We're Not In Oz Anymore

 

🐺😸🎸

            Maurice’s mouth was still really sore, and he was hungry. It had been a long time since all those cookies the previous day. One of the problems with being on the lam was hunger. It greeted a guy in the early morning and said nighty night to him when he tried to sleep. Sue was feeling it too, but she didn’t want to say anything about it right then.
            “Joe, how do you manage to eat out here hitching around,” asked Maurice. Actually, he was pretty sure, but just wanted to bring up the subject of eating.
            “You saw my hat. That’s it. If I make a few bucks, I eat.  If I don’t, well I live over it, to eat some other day,” said Joe. “Today I made $27.45 in legit American currency donated by the common run of mankind, in their kindness. It's not a hell of a lot. But we can eat on it today.”
            “I bet a grocery store is a good place to find a cheap outside dinner,” said Sue hopefully.
            “Sometimes that’s my best bet,” said Joe. “Fast food burgers get old fast. I would be ok if I never saw another one. Sometimes I’m too far from a regular store and I’m stuck with whatever I can find at the 7-11 or wherever.
            “Maybe I should have stayed home and worked some place regular. I have to wonder about all my so called freedom.  Such as it is,” said Joe. “My best song is about that.”
            Maurice, with Sue perched on his shoulder and Folkie Joe were still on that park bench. The day was getting on toward evening. Part of what was going on was a natural process of unconsciously agreeing on who was leading this parade. Each one waited to see who would assume the position of idea guy.
            Finally, Sue said, “the train rolled past a supermarket right before it hit the station. I saw it before you woke up Maurice. Let’s walk back along the tracks until we get there.  Then Joe can go buy some marked down deli chicken or something. My lady said that when deli chicken has been on the heat for a couple of hours they pull it off and put it in the fridge cases at about half price. We often had it when she didn’t want to cook.”
            Sleeky Sue had stepped up into her natural role. Both guys stood happily, prepared to do as she suggested. They made the several block trip out the park and back to the train station quickly. 
            What it looked like as they started down the tracks was a ponytail guy with a guitar case and a rather hairy gent, possibly some sort of large canid, walking together on the ties. What didn’t show was Sue tucked up in the crook of Maurice’s elbow where she rode in state. Their hearts were all lightened by her very good suggestion.
            Maurice and Sue waited out by the cart parking bin while Joe went inside the huge well lighted store. Nobody seemed to notice them there, which was nice.
            When Joe re-emerged ten minutes later he did have marked down deli chicken. He had three clamshell packages of it and half a gallon of milk and not much change left over. All that remained was to find an out of the way place to eat and then get back to the trains.
            “Let’s just go back to the park,” said Joe. “Seems like as good a place as any.” Fall was coming and it was getting a little chilly out. They got spattered by a little spit of rain on the way back to the park. Someone had left a long black raincoat on the bench. Maurice put it on. They all laughed but he kept it on. Maybe he could pass in public that way!
            Back on their bench, Joe poured some milk into the top of one of the clamshells for Sue, and the guys drank the rest. Maurice was able to eat the tender chicken even with missing fangs. He and Joe consumed most of two packages, leaving one for later and tearing off some nice strips for Sue. The crew was much happier now, with full tummies.  It doesn’t take much to feel full when you’ve been hungry for a few days!
            Joe rinsed out the milk carton at the fountain, filling it with water for later, and they returned to the station. Now came the tricky part, finding the right boxcar headed east. Joe took the lead. Maurice and Sue stayed in the shadows while Joe scouted around. At last, he was satisfied by a row of cars, and found one that seemed likely.  It was unlocked and seemed to be empty, from the outside anyhow.
            “I’ve never done this before,” said Joe. "I just hitch." He had followed Maurice and Sue into the car. Unlike the first car, there were no boxes of cookies here. Just a dark empty box.
            “I’ve done it. It works. Sometimes I don’t think people can really see me. Maybe that helped me,” said Maurice.  He hadn’t really considered this before. But it was beginning to seem likely.
            Slowly, slowly the train began to roll. It was going to be a long night.
            “I’ve been dreaming something,” said Sue. “I’m thinking of a plan.”
            “What’s your plan little kitty,” asked Joe.
            As the train rolled on through the night, Sue told Maurice and Joe about her dreams for their bright new futures.