A Two Dollar Suit Part 3-Dave Rose

Muzzy's was a small dirty overpriced convenience store. With the money Tom had given him,
Wallace could get some smokes, a sandwich and a bottle of Green Lizard Aftershave. It was the worst smelling after shave he had ever smelled, but it had enough alcohol in it to chase off a cold rainy night. He might even have some money left over for breakfast. Sometimes Muzzy wuld sell him 1 or 2 single cigarettes. Besides, Wallace only need the cigarettes as a chaser for the fowl tasting after shave.

He parked his cart outside the store and went in to do his business. As he left the store, some kids were going through his cart.

"He git yer filthy paws off my stuff or I'll..."

" Or you'll what?", the biggest kid asked. He wasn't a kid...he was 17 or 18 years old but he looked 30. Street has a way of doin that to a person. Whne you don't have and you want, you take. Its take or be taken. There were two types of people out here, predators and victims. What you were, depended on just how badly you wanted. The guys with him circled Wallace.

"Whats it gonna be old man? You want some of this? HuH? Here it is..."

"Before Wallace could utter a sound, Muzzy burst out of the door with a Louisville Slugger in one hand and a phone in the other.

"You kids lookin for some trouble? I got your trouble right here!"

The kids scattered like roaches in the kitchen when the lights turned on, but not before they
turned Wallace's cart over.

"Wallace...you better get your stuff together and git out of here. i don't want no trouble around here...you get my drift?"

" Muzzy was right ...if Wallace hung around too long, those kids would be back and he knew enough to know that he wanted no part of that. He gathered up his belongings and thanked
Muzzy. Muzzy grunted at him and went back inside the store.

The clouds started rolling in shortly after that. A light mist fell and Wallace knew he better head to the overpass. He had holed up there for longer than he could remember. Most times it was okay. The concrete blocked the wind and there was a nice level spot right up in the corner, just big enough for Wallace to curl up and sleep. His routine wa always the same. First he would make sure that no one or no 'thing' had crawled up in his space. Then he would empty the cart, carry his treasures up to his shelter, and then turn the cart on its side in the tall grass
next to the overpass so that no one could see it.

It was dark by the time Wallace made it to his shelter. The rain was starting to come down now. He stowed his cart and made his way up the slope of concrete. Settling in, he pulled out the sandwich he had purchased at Muzzy's. As always, he wiped his hands on his shirt and then proceeded to tear the sandwich up into little pieces that would be easy on his gums. All but three of his teeth had rotted away or had fallen out. This way, he could eat. His gums were tender and even soft bread hurt. He choked the sandwich down as best he could, coughing in between bites. He reached over for the bottle of aftershave. At least it would ward off the chill of the rainy night and the tenderness of his gums. Each bitter swig of the liquid oozed into his brain, numbing it and him to the surroundings.

Just around two or three in the morning, the lightning and thunder started pretty heavy.
Wallace was too busy dreaming to notice. He kept seeing the sign that the sweaty man had
hung on the telephone pole. The words "Healing and Miracle Service" burned as bright as any neon sign he had ever seen. Then there was that sweet angelic voice...calling him..."Wallace....Wallace..."

Wallace heard the voice again only this time it was gruff and gravelly....it was as if.....

"Wallace, wallace, wake up man...you were talking in your sleep. You got anything left in that bottle?"

It was Fletch the mooch. Fletch never had any of his own drink, he would just find someone who had and would mooch of them.

"Aw Fletch!" Wallace said with disgust. "I was having a dream and you mussed it up!"


" I mussed it up? Sounded more like I saved you! You was talking crazy in your sleep! Saying stuff like, 'miracle healing'. Man ...you oughta be glad I came along when I did! Pass me that bottle...you don't need this anymore...you've had enough!"

Wallace looked at Fletch...then at the bottle. He knew that Fletch was right. He had had enough. Enough with the drinking...enough with sleeping under an overpass...enough with...

The coughing started again. Only this time it hurt. It hurt bad.

"Wallace...you don't sound so good. Maybe you should see a Doc or sumpin."

"No...no..." Wallace choked out. "Just give me a minute...I'll be fine. Fine as Kind."

Fletch looked at Wallace. He was sweaty, yellow and pasty looking. He had the smell about him. Fletch recognized the smell. Shorty Bigsby had it just before he passed on. It was that death smell. Like the insides had died and they was leaking out.

"Wallace...you beginning to get that same stink on ya that Shorty had. You fixin to die...so pass me that bottle and lets drink a toast to remember Shorty by. Heh? waddaya say Wallace? Wallace? Hey...you hear me?"

Wallace's eyes were glazed over. He was staring at something but Fletch couldn't see it. It was the most beautiful thing Wallace had ever seen. It was a man, a beautifully handsome man who shined with the purest white light. He was mouthing something but Wallace couldn't make it out. He held up a sign...it said 'Miracle Healing Service'.

"Fletch, you see him? There, the guy in the light with the sign...He's..."

Wallaces voice trailed off..the man had vanished just as quickly as he had appeared. He looked around...but he was nowhere to be seen.

"You're scarin me Wallace. You're beginning to act just like Shorty did before he kicked off."
Fletch kept eyeing the bottle of Green Lizard that lay over by Wallace. " You want I should take that off your hands Wallace so you don't drink no more and see stuff that isn't there?"

Wallace knew better than to believe the mock concern Fletch was showing. He knew all he was wanting the bottle of After Shave and the cheap buzz it gave you. He looked down to the bottle and back at Fletch. He blinked, shook his head and then stared back in disbelief. It was the man in the light again. He was pointing to the sign that said 'Miracle Healing Service'. Wallace picked up the bottle and threw it over to Fletch.

(There is more....who wants to know? Let me know....)

D