Kennedy Hoss of Musket

Chapter 4: Allegations

I ride my bike the rest of the way to Allderman's, considering what Hal has just told me. Hadn't I read somewhere that old people were really good at predicting whether? Or was that sheep? Why was I even worrying in the first place?

One of the things I've learned to realize is that there are two types of crazy people out there: absolute psychos like Hannibal Lecter or schizophrenics who show clear signs of insanity, and hidden crazies that act completely normal for the most part but are actually crazy like Norman Bates. My father sometimes says that politicians are a type of crazy, too but I've never been able to figure out if he's kidding or not. Hal Tennison is some-what of a hidden crazy. We know he has mental problems, we just don't know what they are. That's why people have told me time and time again to remember this if anything Hal says worries me or goes to my head. I can be very gullible sometimes, I guess.

When I walk into Allderman's, the cent of cinnamon wafts through the air. You can usually tell what Dr. Rosary is doing based on the smell alone.

Though it looks small, Allderman's is actually 6 services in one: pharmaceuticals, groceries, a doctor's/pediatrician's office, a hospital, an operation center, and if all else fails, a crematorium. The main section is the pharmacy, where upon entering to your left there's the cash register on a counter decked with bags of hard candies and chocolate bars, and then a long display case filed with even more candy that stretches to the other side of the wall by the refrigerators that hold the sugary drinks and assorted bits of food. Along that wall you'll find a few comic T-Shirts and apparel, some assorted toys and gags for a dollar are two rotating racks, and office and school supplies. Next to the oppose supplies on the wall opposite the entrance there's a display of various magazines, and a cube-shaped counter where you get your vaccines. Next to that there's an ancient scale where you can weigh yourself for a penny. By that is a door that leads to the dentist-doctor's office. The right-hand wall is completely taken up by shelves containing sleep medications, breast pumps, eye droppers, humidifiers, ace bandages, antibiotic ointment, grape and cherry Tylenol, Flintstone vitamins, and other assortments of such things. In the right hand corner opposite the door is the highest counter I have ever seen where you get your prescriptions. Behind there is a bunch of shelves containing bottles of all sizes and colors, and a door leading to downstairs where you get operations and cremations done. A scent of candy canes means a surgery is happening, vanilla means cremation, butterscotch means a checkup, and cinnamon means..

"Ohhh!" moans Windy as she walks towards the counter followed by her mother and Dr. Rosary.

"Hi Windy," I wave. She gives me a meek smile, and I notice a silver tooth where a molar had once been.

While Windy is looking at me, I see Dr. Rosary place a thick candy cane in a brown paper bag and hand it to Mrs. Lachovair. Windy will find that candy cane under her pillow tomorrow. Dr. Rosary always gives them to all the "tooth fairies" for free, including Mrs. Lachovair even though she can afford to buy all the candy canes in Musket and in advance.

After Windy leaves, I'm left there staring absent-mindedly at the candy canes when Dr. Rosary speaks to me.

"Here you go, Kennedy," he says holding out a candy cane for me.

"No, that's alright," I say, "I didn't even know I was..."

Dr. Rosary laughs and tucks the treat into my pocket. I flush and pull my shirt down over it.

For as long as I can remember I've always made a point of wearing things with pockets. Today, I'm wearing a pair of white jeans and a green short-sleeved shirt with a column on green threads down the middle of the back that reveals some skin. I don't have to worry about wearing a camisole to hide my bra because today it is especially hot, and I'm feeling brave.

"I was wondering if Hannibal was here today," I ask looking for something to keep my fingers busy with.

"No, she hasn't been in," Dr. Rosary replies, "I would have called but I was busy."

Dr. Rosary is always busy. He spends as much time as he can teaching Hannibal and giving her little assignments so that she can be the pediatrician, and Dr. R has more time to do other things.

"I woke up and she had left a boiling pot on the stove, which I know she would never do..." my voice trails off. Anxiety begins to twist and knot tighter and tighter inside my stomach.

Dr. Rosary rubs his bare chin. He is a very tall, clean-shaven man with sad eyes and a bald spot on his head. The rest of his hair forms a "C" shape on his crown.

"I wouldn't worry about it, I saw a lot of kids her age leaving today, maybe they're all just planning something."

I nod, but don't feel fully relieved. For now, I could focus on getting some snacks. I walk over to the candy display and get two mystery flavored taffies, a bag of mini wafer chocolate bars, and a couple bottles of water. I also get two handfuls of those red rolls of spark paper you put in those cheap plastic guns. All together everything totals exactly $5, which means I still have some money to spare.

Dr. Rosary drops my things into a brown paper bag for me with my change. He glances down at my wrist.

"Your battery's dying," he says blankly.

Dr. Rosary is the only one in town who doesn't have a battery, and one of the few people who wasn't affected by corpse syndrome. He's also very touchy about the batteries.

Musket is a very closed-off town, which means we don't know very much about what happens in the rest of the world. Everything in Musket that we have we have either bought in Twain, made from scratch ourselves, or gotten from Allderman's. Some people don't like Dr. Rosary because he never leaves his store unless it's to make a house call, yet he always gets stock.

I offer him a half smile and mumble a thanks. Then I hop on my bike. When my battery is dying, I feel pretty tired so my eyes are sore. But I have to get to Crow, so I pedal faster.