Page 2 of Pete and His Precious

Yeah. I’m embarrassed for my parents. I never meant to bring them that kind of attention, and I know that they were really ashamed of me that day. And embarrassed by my behavior. I... I’ll probably spend the rest of my life trying to live it down.

And I never, ever want to see that cop again. Not that it’s his fault. I certainly don’t blame him. It’s all me. But, he isjust associated with the embarrassment and guilt that I feel, and I’ve already run from him once. He was hanging out in front of my building, almost like he lived here, but he must have been guarding the place or something providing security as a moonlighting job or something? I don’t know. Regardless, I turned around, ran through the lobby, ignoring the ladies who reupholster furniture right there, and took off out the back door.

That’s the kind of lengths that I’ll go to to avoid him.

Anyway, so up until that point in my life, I was an extremely good girl, and, after that point my life I have continued to be an extremely good girl. Just that day... I lost it.

No more animal-rights rallies for me. That’s for sure.

Chapter 2

Pete

What a day.

I sigh as I walk wearily into my apartment, my legs aching, my feet sore, and I literally have egg on my face.

It’s dry now, but it’s itchy, and I can’t wait to get in the shower.

“Leo’s love bunny. Leo’s love bunny.”

My parakeet, Trixie, don’t let the name fool you because it’s actually a male — calls from the corner where his cage stands in my living room.

I shake my head. The last two weeks I’ve been trying to teach Trixie to say Pete.

Leo is my good friend, and was a great hockey player for the Icebreakers, the professional team that is based not far from my hometown of Whisper Hollow. He lives here in the building with me, only his apartment is more expensive, on a higher floor, and with a beautiful view and...more fitting to a professional hockey player. My apartment is fitting to a low-wage, high stress, low cost, cop.

My parents wanted me to get a better job, but this is what I’ve always wanted to do.

Except today... Today was the kind of day that makes me want to quit.

I had some protesters, there aren’t many of them in our small, conservative town, but there are a few, who called me a pig, and threw eggs at me.

I know that you don’t overcome evil with evil, you overcome evil with good, but it’s hard to remember when people are being so nasty, and ignorant. By ignorant, I mean stupid. It’s the kindof ignorant where you don’t really understand the facts, or you wouldn’t act the way you’re acting.

After all, if there were no police, there would be no one to keep law and order, and the further our society goes away from actual morality, where people police themselves, to the government is my God, and I look to them to provide for everything, and there are no morals or absolute truth, the more we need police.

At any rate, I’m not here to preach, I’m just here to do my job. The job that I dreamed of doing since the time I was little. But today...today is one of those days I would hand in my badge without too much thought, if I had anything else I thought I could do instead.

I guess it’s a lack of foresight on my part, or maybe it’s just God saying that he wants me to stay right where I am. Sometimes he puts us through the fire, and that feels like what he’s doing to me.

Leo and his love bunny. Leo and his love bunny!”

“I heard you Trixie. It’s Pete. Can you say Pete?” I hear the irritation in my tone, and I try to modulate it. The bird really is beautiful. And it’s pretty cool that he talks. I just want him to say my name. Not Leo’s. Leo is happily married to the love of his life, Nora. Since he’s retired from hockey, he’s working toward taking over the pastorate of his church in town. He pretty much has his life set up on a silver platter.

Not that anything was handed to him. He has worked hard, but so have I.

I go to the kitchen sink, turn the water on, and finally scrub the egg off my face.

You know how hard someone has to throw an egg in order for it to crack when it hits you? Go ahead and try it. I’ll wait.

It hurts, and I scrub, but gently.

I want to shower, I want food, I want... I want those stupid people to finally educate themselves and stop being so stinking dumb.

I grabbed a tea towel, use an end that looks fairly clean, since I can’t remember the last time I changed them, and go sit down on my recliner.

No sooner do I plop down, then I hear her voice.

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