lawyer-up are guilty. But up to you. 

Merriwether:

Ok. I don’t want a lawyer. Never had much use for lawyers. 

Detective:

Ok. Just once more from the top. Where were you going? 

Merriwether:

Just out for a walk. Thought maybe I’d stop at the corner market and get me some Hagen Daas.

Detective:

Then what happened? 

Merriwether:

Well. This bum in a doorway comes out towards me. 

Detective:

Did he say anything?

 

Merriwether:

Yeah. I think he did. 

Detective:

Did he ask for money? Threaten you? 

Merriwether:

No.

Detective:

You sure? 

Merriwether:

Yeah. 

Detective:

Well. What did he say? 

Merriwether:

Said something like “nice cane.” 

Detective:

Is that all?  

Merriwether:

Hell no. Like I told you and the other fella. He reached for my cane. 

Detective:

Then what? 

Merriwether:

I hit him with it. 

Detective:

How many times? 

Merriwether:

I don’t know. I kinda lost count. 

Detective:

Did you feel threatened at any time? 

Merriwether:

Hell yeah. Bum comes out of the dark. Reaches for my cane. Thought for sure he was gonna bash my head in. 

Detective:

Ok. I think that’s all. 

Merriwether:

Can I go now? 

Detective:

Just a little more paperwork. Are you comfortable? Want some coffee? 

Merriwether:

Sure. 

Thinking about Granddad always made him sweat a little. But examining the travel medallions on the cane bought back good memories along with the sweating. 

So many places he and Granddad had traveled. All over Europe, some parts of Asia. Even Australia. Granddad sure was the traveler.  

But then there were the times when he had not pleased Granddad. Didn’t sit up straight enough at the dinner table. Or wasn’t polite to the porter. Maybe just because. Then Granddad let the cane do the talking. Funny thing was, after Granddad passed, only thing of Granddad’s he wanted was the cane. 

Detective comes back with coffee. 

Detective:

Sure is nice cane. What are all those emblems? (Reaching for cane.) We’ll have to put it in evidence. 

Merriwether:

Don’t touch my cane.

Just a Couple of Guys and a Gal

The following is a short story, “flash fiction” if you will, I wrote last summer at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. Hope it’s a brief diversion on a cold winter’s day.

 

John, a tidy man in his 40’s, is sipping wine while chopping veggies for dinner at the kitchen island.  Jake, a straggled, over-heated man in his early thirties, sits across from John on a stool, drinking a beer.

 

John:

Jake, you know we agreed we’d use that money for the wine and cooking classes tour of Italy.

 

Jake:

Yeah, but…

 

John:

I hate it when you ‘Yeah, but’, me.

 

Jake:

Lately you seem to hate everything I do. I think you hate HER.

 

John:

I do not. It’s just time to let her go.

 

Jake:

Let her go? Let her go?

 

John:

Stop repeating yourself. You know how I hate that.

 

Jake:

I can’t say anything any more without you saying you hate it. Or her.

 

John:

I don’t hate her. She’s had a very good life. She was very beautiful. But she’s become a black hole--sucking your time and our money.

 

 

 

 

Jake:

She has not. You know I love her. And I don’t mind the time or money.

 

John:

You should be spending more of your time with me.

 

Jake:

I do spend time with you.

 

John:

Not like you used to. Every night it’s the same old thing. You sneak off…

 

Jake:

I do not sneak. You know where I’m going.

 

John:

You sneak. And you lie.

 

Jake:

That’s really unfair.

 

John:

You say you’ll only be a few minutes. An hour at most. Then hours later come crawling back home, all sweaty. And smelling of her.

 

Jake:

Well, I enjoy my time with her. And the time gets away from me.

 

John:

But the real thing is the money. That $10,000 is for our wine and cooking tour. You KNOW that.

 

Jake:

That's just what you’ve always said. I never agreed.

 

John:

Yes—you did.

 

Jake:

I did not. And besides, after the new carburetor and rods and rear end, you know—you’ll enjoy riding in her as much as I do.