To Squeeze a Prairie Dog by Scott Semegran

Author:Scott Semegran [Semegran, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mutt Press via Indie Author Project
Published: 2018-08-10T05:00:00+00:00

22.

The way the sunlight sparkled on the surface of Town Lake mesmerized Esther Jean, and as she stood on the Congress Avenue Bridge, watching the ducks and paddle-boaters maneuver through the illuminated ripples of the lake, she ruminated about her love life, or lack thereof. She often wondered when love from another would consume her, whether from a man or a woman. She didn’t have a preference; she just wanted to be loved. She often pined for love, and it frustrated her that she was denied the intoxicating emotion. The irony of this wasn’t lost on the strong-willed, feminist reporter. She didn’t want this desire to consume her world but, sometimes, it just did. She couldn’t help but think about it.

My broad shoulders are a turn-off, she thought, watching a duck pursue his potential mate through the glistening water. Maybe I should work out less.

As she stood there—consumed in her thoughts and hypnotized by the view—Bob the alt-weekly reporter snuck up behind her unnoticed. He had the advantage of the lake’s incantation, which distracted Esther Jean. He enjoyed teasing or pranking her at any possible moment like an older yet pesky brother. So when he jabbed her in the ribs—a high-pitched squeal unintentionally released from her lips—she wasn’t ultimately surprised that the unsuspecting assailant was her journalistic cohort. She clinched her fists after he poked her, and the sight of Esther Jean raising her dukes amused him.

“Whoa there, Punchy McGee!” he hooted. “Careful with those things!”

Esther Jean realized she was being ridiculously defensive. She unclenched her fists, then chuckled.

“I almost punched you!” she said, adjusting her disheveled outfit.

“I have no doubt you would have destroyed me.”

“Totally. Without remorse.”

“Good thing I can run fast. Ready for coffee and cats?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

The two reporters walked the seven or eight blocks to the Cheshire Cat Café, the one with terrific espresso and affectionate cats roaming around inside: Esther Jean’s favorite place. Once they arrived, Bob laughed at the sign above the entrance, something he did every time he saw it, the titular feline face grinning at customers as they went inside. Bob held the door open for her like a gentleman and she found her favorite table was unoccupied. They made themselves comfortable and ordered two cups of espresso from a friendly waitress.

Esther Jean looked for her favorite kitty—the one named Rascal—but didn’t see him anywhere, so she asked the waitress of his whereabouts.

“You got me,” the waitress said, miffed. “He’s named Rascal for a reason.”

Esther Jean nodded an affirmation at the waitress, who ran off to give the barista their order.

“Hi, how are you?” she said to Bob, sitting across from her. He wore a cream-colored T-shirt with the “Hi, how are you” alien frog on the front, a caricature famously drawn by the schizophrenic Texas musician Daniel Johnston, who painted a mural of it on the wall outside of a now-defunct record store. Bob liked wearing T-shirts with historic punk rock landmarks on them. It made him feel clever or, better yet, hip, even though he disagreed with the moniker of “hipster.

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