The Pattern
Copenhagen didn't think he'd miss his old life- he'd changed hands so many times it was almost like a semi annual appointment with fate. He touched his hand to his cheek, wondering if the woman in the front seat liked his face. If he were older would she kiss him? He thought she might- he would be her kind of man and she was definitely his kind of lady. He thought for a moment about popping the question, but decided a lady like her would want a big diamond and he hadn't had motivation to steal one of those before.
Copenhagen had stolen many things- and most of them he hadn't been caught stealing. He'd stolen a boat once from his neighbor. The man had called it a yacht- but Copenhagen knew better- it was a tiny thing undeserving of such a grand title. He didn't really consider that time stealing- it had been a pleasure cruise. Whatever the boat was, it was faster than the coast guard. He'd run it ashore and dashed away long before they made landfall in their puny little boats.
Then there'd been the time he stole the television set- that had been sheer genius. He had been seven at the time and found a receipt for a big screen in the parking lot at a Department Store. He had walked into the store beside an older lady she had a cane and a kind smile. She was a total stranger. He gave her a hug and she thought it was "cute." He followed her around putting things into her cart for her. He convinced her to stop in the department with the television sets and let the cashier overhear him begging for a big screen for his Birthday. They were only there a few minutes, and then they went to the check out. He helped the woman bag everything. He left a bag on "accident" beside the cash register and told her he would go back for it. Instead he asked one of the department workers to carry the tv out for him, but to load it into a wagon instead of a car so his uncle wouldn't see it. He flashed the receipt, and everyone had seen him helping the old lady. He was golden. He returned the bag to the woman and took off on his bike. Sure, the television fell into a ditch on the way home- but that wasn't the point- the point was he could outsmart the world.
Copenhagen examined the shoulders of the large man in the front seat. He was the kind of man that Copenhagen might grow up to be, except the man was probably not as brainy. Copenhagen wondered if the lady had ever kissed the man. He was such a tight butt Copenhagen hoped she didn't go for guys like that.
The lady sighed quietly in the front seat she had stopped talking after the man's icy glare, and that had been hours ago. Copenhagen hung on her every breath. He'd never been so taken with the girls at school- even though he had liked Madison Janey and her 24 pack of crayons. The woman in the passenger seat was Angelina Jolie and Audrey Hepburn- classy and sexy and smart.
Copenhagen was trying to find words to express his newfound emotions. He was a boy things like that weren't supposed to cross his mind. He remembered how Marshall Cunningham had called him gay once for studying the way David Rice threw a ball. It hadn't been like that though he was just trying to calculate the arch to achieve the same results. Marshall had made a big fuss. But, when Copenhagen coaxed the same Madison Janey of the crayon box out of her lacy panties and planted them in Marshall's bag the last laugh had definitely belonged to Copenhagen.
His misdeeds were firmly planted in his mind as he felt the SUV slow to a stop. He couldn't see in front of him except the many shades of hair that sprouted so nicely from the lady's head. He thought it odd that she hadn't introduced herself. The man hadn't said her name either Copenhagen wished he knew her name.
The SUV began rolling again and this time when it came to stop Copenhagen could see a field full of airplanes and helicopters. He was impressed. He was manly enough to appreciate a good engine- and delicate enough to pick the most sensitive of locks. The man let him out of the car, and Copenhagen momentarily resented feeling like a small child.
Suddenly however, and without the consent of his brain his feet were running toward the helicopter. Fascinated. He looked under it and at the base. He'd never been so close to one. He walked around it,- no one stopped him. No one seemed to care what he was doing. He looked at the driver, wondering what it would be like to steal a flying machine. In the end he decided he would have to study it a bit like he had with the boat- public libraries were a great source of aiding and abetting his misdemeanors.
When Copenhagen rounded the helicopter a large man with a blunt chin handed him a pair of headphones and he put them on. There were three other children, two girls and one boy. His ladylove and the man she had ridden with were gone. He watched the tail lights fade into the distance and felt the pang of his heart breaking.
Copenhagen had stolen many things- and most of them he hadn't been caught stealing. He'd stolen a boat once from his neighbor. The man had called it a yacht- but Copenhagen knew better- it was a tiny thing undeserving of such a grand title. He didn't really consider that time stealing- it had been a pleasure cruise. Whatever the boat was, it was faster than the coast guard. He'd run it ashore and dashed away long before they made landfall in their puny little boats.
Then there'd been the time he stole the television set- that had been sheer genius. He had been seven at the time and found a receipt for a big screen in the parking lot at a Department Store. He had walked into the store beside an older lady she had a cane and a kind smile. She was a total stranger. He gave her a hug and she thought it was "cute." He followed her around putting things into her cart for her. He convinced her to stop in the department with the television sets and let the cashier overhear him begging for a big screen for his Birthday. They were only there a few minutes, and then they went to the check out. He helped the woman bag everything. He left a bag on "accident" beside the cash register and told her he would go back for it. Instead he asked one of the department workers to carry the tv out for him, but to load it into a wagon instead of a car so his uncle wouldn't see it. He flashed the receipt, and everyone had seen him helping the old lady. He was golden. He returned the bag to the woman and took off on his bike. Sure, the television fell into a ditch on the way home- but that wasn't the point- the point was he could outsmart the world.
Copenhagen examined the shoulders of the large man in the front seat. He was the kind of man that Copenhagen might grow up to be, except the man was probably not as brainy. Copenhagen wondered if the lady had ever kissed the man. He was such a tight butt Copenhagen hoped she didn't go for guys like that.
The lady sighed quietly in the front seat she had stopped talking after the man's icy glare, and that had been hours ago. Copenhagen hung on her every breath. He'd never been so taken with the girls at school- even though he had liked Madison Janey and her 24 pack of crayons. The woman in the passenger seat was Angelina Jolie and Audrey Hepburn- classy and sexy and smart.
Copenhagen was trying to find words to express his newfound emotions. He was a boy things like that weren't supposed to cross his mind. He remembered how Marshall Cunningham had called him gay once for studying the way David Rice threw a ball. It hadn't been like that though he was just trying to calculate the arch to achieve the same results. Marshall had made a big fuss. But, when Copenhagen coaxed the same Madison Janey of the crayon box out of her lacy panties and planted them in Marshall's bag the last laugh had definitely belonged to Copenhagen.
His misdeeds were firmly planted in his mind as he felt the SUV slow to a stop. He couldn't see in front of him except the many shades of hair that sprouted so nicely from the lady's head. He thought it odd that she hadn't introduced herself. The man hadn't said her name either Copenhagen wished he knew her name.
The SUV began rolling again and this time when it came to stop Copenhagen could see a field full of airplanes and helicopters. He was impressed. He was manly enough to appreciate a good engine- and delicate enough to pick the most sensitive of locks. The man let him out of the car, and Copenhagen momentarily resented feeling like a small child.
Suddenly however, and without the consent of his brain his feet were running toward the helicopter. Fascinated. He looked under it and at the base. He'd never been so close to one. He walked around it,- no one stopped him. No one seemed to care what he was doing. He looked at the driver, wondering what it would be like to steal a flying machine. In the end he decided he would have to study it a bit like he had with the boat- public libraries were a great source of aiding and abetting his misdemeanors.
When Copenhagen rounded the helicopter a large man with a blunt chin handed him a pair of headphones and he put them on. There were three other children, two girls and one boy. His ladylove and the man she had ridden with were gone. He watched the tail lights fade into the distance and felt the pang of his heart breaking.