Oscar’s eye glinted as he held up a medium-sized paper bag. “Look what I got!”
“Is that full of sweets? You spent all your—” My voice was raising and I remembered I wasn’t supposed to be treating him like my kid. So I moderated my tone and volume. “You spent all your money on that stuff?”
“Maybe there’s something else in this bag, Jimmy. Did you ever think of that?” He grinned. “Anyway, it’s my money, and I can spend it how I want.”
T’wasourmoney, but t’was true that I’d given him some to spend how he wanted.
“Fine. Don’t come to me when your teeth fall out.”
“I won’t.” He smirked. “Anyway, are we done here? I’d like to go to Jensen’s for a drink, if you don’t mind.”
I nodded. “I reckon we can do that. The weather’s still fine, but we can’t stay too long. We got to pack up Poke and get home.”
“Sure, I know. But it would be nice to see Carson and Tim, if they’re there.”
“True. I’d like to get their outlook on Clarence and Irene. They seem all right, but it’s a good idea to mention them and see what Carson says.”
When we walked into Jensen’s, Carson was at the bar. He smiled and waved to us.
“Hey! How’s that horse working out, Oscar? Afternoon, Jimmy.”
“Afternoon,” I said, finding a seat on a high stool.
“She’s a dream. Thank you for finding her for us,” Oscar said, sitting on the stool next to mine.
“I’m glad she’s worked out for you. What’ll you have?”
“I’ll have a pint of whatever’s on tap,” Oscar said.
“Same here,” I echoed. A beer would quench my thirst nicely.
As Carson disappeared to fill a pitcher from the cold barrel, I turned to Oscar. “We don’t have time for more than one.”
“All right, though I’m feeling a bit peckish.”
“Where’d you put that bag of candy?”
“It’s here in my pocket. I ain’t hungry for any of that, though. I need something more substantial.”
“Well, I don’t know. When Carson comes back, ask him what he’s got.”
“Fine.”
We had Carson bring us some bread and cheese with our beers, just to take the edge off. We’d had a hearty breakfast before we’d left, and we’d have supper when we got back—probably a can of beans warmed up with some of the fresh bread we’d bought.
“Carson,” I said, while we sipped our beers and enjoyed our snack. “You know anything about Clarence and Irene Trelawney? They live near to our place.”
Carson nodded, “Yeah, I know them. They’re good folks. Been out there about, let me see, must be six or so years, now.”
“Clarence brought Oscar back during a storm the other night.”
“I was all right,” Oscar scoffed.
“You was lost in that storm,” I said, a little more harshly than I’d intended, and I dialed it back a bit. “Anyway, they seem all right. Irene’s friendly but Clarence is a bit standoffish. Still, I’m grateful he helped Oscar.”
“Yeah, Clarence is like that. Don’t take it personal.”
“Okay, I won’t. Thank you.”
