"I'll get back to you"

"Hey can you buy me a beer?" Asked Dave. "I got the money." He was sitting on a park bench by the bus stop looking scruffy, tired, hopeful. "I've had a bad day, I fell down a lot. Come on."

I'd been taking pictures, so I was moving slowly. I stopped. He was missing a leg.
"You want a beer?"
"You bet. Blue Dry 7.1. Boy I'm tired."
"Can I take your picture?" I asked.
"Whatt're you going to use it for?" Dave looked suspicious, but not for long.
"Nothing much."
"I'm gonna be famous!" He gave a big grin, showing off a lot of gum, not many teeth.

My cousin stopped taking pictures of shadows and lamp posts and came over.



"What's your name?" She asked Dave. He looked at her.
"I'll get back to you," he said.
He fished two twoonies from his fanny pack, and handed them to me. "You can throw in the extra dollar fifty?" he asked, winking. What could I say, I was charmed.
"Sure."
"Hey, remember 7.1. Don't take off with my money." He turned to my cousin. "Is she going to take off with my money?"

I went across the street for the huge bottle of Labatt Blue. When I got back, he opened the bottle and sucked on it happily. "Now I can be a drunk with style," he said. "Hey what are your names?"
"I'm Sarah."
"What?"
"Sarah."
"Who?"
"My name is Sarah." He still didn't get it. I tried another tactic.
"Tina. My name is Tina," I said.
"Oh Tina!" He smiled. "Nice to meet you."


Sherbrooke Ouest