SoulStone
#56; Courtroom
days later
“Mr. Winslow” the Judge said. “Considering the circumstances, and the fact that you had no weapons, the court has decided not to press charges. You are free to go.”
“Thank you your honor.” Shelby knew how to talk to judges. He had watched Perry Mason when he was younger. MUCH younger. It seemed like fifty years ago. Come to think it, it had been fifty years ago.
He was sitting in a standard wheelchair provided by the county. His custom track chair had vanished. The court bailiff pushed him from the courtroom to the front door of the Courthouse. As they passed down the hallway the bailiff chattered.
“I saw pictures of what happened to those gang-bangers.” He said. “It was an abattoir. Those poor fools shot each other and chopped and sliced each other to pieces in the dark. What’d you do? Just lie low and let them fight each other?”
“What do you intend to do?” The bailiff asked him. “The gangs aren’t very happy with you. Bubba, your cell mate, isn’t very happy either. By the way, the Judge was tickled about that. Odd the way Bubba tripped and fell in the shower.”
“I figure business as usual.” Shelby said. “They’ll just have to learn that if they fuck with the Bull they’ll get the horns. I won’t be so gentle next time.”
The bailiff fairly gaped at him. This was not the reaction he had expected. “ You mean you did that intentionally? It wasn’t an accident.?
Shelby didn’t say anything more. He just looked at the bailiff.
The bailiff broke the silence. “Do you have any money? When’s the last time you had a meal?”
“No I don’t have any money.” Shelby replied. “All of my money as well as all of my other belongings, including my track chair, disappeared while I was in custody. Imagine that. I don’t know when I ate last. I don’t remember.”
The bailiff looked at him in alarm. Shelby wasn’t behaving according to expectations. “You don’t recall when you’ve last eaten?”
“Nope” Shelby was angry at the memory of his time in jail.“I think they fed me while I was locked up. If they did it wasn’t a memorable meal. I can’t remember.”
“I tell you what.” the bailiff said “I’ll call my senior husband. He’ll meet you in the coffee shop down the street.”
“Um...ok.” Shelby said. “Coffee shop. Right.”
“Yes. I know the owner and I’ll text him.” The bailiff said, totally missing the sarcasm ”He’ll be expecting you and give you a place to sit by yourself. My husband should be there soon.”
“Your husband?” Shelby repeated. “How will I recognize him?”
“Oh you’ll recognize him all right.” The bailiff said with a laugh. “He’s as big as a bear, has a bushy white beard, kind of like yours as a matter of fact, and he’s black as midnight.”
“Oh…” Shelby said, thinking of Sam.
“Does he have a wooden leg?” he asked.
The bailiff looked at Shelby in astonishment. “How in the world did you know that?”
“Lucky guess.” Shelby said.
“The coffee shop is that way.” The bailiff pointed. “About three blocks. Be careful crossing the streets. I wouldn’t want to have to give you a ticket for jaywalking.” he grinned, making a joke.
Then he blanched.
Uh...you’ll have to leave the wheel chair here.” The Bailiff mumbled. He hadn’t considered that. He didn’t know what to do.
“Yes mother” Shelby said automatically.
The bailiff watched in awe when Shelby easily swung out of the wheelchair and began knuckle galloping down the street. Shelby was moving faster than some of the pedestrians. Shelby was close enough to the ground that he was hard to see. It wasn’t long before he was out of sight. A bird or perhaps a bat flew after him. Surely it wasn’t a bat, was it?
The bailiff went back inside shaking his head in bewilderment.
The Next Episode is
#57: Cafe Down Town
The Previous Episode was
#55: Combat!
the First episode was
#1 : Prologue
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@everittdmickey
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I write
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Sucks his wheelchair is gone, he will have to install a "go home" wi-fi command into the next chair. It was kind of cool, I guessed sort-of right about the judge.
next chair?
that's SO last century..
Well on his impending new legs, a walk to last known home command. I can see it now, poor little old man feeding the pigeons at the park, looks up in amazement as a pair of mechanical legs walk by without an owner.
Really funny I like it .and the most amazing part are :
“Oh you’ll recognize him all right.” The bailiff said with a laugh. “He’s as big as a bear, has a bushy white beard, kind of like yours as a matter of fact, and he’s black as midnight.”