Part 2:
Our time in the bus garage office had reached its end.
A worker was entering the building.
“Last chance,” Rick said to Dale. “You got anything?”
He squinted in futility, finally shaking his head no.
We’d need some other form of escape.
Fortunately, sitting in an office all night offers plenty of time for planning.
We hurried to a window and got into position.
When the front door opened (and thus the alarm disabled), we’d lift the pane and jump free.
Jangling keys found the lock.
The creak of a door set things in motion.
Genevieve pushed on the handles.
The frame didn’t budge.
A worker was entering the building.
“Last chance,” Rick said to Dale. “You got anything?”
He squinted in futility, finally shaking his head no.
We’d need some other form of escape.
Fortunately, sitting in an office all night offers plenty of time for planning.
We hurried to a window and got into position.
When the front door opened (and thus the alarm disabled), we’d lift the pane and jump free.
Jangling keys found the lock.
The creak of a door set things in motion.
Genevieve pushed on the handles.
The frame didn’t budge.
“It’s not working,” she whispered. “The window’s stuck!”
“Are you sure?” Rick asked.
“Am I sure it’s stuck?”
“OK, dumb question, sorry.”
“Start growling,” I said to Dale. “You know, scare ’em. Just growl, buy us time.”
“Rrrrr,” Dale snarled hoarsely, until a “GRRRR!” boomed out.
“What have we here?” asked a man’s voice. “A visitor?”
I gave Dale a nudge and he growled even louder.
“GRRR-AAARRR!”
“Don't worry, my friend. I’ve got traps and tranquilizers in my truck. I’ll get you where you need to be.”
We heard footsteps heading back out to the parking lot.
“You’ve got to be kidding. He’s a forest ranger?”
“I don’t wanna get tranquilized," Dale whined.
“Are you sure?” Rick asked.
“Am I sure it’s stuck?”
“OK, dumb question, sorry.”
“Start growling,” I said to Dale. “You know, scare ’em. Just growl, buy us time.”
“Rrrrr,” Dale snarled hoarsely, until a “GRRRR!” boomed out.
“What have we here?” asked a man’s voice. “A visitor?”
I gave Dale a nudge and he growled even louder.
“GRRR-AAARRR!”
“Don't worry, my friend. I’ve got traps and tranquilizers in my truck. I’ll get you where you need to be.”
We heard footsteps heading back out to the parking lot.
“You’ve got to be kidding. He’s a forest ranger?”
“I don’t wanna get tranquilized," Dale whined.
“Come on!” Rick said, leading us to a window in next room.
That pane lifted with surprising ease, letting in a cool billow of air.
“They must have oiled that one,” Genevieve grumbled.
We jumped down into puddles and splashed away.
Squeezing through the front gate, our escape path traced the edge of Longbough Road.
Cutting through the houses beyond, we sprinted ahead until reaching Coasters Avenue.
No sirens shattered the peaceful morning.
No police cruisers roared our way.
Even so, there was trouble.
Dale’s gallop now slowed to a walk. The rain had started again. He drooped under a damp mane.
“Let’s split up. I’ll jog to your house and get my car,” Gen said. “You find someplace to wait.”
“The bowling alley is nearby. We’ll stay there.”
“Sounds good. Be back as soon as I can.”
That pane lifted with surprising ease, letting in a cool billow of air.
“They must have oiled that one,” Genevieve grumbled.
We jumped down into puddles and splashed away.
Squeezing through the front gate, our escape path traced the edge of Longbough Road.
Cutting through the houses beyond, we sprinted ahead until reaching Coasters Avenue.
No sirens shattered the peaceful morning.
No police cruisers roared our way.
Even so, there was trouble.
Dale’s gallop now slowed to a walk. The rain had started again. He drooped under a damp mane.
“Let’s split up. I’ll jog to your house and get my car,” Gen said. “You find someplace to wait.”
“The bowling alley is nearby. We’ll stay there.”
“Sounds good. Be back as soon as I can.”
We made our way to Town Worth Great Lanes.
The alleys were still dark, the gutters quiet, the doors locked.
An overhang on the right side provided cover.
We shivered against a concrete wall.
Shivered and fretted in the cold.
Until at long last!
A honking horn announced we were safe.
As we got in the car, the huge neon flamingo in front of Town Worth Great Lanes blinked to life.
Fiery hues of pink and green broke the gloom.
The bright lights dutifully sent us on our way with a hint of cheer at our backs.
*********************************
~Now we've taken abuse (a-buuuse),
~Might have a bad bruise (bad bruuuise),
~But we’re still hanging strong, baby,
~Alongside the Vehicular Grandpa Blues.
The alleys were still dark, the gutters quiet, the doors locked.
An overhang on the right side provided cover.
We shivered against a concrete wall.
Shivered and fretted in the cold.
Until at long last!
A honking horn announced we were safe.
As we got in the car, the huge neon flamingo in front of Town Worth Great Lanes blinked to life.
Fiery hues of pink and green broke the gloom.
The bright lights dutifully sent us on our way with a hint of cheer at our backs.
*********************************
~Now we've taken abuse (a-buuuse),
~Might have a bad bruise (bad bruuuise),
~But we’re still hanging strong, baby,
~Alongside the Vehicular Grandpa Blues.