Heavy steps crunch on the muddy gravel. The nearby town of Greenville is surprisingly busy, even for a Friday morning the monthly farmers market lured in quite the turnout. The two sets of steps proceed to a well-meaning, thatch-covered gazebo. A variety of pastries proudly adorn a rotating display case. The
middle-aged woman behind the table straightens her frilly frock and smiles broadly at her prospective customer.
Vendor: Hello, sir, you look like someone with a sweet tooth. What can I get you?
Grizzly chuckles at the initial comment.
Grizzly: Good mornin, maam! Id like a slice of that lovely blueberry pie, please. What would you like, boy?
Digger sniffs attentively at ground and laps up a few lost crumbs of confectionery, ignoring Grizzly completely.
Grizzly: Better make that two pieces, maam. Say, you dont anythin savry, do you? I got me a mighty hankerin for some quiche.
Vendor: The savoury snacks are over there...
The heavily-lacquered red nail points Grizzly in the right direction. He pays for his treats and the lady hands him the pie on two paper plates. He nods, tugs gently on Diggers leash and the two set off in the other direction. A huge, pink sign greets them when they arrive at the stall:
Deedees
Dainty
Delights
The table is left unattended and the pair eye the baked goods eagerly almost sneakily.
Grizzly: Digger, you thinkin what Im thinkin?
The thin trail of moisture hits the dirt with a plop as the dog gets jumpy and drools at the snacks. Sneaking a peak over both shoulders, Grizzly hovers his hand over the most seductive piece of quiche he has ever come across. At an ethical crossroads, he beholds the savoury treat in all earnest. As if guided by an own accord, his sausage-like fingers close at a snails pace. Grizzly clenches his jaw, but to no avail. His fingertips get tantalisingly close to the tasty treasure...
???: See anything you like?
The voice behind him caused Grizzly a minor jolt. Pretending to stretch his arm and that his hand placement was merely coincidal, he sheepishly turns around.
He didnt expect this...
Her clear blue eyes bore straight through him from under slightly messy mascara. With her tanned legs slightly more than shoulder-width apart and her hands resting on her shapely hips, the woman strikes an intimidating pose. Her bottle-blonde locks snake past her olive bandanna and her glowing scarlet lips spit out a spent cigarette that gets extinguished by her black leather boot. She strides towards Grizzly and her sleeveless denim top fails to control her jostling chest properly.
???: Hey! Im talkin to you, Sunshine!
Grizzly realises that her fiery tone of voice would suggest that she must be Deedee, vendor of dainty delights. What slipped him by, however, was everything this dangerous dame had said since he had laid eyes on her.
Deedee: You even listenin to me, Skinny?
Grizzly: Sure am, maam.
Grizzly hopes that the gambit pays off.
Deedee: Well, and?
It didnt.
Grizzly cleared his throat, hoping for a miracle. He notices the bustling market, all the smiling children, birds chirping and there may even have been a rainbow in the distance all hastily observed by avoiding eye-contact with Deedee.
Deedee: Like I said...
Grizzly breathes a massive sigh of relief.
Deedee: ...if you wanna buy some of my here pastries, you just have to holler no need to resort to thievery.
Grizzly: Im sorry, maam. How much for a piece of that spinach quiche?
Grizzlys cheeks flush a deep red under the bristles of his brown beard.
Deedee: Normally the first items on the house, but for you itll be a dollar fifty.
Grizzly digs around in his wallet. As his clumsy fingers prod around in it, an old WZCW ticket-stub escapes the wallet and floats gently to the ground, unbeknownst to Grizzly. While he has difficulty with the clips and tiny zipper in his wallet, Deedee bends over to inspect the stub. What Grizzly does notice, however, is the bronzed crack of skin bursting from Deedees low-cut top. He forces himself to fix his attention once more to his wallet. Finally, he gets the exact change. Deedee snaps to her feet, ticket in hand.
Deedee: Hold up a sec... Do I know you?
Grizzly cringes as he notices the piece of glossy paper. Being a minor celebrity (and a very minor one at that), usually meant that people treat him differently.
Deedee: Wait, yeah, now its comin to me... Youre that wrestler, youre Triple Xs buddy!
Grizzly: I spose... I mean, me and X havent met or anything...
