If you like people watching, this is one is for you. DAN+ABBY is graffiti, scratched into wet cement decades ago in an Arizona city park. The park visitors, activities and art inspired this anthology of a year's worth (52) of short-short stories. O...
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THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS stopped by the park every morning around 10. Three or four pickup trucks loaded with wallboard or paint pails would pull into the lot and the guys would take over a double picnic bench under some big shade trees by the lake. The beer would come out and so would the stories. It was a nice break on the way to the next job site.
But this morning the tables were already occupied. Big — big — geese were milling around on the grass, eating whatever had come to the surface after last night's rain. They'd stomped the edges of the wet grass into a gloop of mud and bird crap.
The leader of the construction crew was a big guy in a Rebel Son concert shirt and Trump gimme hat. His buddies watched as he took off his hat and waved it in front of him as he advanced on the geese.
A big drake ran up to meet his challenge, wings flared. The goose hissed. The bird's head was just about crotch high.
A cop car cruised into the lot. The very young officer watched the action for a minute, then pulled up next to the guys.
"Morning," the cop said. The guys nodded and mumbled "Morning," feet shuffling to fight or flight. The cop addressed the big guy in the Trump hat. "Sir, it's a class two misdemeanor to harass the wildlife."
"Say what?"
"Four months in jail, $750 fine."
"You gotta be kidding me."
The cop pointed at the birds. "They're protected."
"Don't look like they need protecting, to me." He gave the goose the stink eye. The goose returned the favor.
"That's our table," the big guy said.
The cop grinned. "Sorry, boys. Not today."
The guy in the Trump hat led his crew back to the trucks. They waited until the cop left before they popped a cold one from the coolers.
The drake watched them from under the big shade tree. He ruffled his wings one more time for good measure before he concentrated on the fat grub in the grass. There was nothing better than a sunny morning after a good rain.
