Wally - @Short Story

Wally - 3

Wally - 3

by sloanranger

When they'd finished eating, the boys took their dishes up to the bar. It wasn't necessary but they liked to stay on the bar-keep's good side.

Every once in a while if the cold cuts were almost gone he'd say, "Finish 'em kids." And flies or no - they did.

It was three-thirty, later that afternoon when Wally and Levy left school for their spot; the paper truck got there at four with the evening editions. A block and a half away they spotted someone at their corner. Levy gave Wally's arm a side swat.

"Yeah, I see." Wally said.

As they got closer, the boys recognized him. A huge guy, his name was Alf. He'd worked at several jobs around the neighborhood, never for very long. He was ticket seller at the movies until they fired him; rumored that he'd been caught stealing.

A known bully around town who would take stuff off anyone smaller than him, the kids all knew to avoid him. Some of the grown ups gave him a wide berth, too. 

"Cripes," Levy said, as they got closer.

"Double down on that," Wally said.

Alf was wearing a black peacoat with a red knit cap stretched and pulled down over his ears. His right eye-tooth was missing and he had a habit of always sticking his tongue in the space. He thought it made him look tough. He was right. The two boys stopped about seven yards from him. He looked down at the kids and sniggered.

"Well, well, lookee here. What the hell you want?"

"You're on our spot," Levy said. "This is our corner."

"S'at so, Hebe? You got some kind of deed or somethin,' makes it your spot?"

"It's our spot," Wally joined Levy, his voice determined.

"S'at right, shrimp." He took in the other kid.

"Listen, the both a'ya's, from now on this is my spot. You got it?"

"Levy yelled: "You can't just steal our corner like that, you ape!"

Before either of the boys could react Alf picked Levy up by the front of his jacket and threw him. Levy's back hit the brick building behind and he landed sprawled on the concrete, his legs out in front of him.

Wally ran to his friend. "You all right, Levy?" He turned to the hooligan:

"I'll get you for that."

"S'at right, shrimp?" Alf's lip curled in a frightening grimace. "Scram, the both a'yas. If I see you around here again, you'll wish I didn't."

Wally pulled his friend to his feet and took Levy's arm for support. He turned and gave the bully a cold look. "Remember, I told you."

Alf made as if to lunge and the two boys took off running. 

(To be continued).