Village Squire, 1979-12, Page 39the restaurant for coffee. l can't get the
shoppers but I'll nail a couple of the
merchants who leave their cars parked on
the street all day long.
It was a pretty quiet day. no riots,
murders or even fender benders. At least it
was pretty quiet until Ike called from the
department store just after noon. Could 1
come over he said. It was urgent.
1 knew before I got there what it
probably was. As the crowds got bigger at
Christmas some people seemed to get their
own brand of Christmas spirit: it's better to
filch than to fork over. That's what it was
all right. He took me to the women's
department.
"It's been happening every lunch
hour." he told me. "The kids get off school
and they match down here and by the time
they've gone I'm always out about $50
worth of stock. 1 cant afford to go on like
this. You've got to do something about it."
"Now look Ike, I can't be your private
security system. I've got a town to look
after."
"Come on Chief, it's just at lunch hour."
I looked hesitant enough that he pushed
on. "Just tomorrow. Maybe just seeing
you around will scare them away."
"More likely it'll just make the game
more challenging," I said.
But anyway when n' Jit hour rolled
around I showed up. I felt ridiculous. I
always feel ridiculous in the women's
section of a department st. we. I decided I'd
be best if I was out of sight a little when the
herd from the school showed up. I looked
around. The only place in sight that wasn't
crowded was behind a row of racks of filmy
nightgowns and other unmentionables. I
got behind the racks where I could watch
over the rest of the department. I felt even
more ridiculous. 1 hoped nobody would be
coming near the lingerie department for
the next hour.
I couldn't be so lucky. It just seemed like
I'd got there when I heard somebody
coming. 1 decided I'd better at least shake
the pretext of this being just a casual
noon hour shopping trip for me so I started
to look through some of the things on the
rack, even taking a couple out to look at
them.
"Why Zeke, you little 4evil you." Of all
people why did it have to be Cindy Lou?
"Oh dear I hate having the surprise of my
Christmas presents spoiled. I'll just
pretend I didn't see you. By the way, my
favourite color is black."
I was thinking hard on how I could talk
my way out of this one when I slowly
became aware of a kid over Cindy Lou's
shoulder heading nonchalantly toward the
door. The kid looked like it should be
heading toward a hospital for delivery.
Then it came to me that there would
probably be a special delivery from this kid
once he or she, I couldn't see from the
distance, got outside the door.
1 started after the kid, trying not to let
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FEATURING:
OBERAMMERGAU
(Passion Play)
VISITING:
Holland, Germany, Switzerland,
Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy,
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20 DAYS
TWO DEPARTURES -- MAY 20TH
AND SEPT. 16TH, 1980.
Contact
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Travel Service
59 Hamilton St.
Goderich
524-2615
399 Main St.
Exeter
235-0571
or toll free 1-800-265-4260
115 Dundas St.
London
672-7720
1
him know I was chasing him/him but
trying to catch up at the same time. I was
making pretty good time as we got toward
the door when suddenly there was this very
loud coughing sound from behind a stack of
Miss Piggy Dolls in the toy department and
the kid 1 was chasing quickly turned around
and saw me and headed for the door at full
speed. So did I until a foot came shooting
out from the aisle next to the baby wetums
dolls and 1 ended up head first on the floor.
I'd love to have nabbed the kid who gave
the signal and the one who tripped me but I
thought I'd better try to retrieve Ike's
merchandise for him so I took off after the
shoplifter.
The kid was about a half a block ahead of
me by the time I got out of the store. For a
pregnant kid he/she sure could move. I ran
as fast as 1 could but the kid had turned the
corner by the time I got more than a few
feet. I hurried to the corner sure that
he/she would be out of sight by the time I
got there but I was surprised when 1 got to
the corner and found I was actually gaining
on the little thief. I put on an extra spurt
and by the time we'd run about another
block I had the kid by the collar.
My lungs burned so badly from the cold
air I'd breathed in that I could hardly talk.
It didn't seem to be hurting the kid though.
"What're you trying to do to me you big
creep?"
It was a boy, about 13. That at least
made it easier. At least I could reach in and
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KITCHEN, BED &
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A Merry Christmas from all of us at
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Gift Certificates Available.
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December 1979,
gift
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and
235-2957
Village Squire 37
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