CITIZENS Flash Fiction

[E.A. Cook]

Scarface Billy saw me before I saw him. "Hey Roll-yer-own. What's up, tramp?"
I said "Hi" with my chin, and set my duffel down by his park-bench.

I didn't expect to see a familiar face in Portland when I crawled out of the boxcar that morning. Night Eyes was sleeping off a drunk under an over-pass when I slipped away and hopped a freight out of Seattle the night before. She wouldn't cry when she woke-up. Citizens cry. Tramps just move on.

Scarface aimed the neck of his bottle of Thundebird at the other end of the bench, and said,"Sit and light. Chief's sittin' there, but he went on a wine run. Been gone awhile."

I took out the makings, rolled two smokes, and flipped one at Billy. He caught it with his left hand, his right was lifting the bottle to his lips.

"Drink?" He offered in a wine-whisper between swigs. I nodded, reached for the offered bottle, lifted the bottom to the cold, over-cast sky, and let the medicine burn it's way past my cold heart, into my damaged stomach.

Scarface looked sharply over my shoulder, said"Chief! No!", when the ham-sized fist found my temple. I half-turned in time to get a glimpse of the big indian before the grey washed over me.

On the way to the ground, I heard "My spot!". Then the blackness came.

It was dark when I woke up on the ground, right where I fell. Cold rain hit my exposed cheek, while dried blood glued my other cheek to the grass. I hissed the pain through my gritted teeth as I peeled my head from the ground. A young couple on an evening stroll down the bike-path stepped wide and away as they saw me rise from the shadows. Their arrogant, dis-approving eyes watched me closely until they were safely away. "Nasty." I heard her say. Bitch.

Citizens cry. Tramps just move on.