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Village Squire, 1979-12, Page 40retrieve the merchandise without any sexual worries. I undid the kid's coat but there was nothing there. "All right, where'd you put it?" I demanded once I could finally squeak. "Put what? Get your hands off me. This is police brutality. Wait until my mother hears about this. She'll call the mayor and then you'll be in trouble." By this time two other boys had joined our little group, probably the accomplises from back at the store. "Yeh, we're witnesses," the one said. "We'll testify to the way this cop's been roughing you up." I'd really like to have roughed them up after that but I didn't have much choice but to let them go after giving them a lecture about shoplifting. The little smartalecks said they weren't strong enough to lift a shop. I knew then that the kid must have ditched the merchandise somewhere along the way we'd come. I decided to check back and sure enough just near the corner I found a window at the back of a store with shutters, one of which was loose. I pulled it out and there was a plastic package. It was a cotton nightgown with a beautiful embroidered design across the top. 1 had to admire the kid's taste although what a 13 year old boy wanted with a woman's nightgown I didn't know. He looked a little young to be getting it for a girl friend and judging from his character I figured even if he was stealing it for a girl he'd have stolen something a little less subtle. 1 was about to take the package back to Ike's when I remembered my burning )ungs and sore shin. I wanted to get those kids. 1 decided to leave the package there and stake out the place. The kids were so sure of themselves they'd probably'be back for the package after school. I went back to the office and for the rest of the afternoon tried to ignore the fact it felt like I had a heart attack coming on. Just before school let out I got out my warmest boots and best gloves and my parka and put on an extra sweater to boot. I went back down the street and around the corner. I found a little alleyway right across the street from the hiding place where I could watch without being seen by the thieves. The alley it turned out was more wind tunnel than back lane. It didn't take long before I was beginning to wonder about the sanity of this plan. The clothes didn't seem to do a thing to ward off the December chill. By supper time I was sure I was an idiot particularly because the wind was bringing supper smells from the restaurant just down the alley. Why not take just a couple of minutes to slip in for some supper and to get warmed up? But if I left the kids would come for sure while 1 was gone and all this suffering would have been for nothing. So 1 stayed. My stupidity is exceeded only by my stubborness. Every few minutes 1'd say "just 10 minutes more", and when that 10 May enchantment be your gift at Christmas. Our gift is your friendship. Thank you for your patronage in 1979. The Larone family and our staft wish you peace, happiness and good health this Christmas season -- and in the year to come LARONE'S SEAFORTH 527-1960 38 Village Squire, December 1979 minutes was over 1'd give it another 10. By about 7:30 I'm not sure I really had a choice anymore. I didn't think 1 could have moved if I'd wanted to. I didn't have to worry about being recognized by the kids anymore though. It had started to snow and I'm sure I was perfectly disguised as a snowman. Finally at about 8:30 even my pride was telling me this was ridiculous and I'd better go home before they had to carry me off. I'd decided this was definitely my last 10 minutes when I saw something move across the street. It was the kid all right. He came around the corner and looked in all directions to see if anybody was watching. Then he went to the window and opened the shutter. His back was to me now and with the snow and the howling wind I don't think he had the slightest idea 1 was coming up behind him until 1 clamped my hand on his shoulder just as he was about to turn around after retrieving his package. It did my heart good to see him almost collapse in shock. Maybe the wait had been worth it. "111 take that if you don't mind." He did but I took it anyway and 1 hauled him back to the station. I called Ike over to identify the goods which wasn't hard because there were still tags on the bag with the store name. The kid of course denied he'd taken it. He just happened to find it on the street he said. 1 tried to scare him a bit so maybe he'd think twice before trying something like TRAVEL GIFTS FLIGHT BAGS, ATTACHE CASES, TOTE BAGS, SINGLE CASES, MATCHED SETS. by Samsonite, Dlonite, National GIFT LEATHER GOODS BY BUXTON, TILLY Gold initialed free) AIKEN'S 482-9352 CLINTON, ONT.