Fear Thy Neighbor (13)
“Anything I can help ya with, just let me know,” said a woman with a gruff voice from somewhere unseen. Alison would bet a hundred bucks this gal smoked at least two packs of cigarettes a day. The woman coughed, cleared her throat, then spat.
What kind of person does that? In public?
“I’m looking for a cellular phone,” Alison said, when she noticed a MISSING sign posted behind the register. “Do you know who put this sign up?”
More coughing, hacking, then came the gruff voice. Alison stood in front of the register and saw the woman emerge from a back room. She was probably in her forties, her skin so tanned it looked dry, like old leather. Her bleached blonde hair was short and thin, teased into the shape of a football helmet. Her hair was as stiff as a board, lacquered with hair spray. She wore thick black eyeliner and too much blush.
“Me. My kitties got out of the car two days ago when I was at the filling station, and I ain’t seen ’em since. They’re all I got,” she said, tears welling up in her overly made-up eyes.
“I’ll be right back,” Alison said. When she returned with the three missing kitties, the clerk’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Where in the name of Pete did you find my babies?” she asked.
Alison told her. As much as she hated to, she had to return the cats to their owner. The lady cuddled all three of them, then took the MISSING sign down from the wall behind her. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see them again.”
“I stopped for gas at the exit before Tucker’s Grade and heard them crying by the gas pumps. Little momma was scrounging for food in the garbage can, and so I took them with me. I have food and bowls in my car. They’re super sweet,” Alison said.
“Ma’am, I swear you’ve made me the happiest woman alive. I’ve had Peaches, the mommy, for eight years, and these two stinkers, Lyla and Lili, are just about two months old. I haven’t slept a wink since they went missing.”
Alison felt sad at the thought of giving them up, but they weren’t hers to keep. Peaches rubbed against the clerk’s legs. Alison knew the animals were well-loved. “Just keep an eye on them next time,” she said, feeling protective of her rescues.
“I’m Tammy,” the clerk said and came around the counter to give her a hug. “Thank you for being honest. Not much of that around here anymore, and I promise I won’t let them out of my sight next time I’m pumping gas. I shouldn’t bring ’em out like that at night, anyway. I was lonesome,” Tammy explained.
“I’m Alison, and I would never intentionally steal a pet. They were lost, and now they’re not. I guess this goes down as my good deed for the day. So, I’ll leave their things with you, then you can help me choose a cell phone.” Alison ran out to the car, took the bowls and food inside. “They liked this food, and I gave them regular milk.”
Tammy placed the little fur babies in a box inside a shopping cart. “That’s fine, kid; Peaches loves just about anything you give her. I bring ’em to work with me sometimes. Now, we got a few different phones here. Whatcha lookin’ for?”
“Just a basic cell phone.”
“Yeah, but what kind? You want one of the throwaway phones, or you want one where you gotta set up a service with the phone company?”
“What is a throwaway phone?” She should know these things, but she didn’t.
“Girl, you ain’t never heard of a throwaway cell?”
Alison shook her head. “No, I never cared to negotiate the technical world.”
“Then let me hook you up.”
For the next ten minutes, Tammy walked her through the directions on how to use the phone, how to use the card to purchase minutes as she needed them. After the lesson, Alison purchased the flip phone and bought two hours of phone time with the knowledge she could purchase more through the actual phone if and when she needed to.
“Appreciate your help,” Alison said as she gave Tammy three twenties.
“No worries, it’s part of my job. You don’t need to thank me, kid, you made my day. I wish there was something I could do to repay you.”
“You have—you took the time to show me how to use this.” She held the bag with the cell phone in the air. “And for a while, I had three of the best companions I’ve ever had.” She smiled at her.
“You ain’t from these parts, are you?” Tammy asked.
“No, I’m just passing through,” Alison told her.
“We get a lot of folks like you,” Tammy said, then gave her change to her. “If you ever decide to come back to shop, call me.” She scribbled her name and number on the back of an old receipt. “I’ll bring the girls in so you can see them.”
“Thanks, though I doubt it, as I’m headed for the Keys. And thanks again for your help with the phone. I guess it was time for me to get a phone, and time for you to get the kitties back. Kind of a karma thing,” Alison said.
“Yep, it is for sure. I do believe that one good deed deserves another, or whatever it is.”
“Me too, Tammy,” Alison said. “If I’m back this way, I’ll call you and come visit the girls.”
She left the store feeling there was something about Tammy that made her feel sorry for her. Maybe she was on her own, like she’d been most of her life, though she had her animals, and Alison could tell they were well-loved. Whatever it was, she felt a little sad when she backed out of the parking lot. Was she becoming a pushover in her old age? In a couple of months, she would turn thirty. Maybe you did mellow with old age, but Alison still had a lot of life to live. Besides, these days, thirty was practically a teenager.