Paperback
Kindle
About the Author: John H. Dromey was born in northeast Missouri. He enjoys reading—mysteries especially—and writing in a variety of genres. He’s had short fiction published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Crimson Streets, Gumshoe Review, Mystery Weekly Magazine, Thriller Magazine, Woman’s World, and elsewhere.
The man with a star-shaped badge pinned to his denim shirt didn’t budge an inch from his swivel chair when a hyper man in a three-piece suit barged into the tiny office that was dominated by a metal army surplus desk and a glass fronted gun case filled to capacity. The room’s single exterior window overlooked a compact parking lot, which fact undoubtedly accounted for the occupant’s calm response to his agitated visitor. He’d seen him coming.
“What can I do for you? Mr. Baxter, is it?”
“That’s right, Sheriff. I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m surprised you know who I am.”
“I make it my business to keep track of people.”
“Do you know why I’m here?”
“No, sir. That was the purpose of my earlier enquiry.”
“Your …? Oh, you did pose a question, didn’t you?”
“That I did. Please state your business.”
“I want you to run those clowns out of town. They’re a public nuisance.”
“May I deduce you mean that literally? You’re referring to the advance retinue of comic entertainers in full costume who are here to promote the circus that’s coming to town?”
Baxter nodded his head.
“I can’t just kick them out for no reason at all,” the sheriff said.
Clever, interesting, funny. I wanted more clown hijinx.
I enjoyed your story, thanks for sharing it!
Got some news for you, John. The data on CDs are not affected by magnets. The data are read by light, i.e., a laser.
Thanks, Rick, for pointing out a factual error in my story. There are a couple of possible explanations. Perhaps, when I wasn’t paying close attention, the third-person omniscient point of view was temporarily hijacked by an unreliable narrator. With what I know now, however, I prefer to think the seasoned sheriff either thought a magnet could do some real damage or he found it convenient to lie about the technology involved and got away with it. The old-school banker didn’t know any better.
Awesome short story. I am eager to read more of your writings. Well done.
I'll never trust what a clown says again. They are liars and tricky. Fun story. I think the sheriff was double/triple? bluffing.
Cleverly written story. I truly enjoyed the read.
Hate banks, love clowns... and stories like this one!!
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