The Pattern
Copenhagen glanced at the video camera. He had learned to study the pattern a week ago, before he decided to sneak in and obtain a little extra candy. He watched it sweep to the left. It was simple, he stuffed his pocket with laffy taffys and nerds- his favorites. The camera swept back and he was holding a magazine three feet away from the candy, he didn't even glance at the camera. He set the magazine down carefully and moved toward the door. Matilda the counter girl was flirting shamelessly with a boy twice her age. Copenhagen shouted a goodbye to her, and she gave him a look that was full of venom.
Copenhagen unwrapped a piece of candy and let the paper fall to the ground. He knew that would annoy Mrs. Landry, and he lived to annoy her. Copenhagen savored the taffy on his tongue. Mrs. Landry would call them wrapped cavities. She wouldn't let him have them. In fact, Mrs. Landry would probably be preparing to call the police in five minutes. He hadn't been home after school she would "worry."
Copenhagen settled down behind the police station it had been at least three weeks since he had tried this spot. The cops had looked everywhere for him for four maybe five hours, and then to find him in their own turf- they hadn't been pleased. Why one might ask did he enjoy degrading keepers of the peace? It was simple, he blamed them for the life his mother lived.
Copenhagen unwrapped another piece of candy. A police officer walked past his hiding place in the bushes. Copenhagen heard the report on his walkie talkie.
"Landry lost the brat again."
Copenhagen snorted softly- very professional guys. The man grumbled. "It's a Wednesday of course she lost him. He hates that ridiculous church schedule she keeps."
True, he hated going to the rickety old church and sitting in the midst of half rotting living corpses also referred to as old people. He just didn't feel the whole god thing. If god was real, his mother wouldn't have died. God was like Santa Clause a convenient story to tell children that would keep them in line.
Copenhagen believed in many things he'd never seen- god was not one of them. He'd never seen drugs, but he believed they were real. He'd never seen a dinosaur in person, but he believed they were real. He'd never seen a ghost- felt a ghost- but never seen one, and he knew ghosts were real. If that made him a heathen then he was happy to be what he believed.
Once in school he made Betty Wilder cry because he convinced her of the truth- her weak mind couldn't handle it. Mrs. Landry had punished him but good. He was tired of being punished for his convictions, wasn't this America?
Copenhagen was also tired of his self-expression being inhibited. Like the time he had painted the school building. It had needed it, the paint was pealing and no one else seemed to care. Copenhagen was always one to serve his community. He had explained it to Mrs. Landry and she had almost believed him. If he hadn't lost it at the end and chuckled he would have pulled it off without a hitch. Instead he ended up painting the building white, and with Mr. Darth as his chaperone- it hadn't been pleasant.
Copenhagen thought of the letter he had tucked in the bottom of his sneaker, he didn't really want Mrs. Landry to see it. Even if it was someone's idea of a joke, he wanted to be able to change his mind at any given time. She might force him to go, and there wasn't enough information for him to be certain that he really wanted to do that.
"There you are!" the chief looked down at him with a scowl. "Pick up that litter son!"
Copenhagen obeyed, trying to conceal his anger. A man walked up behind the officer, and paused to stare at Copenhagen.
"There is stolen candy in your pocket," the man said in a monotone.
The officer grabbed him aggressively and ripped the candy out of his pockets. Copenhagen fought back kicking and scratching he didn't like being manhandled just because his parents weren't around. The officer got him to a chokehold in no time flat. The man reached up to touch the officer's shoulder and the man went completely limp falling against the bush. His chest was moving but not much.
"Come on," the man said leaving the candy scattered around the officer on the ground. "You sir are a disaster, let's not make more of a mess than you already have."
A woman smiled at him from the driver's seat as he was ushered into a big SUV. Copenhagen didn't think to fight back. This dude had just taken out an officer- the Chief of Police. It was incredible, but he had seen it so he believed it.
