Patience by Burton Sherry A

Author:Burton, Sherry A.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dorry Press
Published: 2023-12-31T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

The block of wood felt warm in his hand, but that could just have been because he’d been holding and peering at it for quite some time, trying to find the animal inside. While the wood had felt right when he’d chosen it, he now felt as if he’d picked the wrong one. He wished he could ask Dobs, but he wouldn’t get his chance to see the man until after sunrise when everyone left. An image of his momma came to mind, and he knew she was reminding him to be patient. After all, it wasn’t like he could do anything about it even if he knew, as he had yet to give Dobs the stamp. He double-checked to make sure it was still there since the last time he looked a few minutes earlier. It was. Just as it had been each time he looked earlier in the day and the evening before.

He had been patient, he reminded himself. He’d wanted nothing more than to pound on the door, tell whoever answered he was there to see his friend, and hand Dobs the stamp in exchange for the knife. He thought about the knife and pictured the shiny blade scraping against the wood and carving out…what? That was the problem: even if he had the knife, he still wouldn’t know what to carve. He clenched his teeth, trying desperately to think of something to make from the fine piece of wood he’d pulled from the barrel. His breathing quickened as he held the piece up, surveying it the best he could in the dimly lit hallway while willing the image to show itself. Nothing. In a fit of frustration, he flung the wood down the hallway, only to scramble to his feet and race after it before it even stopped moving. The block hit a doorframe, and he snatched it up, hoping the noise didn’t alert anyone inside. As he walked under the single bulb that lit the hallway, he saw the block had been dinged when it hit the wall. He turned it and saw a hint of pink. He rubbed the wood with the meat of his thumb, brought it to his nose, inhaled the woodsy scent, and wondered how they put that smell in there. The door to the apartment, whose door jamb he’d just hit, clicked, and Paddy raced to the alcove, holding his breath as a man exited the apartment. The man looked in his direction, and Paddy closed his eyes. A second later, he heard footsteps walking away and peeked to see the man stepping inside the washroom.

Geez, Paddy, keep that up, and they’ll chase you away with a broom. The last thing he wanted was to be tossed into the street, much less during the night. Deciding he’d be better off sleeping, he snuggled into the alcove as best he could and closed his eyes for real. Sometime later, he heard a door, looked up to see the man return to his apartment, and then drifted off once more.

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