Deedee: Sure you have, Dave! Or should I call you Ultimate Red?
Deedees demeanour softens considerably. This puts Grizzly at ease as well.
Grizzly: Thats not me, but I get it all the time. Say, maam, hows about I make this lil... infringement of mine up to you?
Deedee: Go on...
Grizzly: Well... I know this place near where I live... maybe we could meet for drinks?
Deedee studies Grizzlys face and her eyes narrow. She gives Digger, who is behaving himself exceptionally well, a look too. One corner of her mouth teases a smile.
Deedee: Sure. Im in. Whats a gal to do alone at home on a Friday night anyhow?
She rummages behind her stall and produces a notebook and dry marker.
Deedee: Come pick me up here at this address. Heres my number.
Deedee folds up the note and tucks it into Grizzlys shirt pocket. She stares up at him playfully.
Deedee: Cancel on me and Ill sock you... say, whats your name anyway?
Grizzly: The names Bob. I take it youre Deedee.
Grizzly extends a hand towards her, leaning over on his front leg as country folk do. His hand is met by a surprisingly firm shake.
Deedee: In the flesh.
Grizzly grins broadly and heads off to his trusty truck. Once out of earshot, he whispers to Digger.
Grizzly: Aint that the truth, boy!
*****
Grizzly: ANOTHER ROUND, PARDNER!
Two bottles of Budweiser slide across the smooth bar counter. Grizzly barely catches them in time and some foam spills on his flannel sleeve. One slurp later, however, and the shirts as good as new. The reason Grizzly and Deedee seemingly abandoned their inside voices may be related to the impressive tower of beer bottles they built. For Granny Browns bar, however, its just another Friday night. The two had already missed the first bar-room brawl when they arrived, but with pool cues leaning against the walls, an unholy amount of alcohol consumption and some new, naive twenty-something tending bar, things could get properly rowdy at any time.
Deedee: Wait, wait, Sunshine... So you mean to tell me you ARE a wrestler?
Grizzly: Yeah, and THEN SOME!
Deedee: Okay... prove it, big boy!
Grizzly: You ever watch Meltdown?
Deedee: On occasion...
Grizzly: Check it out next weekend, Ill be havin myself a match against Mister Alhazred.
Deedees eyes widen.
Deedee: You bein for real?
Grizzly: You bet your ass!
Deedee: Hey...
Her voice slurs a little. The merriment drains from her face as she turns to look Grizzly squarely in the eye.
Deedee: You leave my ass out of this!
Suddenly she explodes with laughter, clumsily bumping into Grizzly.
Deedee: Well?
Grizzly: Well, what?
Deedee: Tell me about the match, Silly!
Grizzly: You know Alhazred?
Deedee: That crazy scientist with the glove?
Grizzly: One and the same! You see... Despite being twice his size, Im still the underdog in this match? How the fuck did that happen? After his win at Kingdom Come and my own loss, hell be expecting me to be a pushover, but Ill show him! ILL SHOW 'EM ALL!
For a few moments the bar comes to a standstill to listen to an impassioned Grizzly. The barman stops polishing the glasses and the other patrons stare at Grizzly. Even the record in the jukebox stops playing.
Deedee: What are yall lookin at?
The bar resumes.
Like silly children caught red-handed, Grizzly and Deedee start giggling. Deedee drapes her arm around Grizzlys neck and rests her head on his shoulder.
Grizzly: Whoops, I think somebodys had enough!
Deedee: Its been fun, Bobby-boy, but I need you to take me outta here. Big Mamas sleepy.
Side by side, they stagger out of the building.
Deedee: You good to drive?
Grizzly: I dont think so.
Grizzly fumbles with his keys, not being able to unlock the trucks door.
Deedee: Youre a big boy, cant you find the slot?
Grizzly looks quizzically at her, before the giggling starts all over again. He makes one last attempt to open the door, but only manages to scrape it further.
Grizzly: My cabins only two miles away, maybe we could walk off some of the booze?
No reply.
Grizzly turns around, only to find Deedee slumped on the hood of his car. For the first time since they had met, the fiery female looked completely at peace... except for the snoring. Grizzly smiles, gently places her on his shoulder and starts the long walk back to his home.
