The Four: 6

I

The Four: I 

The Four: 2

The Four: 3 

The Four: 4

The Four: 5

6

The Rough Man

            Louise jumped out of bed. For some reason she had a foreboding feeling. She had it all last night, which is why she had sitting up at night. Talking to Susan eased it a little, but now it was back. Worse than ever before. She dressed quickly and quietly in order to not wake her sisters. She made a breakfast, milked the cow and did a few other chores. Her siblings began to wake and come out of their bedroom.

            “Good morning, Louise!” Karen said brightly. Susan looked cheerful and had a broad smile across her face, unlike her distraught-self that had been running through fields last night. Alison asked her usual question

            “What’s for Breakfast?”

            Susan laughed,” Oh, Allison!”

            They ate a scrumptious meal of hot bread with butter and oatmeal for breakfast.
           Then Louise stood up, “Today will be my first time managing the shop all by myself, –“ all the sisters cheered, “–so I must leave earlier than usual.”

            All her sisters bade her good luck and kissed her good bye. And Louise was off.

            Running to the shop, Louise was worried about being late.  She unlocked the door to the shop and stepped inside.

            Two days went by very quickly for Louise; her foreboding feeling never quite left; but at times, it was lightened. On the third day, just after a pleasant customer had left, Josh came tramping in. He dusted off his hands and stood there as if waiting for her to say something.

            “How was the trip?” she questioned as she went back to wiping the counter.

            “Eventful.” He said simply. “Thanks for keeping shop for me.”

        “Eventful is very…descriptive!” Louise commented with emphasis on “descriptive”. “ You’re welcome.”

            “You really want to know?”

            “I’m a curious girl.”

            “I can tell. But are you sure?”

            “Yes, quite.”

            “Really sure?”

            “More than sure.”

            “Quite certain?”

            “Of course! I’ve said that the last three times!”

            The young man had been taking a step closer to the counter each time the other started talking and at this point he was at the counter opposite of Louise, both leaning forward as they argued.

            “I’m just checking.”

            “I’m not squeamish if that’s what you’re thinking.” Louise huffed.

            “Okay!” He smiled mischievously, “I went to a slaughter house–“

            “Stop! You never said it involved killing animals!”

            “I warned you didn’t I?”

            “I suppose,” then quickly looking up she whispered, “customer” she backed away from the counter, in the embarrassing realization that they were leaning toward each other, and someone might get the wrong impression. Josh ran over to some boxes and began fixing things and organizing them, as a rough looking man walked into the shop.

            “How may I help you?” The Hanson girl questioned politely.

            “Do yez sell chewn’ tabacci?” He said in crude English. He had a belt on carrying two revolvers. His hair was greasy and his face red and scarred.

            Louise, still smiling politely, glanced to where Josh was fixing boxes in the corner; then said nervously, “How much?”

            He held up two bonny fingers that were covered in grime, “Two.” Louise had a hard time not backing away because of his stench. Rotten onions were the best comparison she could make to how he smelled. His clothes seemed as though they had been washed in mud, and sweat was the only cleaning liquid used. Brown drops of perspiration rolled off his face and his eyes were squinty as if he’d been starring into the sun for days.

            Louie leaned down and counted out two packs. “Here you are, sir. That will be–“ Before he even paid, he grabbed one pack and began to rip it open. Once he had accomplished this, but not without great difficulty by the way he went about it, he yanked out a piece and tossed it into his mouth full of yellow stained teeth. After chewing a while he spit on the floor

            “Sir! Please, do not–“

            “Don’t tells mez whats ta do!” He growled loudly, this made Josh turn and watch. “This is theh worst tabacci I’s a ever heed, give meh theh best cha have!”

            Louise tried to contain herself, “This is the best we have, sir.” She spoke the last word through her teeth wishing she didn’t have to be so polite to such a crude customer.

            “Well yuz jest go find some, ya–“

            “I will not,” Louise yelled slamming her fist on the counter, “have such dirty language spoken in this shop!” She had a feeling she knew what he was about to say. An ugly scowl formed across his face; his hands hovered closer to his revolvers than Louise would have preferred.  At that moment, Louise realized a crowd had formed around the shop people peering in the window waiting…It was as if they knew this guy caused trouble.

            “Now sir," Louise breathed with relief when Josh walked up, “You have what you asked for, please, leave–“

            The dirty man lunged forward and gave Josh a good punch in the gut. Josh flew backward hugging his chest and groaning. “Don’ts tells mez whats ta do!” He shouted louder. The crowd out side began to rage, it had grown larger in only a few minutes time.

            Louise saw her opportunity; she’d have to act fast. The man was turn away from her. Slowly leaning forward, she darted her arm across the counter and grabbed one of his guns right out of its holster, but her hand was a tad slow on the retreat and the man’s reflexes were more than a little faster than hers. He pinned her arm down in seconds-splat. Fire ran through her arm as she yelped in pain. Yet, she still held tight to the gun. The rough man twisted the skin on her arm in opposite directions. Louise screamed and let go of the gun. Her whole forearm burned as if hot iron was wrapped around it. The throbbing crept up her arm until her whole right arm was pulsing from pain, as if it had been covered in glowing red coals. Josh had stumbled back over to the man and just as the rough man stood up from picking up the gun, Josh sent a hard fist right to his stomach. The man doubled over. Josh grabbed his shirt collar and smacked him in the mouth making him fall to the floor and Josh stood over him with on of the revolvers in his hand. Louise thought quickly and ran and grabbed the rifle for sale off of the wall; loaded it in seconds and walked over. She pointed it at the man. And that’s when the sheriff walked into the shop. Louise realized she didn’t need to be pointing the rifle at the man because Josh already was. She slowly backed off and placed the rifle back on the shelf.

            “I see you have a trouble maker.” The sheriff said as if it wasn’t already obvious, “Granger,” he talked to the rough man, “When are ya ever gonna learn?” sighing and shaking his head he made the man stand up. “When are ya ever gonna learn?” he said again under his breath.

            The man called Granger let out a groan. “You throw…a pretty good…punch, boy.” He said between gasps. Josh flexed his hand but didn’t reply.

            “I’ll take care of him, Josh, you just go back to what you were doing.” The sheriff said. The sheriff was an older man with a mustache and small build. His kindly eyes radiated annoyance as if he dealt with this man before. The crowd had already started to dissipate.

            Josh handed the sheriff the gun, “Thanks, Malloy, here’s the man’s gun.”

            Sheriff Malloy took the revolver and gave him a smile, “Thanks for teachin’ him a lesson, Sonny.”

            With that, everyone left, except a few people who actually came to buy some things.

            Louise rubbed her arm. “You okay?” Josh asked.

            “Yeah, my arm is a bit twisted.”

            “Here,” He ran to the back room and came out with a wet cloth, “Put this on it.”

            “Thanks, what about you?”

            Josh looked at himself, “Just a bellyache, nothing serious.”

            “Who was that man?”

            “Oh just the town bully. He sometime get pretty rough if he’s been drinking.”

            “You don’t say.” Louise laughed a little as she wrapped the cloth around her arm. “Well we better get back to work.” They finished the last few customers and cleaned up just as the sun began to sink under its cover of the horizon. Stars began to take visibility. 

            “Here is your pay miss Hanson.  A little extra for the trouble today.”

            “Uh, thanks but I really don’t need extra for that.”

            “Take it anyway.”

            “Really–“

            “Just take it.” He looked at her intently.

            “Alright, if you insist, I will.” Louise took the money placed in in her bag. “Good bye!” she called behind her back as she walked out the door.

…