guard their turf like pit bulls guarding a bone. Just for the heck of it, let’s check with the Monk to see what’s what. He’s never too hard to find.”
“The monk?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, dearie . He’s a homeless guy who likens his plight to the monastic life. He considers his life on the street as a religious pursuit. Rationalization can be a useful tool, don’t you think?” Maggie grinned at Mary Jean then looked back at the road. “He usually hangs around Broadway and H Street, never strays too far, and always seems to keep up on what’s going on.”
They had driven just a few blocks when Maggie p o inted to her left. “There he is.” S he made a left and drove into a parking lot. “Let me have that picture, dear. ” Maggie took possession of the photo as she pulled up close to a scruffy- looking guy sitting Indian fashion on the pavement with his back against a building.
“ Hola , my friend, que paso ?” Maggie killed the engine. The character in a dirty army jacket and dark blue knit cap slowly stood and walked towards Maggie’s pickup until he was within arm’s reach of the driver’s door. “How are you doing today, my friend?”
“Very fine, very fine, Maggie. It’s days like this when I can really feel the presence of the Lord. Anyone can pick a bright sunny day to feel the joy and splendor of God , but we must suffer to be rewarded.”
“Good, good. Well what I stopped for, d earie was to ask you a question.” S he held the picture directly in front of his face. “You see that clock on the mantel piece there? It seems it may have been left outside in an alley near Rogers and Olive, and someone might have mistakenly thought it was being thrown away. We’re trying to find it.”
The Monk stared closely at the photo. “Ah, a pyramid. You know the Sleeping Prophet predicted the secret to life would one day be found in the great Pyramids of Egypt. He was right about so many things. I don’t suppose we should automatically doubt him about that.”
“I suppose not.”
“Precise heights, precise angles, the great monuments in Egypt were used as a tomb, but they might have also been landmarks for beings of anot her planet or another dimension.” H e studied the picture for several more seconds. “That shape sure doesn’t make a very good looking clock though. Damn that thing is ugly.”
“We were just curious if you might know who might have picked it up.”
“Let’s see, Rogers and Olive? That would probably be Dirty Fr ank, Renegade, or Red Hat Patty.” H e rubbed his scruffy beard with his dirty hand. “Now Frank and Renegade go almost exclusively for direct recyclables, so Red Hat Patty would be my guess.”
“Do you know where we can find her?”
“She’s normally at Uncle Tom’s at six a.m. for an eye opener, and she’ll be there at happy hour if she has a good day. She’s easy to spot. She’s a tiny woman always wearing some type of red hat. She’s been busted so many times she doesn’t like drinking on the street, bu t I don’t mind. She drinks beer.” H e smiled. “So do I .”
Maggie nodded, and turned to Mary Jean. “Do you have a couple of bucks?” MJ checked her coin purse. She had exactly a couple of bucks that she handed to Maggie who passed them on to the Monk. “Well, thank you, dearie . I hope y our information proves fruitful.” S he started her truck. “Thanks again, dearie . You take care.”
“Maggie,” t he Monk said as he grabbed Maggie’s door. “Every evening with the darkness of night I fear a change. I feel I might be possessed by demons.”
“Oh, that’s okay, dearie , we all feel Satan’s hand every so often. Just t ry real hard to behave yourself.” S he patted him on the forearm. “ Now you take care and stay warm.” S he put the truck in gear, and pulled away.
“I guess hooking up with this Red Hat Patty is our next move,” Maggie said after they had driven a few blocks.
“Kind of a shot in the dark
“The monk?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, dearie . He’s a homeless guy who likens his plight to the monastic life. He considers his life on the street as a religious pursuit. Rationalization can be a useful tool, don’t you think?” Maggie grinned at Mary Jean then looked back at the road. “He usually hangs around Broadway and H Street, never strays too far, and always seems to keep up on what’s going on.”
They had driven just a few blocks when Maggie p o inted to her left. “There he is.” S he made a left and drove into a parking lot. “Let me have that picture, dear. ” Maggie took possession of the photo as she pulled up close to a scruffy- looking guy sitting Indian fashion on the pavement with his back against a building.
“ Hola , my friend, que paso ?” Maggie killed the engine. The character in a dirty army jacket and dark blue knit cap slowly stood and walked towards Maggie’s pickup until he was within arm’s reach of the driver’s door. “How are you doing today, my friend?”
“Very fine, very fine, Maggie. It’s days like this when I can really feel the presence of the Lord. Anyone can pick a bright sunny day to feel the joy and splendor of God , but we must suffer to be rewarded.”
“Good, good. Well what I stopped for, d earie was to ask you a question.” S he held the picture directly in front of his face. “You see that clock on the mantel piece there? It seems it may have been left outside in an alley near Rogers and Olive, and someone might have mistakenly thought it was being thrown away. We’re trying to find it.”
The Monk stared closely at the photo. “Ah, a pyramid. You know the Sleeping Prophet predicted the secret to life would one day be found in the great Pyramids of Egypt. He was right about so many things. I don’t suppose we should automatically doubt him about that.”
“I suppose not.”
“Precise heights, precise angles, the great monuments in Egypt were used as a tomb, but they might have also been landmarks for beings of anot her planet or another dimension.” H e studied the picture for several more seconds. “That shape sure doesn’t make a very good looking clock though. Damn that thing is ugly.”
“We were just curious if you might know who might have picked it up.”
“Let’s see, Rogers and Olive? That would probably be Dirty Fr ank, Renegade, or Red Hat Patty.” H e rubbed his scruffy beard with his dirty hand. “Now Frank and Renegade go almost exclusively for direct recyclables, so Red Hat Patty would be my guess.”
“Do you know where we can find her?”
“She’s normally at Uncle Tom’s at six a.m. for an eye opener, and she’ll be there at happy hour if she has a good day. She’s easy to spot. She’s a tiny woman always wearing some type of red hat. She’s been busted so many times she doesn’t like drinking on the street, bu t I don’t mind. She drinks beer.” H e smiled. “So do I .”
Maggie nodded, and turned to Mary Jean. “Do you have a couple of bucks?” MJ checked her coin purse. She had exactly a couple of bucks that she handed to Maggie who passed them on to the Monk. “Well, thank you, dearie . I hope y our information proves fruitful.” S he started her truck. “Thanks again, dearie . You take care.”
“Maggie,” t he Monk said as he grabbed Maggie’s door. “Every evening with the darkness of night I fear a change. I feel I might be possessed by demons.”
“Oh, that’s okay, dearie , we all feel Satan’s hand every so often. Just t ry real hard to behave yourself.” S he patted him on the forearm. “ Now you take care and stay warm.” S he put the truck in gear, and pulled away.
“I guess hooking up with this Red Hat Patty is our next move,” Maggie said after they had driven a few blocks.
“Kind of a shot in the dark
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