What Was That?
by Marvin Pinkis
"What was
that?" Carol bolted upright.
Her bedside
clock read ten to ten. Thin sunlight streamed
through moth-eaten drapes. She addressed a furry
ball on the floor, the ball with a tail,. "Cosmo,
bad dog. You were to bark me awake at nine-thirty.
"
The
disturbance, shoveling nearby, wasn’t just
the wind. Sensing its mistress's concern, Cosmo
sprang into action, growled faintly and curled up
in a corner.
"Heaven’s
sake. To get something done around here, gonna
have to do it herself." Carol sauntered to
the window, pulled the drapes apart, more
material to shredded.
She identified
the figure in the next door backyard as Mr.
Gregorian digging, casting furtive looks in all
directions- west, north, southwest and the others.
Alongside the hole something, about five foot
seven and a half inches long, lay wrapped in a
sheet and yesterday's newspaper. Carol remembered
the headlines, "Voluptuous Vixen's
Disappearance Vexes Police."
Carol chuckled
"He's at it again. Poor soul will kill
himself if he keeps it up." She noticed the
day before, a stunning blonde at Mr. Gregorian's
front door. When he admitted her, it struck Carol
that he had cast furtive glances in all
directions.
"You know,
Cosie, there's a steady stream of stunning
sexpots going in and out there. At least, in."
Cosmo did not
respond.
She bade Cosmo,
"Do the dog thing, go there and sniff around.
"
Cosmo sulked.
A morning
later Carol read the newspaper while imbibing an
iced mocha triple espresso latte and voiced,
"Lookie, Cosmo, this headline in the Post-Herald-Clarion-Tribune,
'Stunning Blonde Still Missing.' What's going on?
AND 20% off at Walmart all day. Now, that's news."
Carol startled
Gregorian one day when she asked, "Digging
to China?" Was it time to move on as he ran
out of yard? Or, end the snoopiness at its source?
Later, Carol
saw Gregorian carry from his house an awkward
bundle, one end flopping crazily. "Need help?"
she shouted.
"Check
this headline, Cos. 'Busty Brunette. Where is She?
'" Cosmo seemed indifferent.
The police
questioned the missing woman's friend, Bubbles B.,
who said, 'Last time I saw her she was gonna see
this Gregorian guy. At 13846 S.E. 373rd Street, a
grayish house with a mutilated back yard. Besides
that, I can't help you.' The police remain
befuddled.'"
Shortly, a
"Ravishing Redhead" was unaccounted for.
Carol glimpsed Gregorian and heard faint singing
as her neighbor dug away. Carol ignored the dirge
sound, assuming it was Gregorian chanting.
When did the
guy find time to eat or sleep, with all his
visitors, without exception, female.
Her doorbell rang. Answering the door, skimpily
dressed, there stood Gregorian, also skimpily
dressed. He said, "I know you mind your own
business, but I expected someone today and nobody
showed up."
"What
does she look like?"
"I'm not
sure. The ad, under Personals, read: ‘Me -
successful excavating contractor, suave, calls a
spade a spade. You - at least 36 bust, depressed,
must like dirt.’”
Carol answered,
“ I haven't seen anyone."
He fulminated.
"Drat, I cancelled another engagement. My
day is open. You available for a drink and a bite
to eat? I cook good and I have deep feelings.
Cutie like you needs company, dig?"
"What
time?"
|