"So, you sing in the choir do you?" the woman asked blessing him with a lovely smile.
"Sometimes," Copenhagen mumbled shuffling his feet.
"He steals candy," the man growled.
"Yeah? I used to do that sometimes too." The lady replied, and Copenhagen fell in love for the first time ever.
Copenhagen unwrapped a piece of candy and let the paper fall to the ground. He knew that would annoy Mrs. Landry, and he lived to annoy her. Copenhagen savored the taffy on his tongue. Mrs. Landry would call them wrapped cavities. She wouldn't let him have them. In fact, Mrs. Landry would probably be preparing to call the police in five minutes. He hadn't been home after school she would "worry."
Copenhagen settled down behind the police station it had been at least three weeks since he had tried this spot. The cops had looked everywhere for him for four maybe five hours, and then to find him in their own turf- they hadn't been pleased. Why one might ask did he enjoy degrading keepers of the peace? It was simple, he blamed them for the life his mother lived.
Copenhagen unwrapped another piece of candy. A police officer walked past his hiding place in the bushes. Copenhagen heard the report on his walkie talkie.
"Landry lost the brat again."
Copenhagen snorted softly- very professional guys. The man grumbled. "It's a Wednesday of course she lost him. He hates that ridiculous church schedule she keeps."
True, he hated going to the rickety old church and sitting in the midst of half rotting living corpses also referred to as old people. He just didn't feel the whole god thing. If god was real, his mother wouldn't have died. God was like Santa Clause a convenient story to tell children that would keep them in line.
Copenhagen believed in many things he'd never seen- god was not one of them. He'd never seen drugs, but he believed they were real. He'd never seen a dinosaur in person, but he believed they were real. He'd never seen a ghost- felt a ghost- but never seen one, and he knew ghosts were real. If that made him a heathen then he was happy to be what he believed.
Once in school he made Betty Wilder cry because he convinced her of the truth- her weak mind couldn't handle it. Mrs. Landry had punished him but good. He was tired of being punished for his convictions, wasn't this America?
Copenhagen was also tired of his self-expression being inhibited. Like the time he had painted the school building. It had needed it, the paint was pealing and no one else seemed to care. Copenhagen was always one to serve his community. He had explained it to Mrs. Landry and she had almost believed him. If he hadn't lost it at the end and chuckled he would have pulled it off without a hitch. Instead he ended up painting the building white, and with Mr. Darth as his chaperone- it hadn't been pleasant.
Copenhagen thought of the letter he had tucked in the bottom of his sneaker, he didn't really want Mrs. Landry to see it. Even if it was someone's idea of a joke, he wanted to be able to change his mind at any given time. She might force him to go, and there wasn't enough information for him to be certain that he really wanted to do that.
"There you are!" the chief looked down at him with a scowl. "Pick up that litter son!"
Copenhagen obeyed, trying to conceal his anger. A man walked up behind the officer, and paused to stare at Copenhagen.
"There is stolen candy in your pocket," the man said in a monotone.
The officer grabbed him aggressively and ripped the candy out of his pockets. Copenhagen fought back kicking and scratching he didn't like being manhandled just because his parents weren't around. The officer got him to a chokehold in no time flat. The man reached up to touch the officer's shoulder and the man went completely limp falling against the bush. His chest was moving but not much.
"Come on," the man said leaving the candy scattered around the officer on the ground. "You sir are a disaster, let's not make more of a mess than you already have."
A woman smiled at him from the driver's seat as he was ushered into a big SUV. Copenhagen didn't think to fight back. This dude had just taken out an officer- the Chief of Police. It was incredible, but he had seen it so he believed it.
"So, you sing in the choir do you?" the woman asked blessing him with a lovely smile.
"Sometimes," Copenhagen mumbled shuffling his feet.
"He steals candy," the man growled.
"Yeah? I used to do that sometimes too." The lady replied, and Copenhagen fell in love for the first time ever.