From 9AM until almost noon I was with a junior detectives, or his assistant. I was explaining that I had dated Earl’s mother. Earl and I obviously didn’t get along. He came to visit me, we argued and he tried to pull the pistol on me. I managed to convince him to put the pistol down. Then I called the police. That’s all there was to it.

No I had no idea what he did for a living. No I had no idea what he was involved with. As far as I knew he was just Ester’s kid. Ester was the sister of a guy I worked with. I explained it all over and over again. “I had no idea why he didn’t like me,” I repeated at least three times.

After fifteen minutes or so waiting in the small room, I told the hole story to the junior detective. I’m sure the story didn’t vary at all. I had a feeling they were looking at Earl for more than the fight. If they were, good on them. I just wanted it to end.

I got home in time to take Jed for a walk. We did the whole six miles. It was just our second six mile walk. Honestly it was getting to be more of a hike than a walk. I suppose the fact that I began carrying a water bottle made it a hike.

Since I started leaving my phone at home during our walks, I had a text message when I returned home ... you didn’t come to breakfast. Are you ok ... J

I messaged her back that ... I am fine. Just a little errand took longer than I expected. Talk after work please.

Then I rode the two wheeler while the scooter’s batteries charged. I had run it pretty had around lunch. The two wheeler took me to pickup my cards and printing. I was able to hang the plastic bags onto the bike for the ride home.

When I left his shop, the bag held the cards and one of the signs. The printer glued one of the signs to the sandwich board for me. He used some paper to separate the halves while the glue dried. Since he did that, I was able to leave right away.

With the lithium batteries, the scooter’s power pack was charged when I arrived home. I set the two wheeler’s trailer on to charge.

“Hello,” I said into the phone.

“What the fuck were you thinking,” Ester said. “He might have given it all up.”

“I gave up nothing other than a punk kid who pulled a gun on me. Anything else they had already. I have no idea what they have,” I explained.

“If he rolls, Ned may have you both killed before it gets to him,” Ester said.

“Honey Ned is not the mafia. He’s just a truck driver,” I said.

“We will see,” she said.

“Yes we will,” I replied.

Three years inside teaches you lessons you don’t easily forget. One of mine was don’t waste your time worrying, unless you are willing to act. If you decide to act do it at a time and place of your own choosing. Otherwise let the dice roll baby.

I hated being back in that mindset, but there I was. I decided that for now none of them were a real threat. I also decided that I was too old to spend more time inside. I didn’t have anything to trade, so I had nothing of any value to the DA. Ester and her family had pulled me into their sick family shit. I should have just said no the first time they asked me to drive.

I was into the shit now. I wasn’t deep in it, and I didn’t want to turn rat, so I planned to just keep keeping on. I spoke to Jewel before she left for school so I was clear for an early bedtime. I slept on the sofa until Jed wanted to go out. After which I moved to the bedroom.

First thing the next morning I released Jed into the yard on his cable. While he walked around sniffing, I dressed in my house clothes. While I dressed the coffee brewed, so when I brought Jed in there was coffee. I fed him, then put him out again just in case. I also left him out while I rode the two wheeler to the senior center. I couldn’t sign up for a space, but I was number twelve on the list. From there I went to eat at the Down Town Diner.

Jewel looked great and seemed to be in a hell of a mood. She told me she planned to spend the whole next day with Michael and Rhonda. It was payback for the two of them taking care of her. I rode home and spent the day thinking about all the crap my life had turned into. So much for a quiet retirement, I thought

I spent the remainder of that day thinking that I had a space in their parking lot the next day. I checked the bike and trailer ten time ten times before went to bed.

The receptionist didn’t explain that the parking lot spaces were allotted. All of them first went to farmers, who sold food items to the senior citizens. I thought that was fair. When all those vendors were accommodated, they allowed the rest of us in by our sign up order on the master list. I was number 12. Since it was winter, there were spaces. I had a lot of people look at the bike. I offered to meet them for a test ride one day the next week.

At the end of the day I had given away twenty cards. I figured that wasn’t bad for an old folks event. I didn’t think any of them were hot leads. I was about to lose interest in the project. I was thinking seriously about keeping them both for myself. I needed two since I didn’t have anyone to call when things went to shit.

While I wallowed in doubt, things were happening. I got a call from a man I had showed it to earlier he wanted one for his tree hugging son. I met the two of them in a closed cotton mill parking lot after I left the senior center at noon. The twenty something kid rode the bike all over the parking lot before he asked me the price.

“The parts are all new except the wheels. Those I procured from a salvage yard. I guarantee to repair or replace any part on the trailer for one year. Of course owner abuse is not covered. The price including the guarantee is $550.