JUST A SMALL FAVOR

“WOOF, GROCERIES ARE GETTING EXPENSIVE”, TONI SIGHED AS HE PICKED UP A BOX OF MAC N CHEESE. “THREE f*****g DOLLARS? I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS NINETY-NINE CENTS” HE PUFFED, GEEZ SOUNDING LIKE A BOOMER WAS NOT IN THE PLAN TODAY. TONI LOOKED AROUND. NOT A SINGLE SOUL WAS IN THE STORE AND NO ONE WAS WATCHING HIM, SO TONI TUCKED THE SMALL BOX IN THEIR JACKET AND HEADED TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE. “HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!” A BOOMING VOICE CAME FROM BEHIND MAKING THEM STOP JUST AS TONI’S HAND HAD REACHED THE DOOR HANDLE. “WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE?” SHIT, IT WAS THE OWNER…EVERYONE IN TOWN KNEW THIS GUY. HE WAS BIG AND BURLEY, REACHING ABOUT SIX FEET TWO INCHES TALL AND LOOKED TO WEIGH ALMOST THREE-HUNDRED POUNDS. HE LOOKED LIKE COULD BE PAUL BUNYAN’S LONG LOST COUSIN. TONI TOOK THE BOX OF PASTA FROM THE INSIDE OF HIS JACKET AND PLACED IT ON THE COUNTER. THE OWNER PICKED UP THE PHONE AND SAID “ I’M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL THE COPS ABOUT THIS YA KNOW.” TEARS STARTED TO WELL UP IN TONI’S EYES, “ PLEASE DON'T, I COULDN'T AFFORD A SIMPLE BOX OF PASTA, HOW CAN I AFFORD JAIL TIME?” THE OWNER STARED AT TONI FOR A FEW MOMENTS AND PLACED THE RECEIVER DOWN. THE OWNER MOVED SLOWLY AROUND THE COUNTER TOWARDS TONI. LEANING AGAINST THE COUNTER, THE OWNER BENT DOWN TO HIS LEVEL AND GRUFFLY ASKED, “DO YOU WANNA MAKE A DEAL?” “ WHAT KIND OF DEAL?” ASKED TONI. “THE KIND WHERE YOU HELP ME WITH A, UH….” HE PAUSED, STROKING HIS LONG, BUSHY BEARD, “SITUATION THAT NEEDS NO MORE DELAY, AND I DONT CALL TO GET YOU ARRESTED FOR A PETTY THEFT”, SHOT BACK THE OWNER MATTER-OF-FACTLY. “DO I REALLY HAVE A CHOICE IN THE MATTER?” THE OWNER SHRUGGED. “YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE CHOICES, HOWEVER IT'S HOW YOU HANDLE THE CONSEQUENCES THAT FOLLOW….” HE TRAILED OFF STILL STARING AT THE DELINQUENT. TONI NERVOUSLY LOOKED AT THE OWNER AND IT SEEMED THAT HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE. HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO EITHER DO THIS GUY A “FAVOR” OR GO TO JAIL. MURDER WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT AN OPTION AS A CONCRETE BRICK COULDN’T TAKE THIS GUY OUT. “GUESS IT'S TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS FAVOR IS THEN” TONI SETTLED. “FANTASTIC” THE OWNER SAID, HIS GAZE DARKENING AND THE GRIN WAS A LITTLE TOO OMINOUS.