The Hawks and Doves

Every Friday the Hawks and Doves occupy two corners under a main traffic light diagonal from my store. The Hawks on one side hollering at cars, waving placards about Kill-em All And Let God Sort-em Out. The Doves across from them more subdued waving at the people and carrying their placards saying Make Love Not War and Practice Peace.

The Hawks sometimes cross and physically threaten the Doves and I go out and stop them by threatening to call the police. I usually suffer a few verbal slings and arrows, but they don't do anything.

A year ago she started dancing up and down the street wearing a fox-head mask and a hangman's noose as a necklace, the big knot separating her breasts. She's tall with a very nice body, but I have no idea who she is, I've never seen her face. No one else knows or will tell me.

Today she danced to the center of my windows and stopped looking in at me. I own a rock shop selling mineral specimens and jewelry and I see all types from geologists to nut-cases. She gestured me out and handed me a polished stone that stunned me. It was a perfect Rhodochrosite crystal worth over $500. She laughed at my startled expression and said, "It's about time you noticed me."

"I've noticed you for over a year."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I don't mess with customers, Beth. And I just lost my wife." I knew her voice.

"I'm messing with you and it's been a year, I'm going to succeed. I've wanted you to ask me out for a year, now I'm kidnapping you."

’It’s not kidnapping if I go willingly.”

”Think you could resist a little?”

That started everything good in my life again.