The Trespassing Crew by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Chapter 8
A few days later the confusing thoughts recurred and they went to see the two biggest prisoners.
Pablo: “Hi cranky. Can we get your outlook on things again?”
Zelda correctly assumed he was talking to her and retorted;
“Sure, welcome to my nightmare.”
Apple: “We’ve been talking to Charlie and Charlene. I don’t think Charlie would ever want to leave here. I’m guessing a bit at Charlene, but I think she’s not perfectly contented here.”
Efscot: “To each their own.”
Pablo: “Well, Charlie has a legitimate fear. He’d be in danger out there and he could easily get killed.”
Zelda: “I suppose he’d favor the walking death in here.”
Efscot: “Zelda is extreme. Sometimes I think she can only see black or white. Gray doesn’t exist in her little brain.”
Zelda: “Excellent perception, waffler. If you haven’t noticed, things are either on or off, there is no in between.”
Efscot: “But they might be on for you and off for Charlie at the same time. If you’ve forgotten, you’re a horse and coyotes will not attack you. Most other things will also pay
your size proper respect. It’s easy to be brave when you’re the biggest thing around.”
Zelda affected an extremely bored tone and deadpanned; “A horse does have fewer problems, but there are things like bear, mountain lions and humans that aren’t particularly afraid of me.”
Apple: “You’d risk being killed by a mountain lion to be out of here?”
Zelda: “Of course.”
Pablo: “Then why haven’t you tried to escape?”
Zelda: “Because by the time we can kick down the gates, we’ve made enough noise to get Joe and Mary’s attention. They come out and bring us back to the stalls and repair the gates.
But, I’ll tell you a big secret. When Joe and Mary have workers here, they often get sloppy about closing the gates properly.
When that happens again, Efscot and I are heading for the hills no matter what. The problem is that we need them to get sloppy with three gates at the same time; my stall, his stall and the outside gate.”
Pablo: “Has that ever happened?”
Efscot: “Frankly, no. We’ve been watching for years and the best we’ve ever seen were two open.”
Apple: “You might be waiting for the impossible.”
Zelda: “So far you’re right. But, if I don’t have some hope, no matter how unlikely, I might as well kill myself.”
Pablo: “I won’t allow that. You’re our friends and we like talking to you.”
Zelda was refreshed by the silly show of concern and said;
“Thanks, I’ll reconsider.” She laughed warmly and made an air kiss in Pablo’s direction.
Apple: “Seriously, don’t you like seeing us as much as we do you?”
Zelda sighed and emphatically said; “Yes, I love seeing you. I see your young curious lives, still having every possibility open and it takes me away to a nice place.”
Pablo and Apple understood that somewhat, but not precisely. But, they knew it was a good thing to say. They said goodbye and went off to do an interview with the dogs.
They saw Dominick and Vanessa playing some kind of chase game, mostly Dominick chasing Vanessa. If the situation were reversed, it wouldn’t be much of a game, as she could catch him too easily.
Pablo tried to joke and said; “Hey, Vanessa, don’t wear out the little guy.”
Vanessa laughed, though Dominick was annoyed and he flatly responded; “All you self-assured big animals put together could not wear me out.”
Vanessa saw Dominick’s seriousness, but laughed again, saying; “I can testify to that.”
Apple: “Wouldn’t you guys like more room in which to run around?”
Dominick: “You’re talking about being outside of here again, aren’t you? We’ve never been there, have plenty of space to run around here and I’m told there are gangs of coyotes out there that might want me or Vanessa for dinner.”
Vanessa: “Coyotes aren’t likely to bother me, mostly because of my size. But also because, being a Dalmatian, I intimidate many things. We were bred by the gypsies in Eastern Europe to guard the wagons and to run along with them when they were moving. So, we’re big enough, fierce enough and in good enough condition to do a lot of damage if we feel like it. Many of us do, but not me. I’d probably be pretty safe out there, but I’m not leaving my little love here.”
Dominick felt insulted and said; “Little again. How many times do I have to be reminded?”
Everyone laughed at Dominick’s plight.
Now, Dominick was visibly angry and issued a brave challenge; “I’ll go anyplace anyone else has the nerve to go and I’ll be fine as they are. If something gets on my nerves, I know how to take care of myself.”
Vanessa: “You think you can handle six coyotes at once?
They don’t come at you one at a time. They work in groups.”
Dominick: “So, you think you can handle six at once?”
Vanessa: “I wouldn’t have to worry about them attacking me until they got you first. Coyotes are smart enough not to go after big things until all the little easier things are gone.”
Dominick: “Now it’s little AND easier. Okay, end of conversation. Bottom line, whenever anybody has the gumption to go, I will be with them. Period.”
Vanessa nuzzled Dominick’s snout with her own and said; “I want to keep you around a while, so, I’m staying here.”
Apple: “If we all were close together, a kind of union, we’d have some protection. I’m learning that my hooves can do severe damage and maybe Pablo and I can protect both of you.”
Pablo: “You sound like you’re getting a real taste for adventure.”
Apple: “I did, didn’t I? I didn’t realize that when the thought came to mind. I guess, now that I’m thinking out loud, that I’m a curious girl.” She giggled.
Vanessa to Dominick: “Do you really think you’d have a good time out there?”
Dominick: “I want to see everything too. I probably just have to be a little more careful than Apple and Pablo.”
Pablo and Apple were surprised at what they were hearing and they also were surprised at what they, themselves had said.
Dominick: “So, when are we all going?”
They all laughed.
Pablo: “I really didn’t expect the conversation to take this direction. You may not know that Efscot and Zelda desperately want to get out of here and they’ve felt that way for some time. They’re excellent protection for all of us.”
Apple: “It sounds like we’re getting close to ‘Let’s do it’.”
Pablo: “Yeah, but, let’s try to keep all of us together.
We’re a family and want to stay together. Tomorrow, we’ll talk to the goats. They probably have some issues of their own.
Sometime later we’ll have to convince Charlie. It sounds like Charlene is already on the fence. Maybe if we gave them rides whenever they wanted one, without limitation, they’d take the final leap.”
Vanessa: “This is exciting. I feel like a criminal.”
Dominick: “I feel like a warrior.”
Pablo and Apple were just listening at this point. They weren’t sure what they felt like. They didn’t start today with any sense of what was to come. Maybe they felt like they were being carried by a tide of unknown origin.