I was idling at a red light, enjoying the cool evening air, when Kathyrn and some dogs I didn't recognize crossed in front of me. Damn, I haven't seen her for at least six years - she still looks great; I swear she looks younger, but that doesn't surprise me.
She always seemed happy and healthy, even when times were tough.
That's when we met- during tough times. Kathyrn owned a small novelty shop next to the comicbook store that I managed from 1990-97. It was in a not-good part of town, but near enough to campus to get college business and rent was cheap enough to make the location seem plausible for retail...
Her store was called 'World of Mirth' and sold everything from boxing nun puppets to exploding gum.
Need some fake vomit? Check!
A glossy hardcover coffeetable book of WWII pin-up gals? Roger that!
Little capsules that turn into dinosaurs when you drop them in water? Yep!
How about a wind-up mechanical rat? Got it!
We weren't really friends outside of our shops, but we did share a certain shopkeeper camraderie - we both ran stores on a block that was pretty bad- the local college had been (still is) waiting for all businesses on it to close so it could purchase the land for pennies- the area was left to rot and was known for it's beggars, dealers, muggers and transvestite hookers.
Sometimes we'd grab a drink 'round the corner bar and "talk shop".
Usually we'd drink tequila and talk about what a shitty location our stores were in.
She moved her store to a better street after a year or so, but I digress...back to this evening...
I smiled at her and waved through the windshield- I was certain she'd say 'hello' at least, but she just smiled, shrugged and held up a tangle of leashes.
My hands are full of dogs, she seemed to say.
Oh well.
She sure does look good.
I know that she's my age, but she looks ten years younger.
Time has been very kind to Kathyrn, I thought.
The light turned green and I drove about a mile before I remembered that Kathyrn, her husband and their three children had been murdered at the very beginning of last year.
Time is a son-of-a bitch, I thought.
10 comments:
did you write this b4? I seem to remember it.
holy shit!..goose bump time...
CM- Yeah, I did. I saw the woman who looks like Kathryn again yesterday- it spooks me even though I know it's not her.
Wow! What an ending. It took my breath away. I can't imagine how you felt.
My first time by here...sort of by accident.
I really enjoyed this post. I'm intrigued with the idea of people seeming younger as time goes by. The ultimate would be for someone to say, "You look younger than the last time I saw you."
Hey Allan! You amaze me once again...chills, chills. Reading your blog has become such a highlight of my day...your writing never fails to evoke an emotional response, the kind that reminds one "hey, I'm alive!" thanks again for your kind words, re: my blog...catch ya on the flip side! E. XX
Got me right in the solar plexus with that one my friend. Excellent writing of a chilling story.
Whim- Breath easy, pleezy!
Lucia- Howdy! Thanks for the words.
E- Your comments bring me joy. Or is it Joy?
Skeet- That was you earlier? Cool. Hope all's well.
I had remembered the story of her family being murdered in their house, so I was trying to figure out if it was a flashback post or what heh. Did they ever catch the people that did it?
oooh, i wonder who kathryn-with-the-dogs was then...
Post a Comment