Short Story Excerpt

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There was a man laying on the ground and one walking toward me.
“Hold it! I yelled. The automatic light came on.
“Alvord!”
“Hi Greg,” he said.
At my feet was another man groaning and holding his head. I rolled him over, he was wearing face paint.
“Ed?”
“He was messing around out here,” Alvord stuttered. “I thought he might be dangerous. I’m in charge of the president’s security when he comes to town.”
Randy came running up. “The sheriff is coming. Ed? Is that you? What in the world?”
I was busy dialing 911 afraid that Ed might have a nasty head injury.  Aunt Gigi was sound asleep with her beauty mask on.
“You know, LBJ, the president?  Did I tell you I knew LBJ’s family and that I have a signed picture?” said Alvord.
I nodded. Jessie walked up and took Alvord by the hand.
“Let’s go, Pop,” she said gently.
They left as the sheriff was arriving. He already knew Alvord and shook his head that it was okay. Randy and I talked on the patio.
“What the heck was Ed doin’ out here?”
“Not sure,” I said.
“Face painted up like he was on a Recon mission. Alvord said he saw him from outside his window,” Randy said.
“The one that still works?” I asked
“Yea, said he thought it was some Country and Western promoter trying to break up The Animals.”
“Well, a simple concussion for sure. He must have hit him hard enough to see the House of the Rising Sun,” I said.
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