That girl two houses down was riding her bike again. Back and forth, up and down the sidewalk she went.
Lottie shook her head.
"Ridiculous, Marvin. Simply ridiculous."
Marvin didn't answer.
"I've already reported her no-good mother twice for letting her play outside like on her own. In the front! By the street! I hate to call again."
Lottie fingered the phone sitting in its cradle on the small telephone stand beside her chair. She wanted to help. She wanted to see the child back safely back into her own home where prying eyes and malicious intents couldn't reach her. It had been this way since the girl and her parents moved in last month. Everyday, after school she would run outside to play. Sometimes she waved and called to the other neighbors, and sometimes a friend from the next street would come visit.
"Don't they know how dangerous this world is, Marv?" Lottie shook her head again. "I'm done. If her mom doesn't care, why should I?"
Lottie's attention moved to the newspaper sitting on the front walk. She had repeatedly asked for it to placed on the porch, but yet again, the delivery man had forgotten. She wanted the paper.
Lottie slowly walked over to the front door. She slid her feet into her slippers, toes gripping the faux sheepskin lining. Wet with sweat, her hand slid over the door knob. She tightened her grip, and pulled. The door slowly opened inward, the sunlight glaring off the chrome rims of that damn teenager's car. She slid out the door, barely leaving any clearance space.
"Quiet, now. Quiet, Lottie." She stepped off the porch, eyes darting up and down the street. Just four steps. The newspaper beckoned. Three steps. A car door slammed. Lottie caught her breath. Two. A dog was barking a greeting next door. One. She reached down and grabbed for the paper, missing it completely the first time. The second time, her shaking fingers grazed the plastic sleeve, and she tightened them and pulled her paper close.
"Hi, Mrs. Garza!" The girl stood at the end of driveway, a big smile plastered on her freckled face, her auburn hair falling in a tangle over her shoulders.
Lottie gasped, and turned, racing back the distance to her door. With relief, she pushed open the door, slid her body in, and slammed it shut, quickly turning the deadbolt.
She leaned over slightly, gasping for air.
Finally, clutching her prize, she stood up, and smiled triumphantly at Marvin. "I got it!"
Marvin didn't answer. He turned his head back to the sun and continued to lick his furry orange paw.
Lottie shook her head.
"Ridiculous, Marvin. Simply ridiculous."
Marvin didn't answer.
"I've already reported her no-good mother twice for letting her play outside like on her own. In the front! By the street! I hate to call again."
Lottie fingered the phone sitting in its cradle on the small telephone stand beside her chair. She wanted to help. She wanted to see the child back safely back into her own home where prying eyes and malicious intents couldn't reach her. It had been this way since the girl and her parents moved in last month. Everyday, after school she would run outside to play. Sometimes she waved and called to the other neighbors, and sometimes a friend from the next street would come visit.
"Don't they know how dangerous this world is, Marv?" Lottie shook her head again. "I'm done. If her mom doesn't care, why should I?"
Lottie's attention moved to the newspaper sitting on the front walk. She had repeatedly asked for it to placed on the porch, but yet again, the delivery man had forgotten. She wanted the paper.
Lottie slowly walked over to the front door. She slid her feet into her slippers, toes gripping the faux sheepskin lining. Wet with sweat, her hand slid over the door knob. She tightened her grip, and pulled. The door slowly opened inward, the sunlight glaring off the chrome rims of that damn teenager's car. She slid out the door, barely leaving any clearance space.
"Quiet, now. Quiet, Lottie." She stepped off the porch, eyes darting up and down the street. Just four steps. The newspaper beckoned. Three steps. A car door slammed. Lottie caught her breath. Two. A dog was barking a greeting next door. One. She reached down and grabbed for the paper, missing it completely the first time. The second time, her shaking fingers grazed the plastic sleeve, and she tightened them and pulled her paper close.
"Hi, Mrs. Garza!" The girl stood at the end of driveway, a big smile plastered on her freckled face, her auburn hair falling in a tangle over her shoulders.
Lottie gasped, and turned, racing back the distance to her door. With relief, she pushed open the door, slid her body in, and slammed it shut, quickly turning the deadbolt.
She leaned over slightly, gasping for air.
Finally, clutching her prize, she stood up, and smiled triumphantly at Marvin. "I got it!"
Marvin didn't answer. He turned his head back to the sun and continued to lick his furry orange paw.
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