Business as Usual

Christmas has passed and it was so nice this morning to have the gang back at their old shenanigans.  Big S was sitting out front of the grocery store, smoking the last of the cigarillos I gave him the other day.  Ferret was arguing and picking at Dexter about an old transgression Dexter committed years ago that he is notorious for.

"Is it true you got arrested for stealing pork chops out of someone's frying pan by breaking into their kitchen?" Ferret asked Dexter, jovially laughing.

"Aw shucks, man," Dexter replied. "That happened years ago."

"Didn't you burn your hands getting them out?" Ferret asked, looking astonished.

"They were cooling on the counter," Dexter replied now looking embarrassed.

"Leave him alone," I told Ferret, trying to get him to quit.

Dexter is mentally retarded.  My mother taught him in school years and years ago.  He spends his days walking around town and hanging out at various locations.  Wherever something seems to be happening.  He is hanging out at the shopping center much of the time these days.

"That must have been one hell of a hunger!" Ferret exclaimed, laughing louder.

I wished Ferret would just drop it.  Ferret has a few skeletons in his closet as well.  Ferret was homeless for months because he was too drunk all the time to be able to pay rent.  All his money went to booze.

"You don't have a lot of room to talk," I said to Ferret, scoldingly, with an air of warning in my voice.

Ferret dropped his line of questioning.  

"What did you get for Christmas?" I asked Dexter.

"My mother got me some cologne," he said. "And some new sweatshirts."

"Sounds nice," I replied.  And Dexter did look more together with one of his new shirts on.  Usually he can look really frumpy and disheveled as if he just crawled out of bed.

It was good seeing some of the gang this morning.  Yesterday was so lonely and I was so glad to see such a gathering of my unorthodox friends today.  The day is turning out much brighter than yesterday.  Now, I have to get a shower and go over to my parents to see my brother, his wife, and my niece.  I am so nervous, but need to do this.  Good day!