20

"Miss Witt. Excuse me, Miss Witt,” a resort guest shouted as she ran to catch up with Sadie and Belly.

"Excuse me. Excuse me.” Rodney mocked. He was still angry that Sadie had chastised him in front of the other crossers. Rancid breath billowing, he slipped behind Sadie and leaned close to her neck. “You'll get yours, you witch."

Belly's ears flattened and he lunged toward Rodney. The crosser dodged the attack.

"The next time that dog growls at me will be his last,” Rodney snarled.

Sadie pulled Belly to her side as she greeted the guest. The dog dropped to his haunches and raised his leg to scratch at the orange neckerchief. He leaned against Sadie's leg and tapped his foot in rhythm with the tempo of her fingers as she helped him locate the itch.

"Could you give us directions to the hospital? My daughter called this morning to tell me my aunt is hospitalized in Pinecone Landing. We'd like to stop and visit her.” The woman held a pen over a small tablet, waiting for Sadie to begin.

Sadie pushed her orange-rimmed sun glasses up into her gelled spikes. With several grand gestures, she issued directions. “You can't miss it. It's one of the biggest buildings in that area.” Sadie accompanied her guest as she walked back to her car. “I hope your aunt will be all right."

"I'm sure she will.” The woman paused, keeping her gaze on Belly. “Why is your dog growling at me?"

"He's not growling at you.” Sadie's eyes grew wide as she watched Rodney jump into the back seat of the woman's car. The woman's husband climbed in behind the steering wheel and put the key in the ignition.

Sadie hugged her arms over her orange polka-dot top, watching the car disappear down the drive.

Rodney let out a satisfied breath and snuggled against the soft blue upholstery. This fancy car had more to offer than that old van Sadie made him ride in every day. He wiggled his fingers at Sadie. Then he saluted.

Sliding sideways and leaning against the window, Rodney propped his feet up on the back of the driver's headrest.

"Home, James,” he said issuing directions to the driver. “I'll take a beer. Make sure it's cold. On second thought, make it a whole case."

Rodney looked at the man's wife. “What's that? You have a daughter who thinks I'm a stud? That doesn't surprise me.” He tapped the woman on the shoulder. “How about you? You want to do me the big favor, too?"

He watched the greenery fly by as the car headed down the highway. Rodney's elbow brushed against the electric controls on the armrest and he placed his fingers on the panel. He toyed with the silver buttons.

"What are you doing? It's too hot to roll the windows down,” the woman said.

"I'm not doing anything."

"You must be. The window in the back seat keeps going up and down.” She craned her neck toward the back seat. “Now they're both going up and down."

The man pulled the car over and shoved the lever into park. “Maybe it's a short in the wiring.” He got out and opened the back door on the driver's side. His wife got out and opened the back door on the passenger's side. They both began pushing buttons along the armrests trying to get the windows to close.

"Are you sure you didn't lean your elbow on the front panel?"

"Of course I'm sure,” he said. “I told you it must be a short in the wiring. Let's take the car back to the rental place. I'm not going to put up with this for a whole week. It's too hot."

They climbed back into the car. Rodney leaned into the front seat and cranked the radio's volume on high. He pointed toward the woman.

"What did you do that for?” she shouted. “You know how much I hate loud music."

Rodney pointed at the driver as the man turned the radio off.

"I didn't do it. There's something wrong with this car."

As the man finished his sentence, Rodney reached for the lever on the steering wheel and spun the wiper dial, kicking the wipers into fast motion. He spread his arms and propped them on the front seats, swiveling his head back and forth between the couple who was now embroiled in a fiery argument.

"I told you not to rent a cheap car. You and your stupid budgets."

"If it wasn't for my so called budgets, we couldn't afford this vacation,” the man snapped.

"You can't take your money with you, if that's what you think.” She shot a nasty glare in his direction.

"Oh yes I can and there's not a single thing you can do about it. I'm going to install a hitch on my casket and take it with me.” The man wrestled with the knob and continued down the sun-speckled highway with the wipers engaged full blast.

Rodney's impatience with the time it took to change cars at the rental place put him in a spiteful mood. He waited until the driver parked the new rental car in the hospital parking lot before setting the windows in motion again. After he honked the horn and flipped the window washers into action, he noticed a man in a black suit and a round, white collar climb out of an adjacent vehicle. The man tucked a Bible under his arm.

"Maybe this will be my lucky day.” Rodney whistled through his front teeth. “Maybe I can end this stupid game."

The Bible-toting man appeared to be in a hurry. Rodney scrambled out of the back seat and hurried past the rental-car couple who tried to dodge the blue washer-fluid mist falling through the air.

Rodney followed the pastor through the front doors and stood behind him in the lobby. When the elevator doors opened, Rodney moved to the back of the elevator. Two other men joined them and one pushed the button for the fourth floor.

Rodney flicked the brim of one of the men's baseball cap with his index finger. It popped off his head and fell to the floor. The man looked sideways at the pastor before bending to pick it up and place it back on his head.

The pastor continued to stare straight ahead as the elevator made its ascent.

Rodney flicked the brim again sending the hat sailing off the man's head. It landed on the pastor's shoe.

The pastor grasped the Bible tighter and glanced sideways without moving his head.

The man again retrieved his cap and placed it on his head. He glared at the Pastor.

Rodney reached over and pushed the fire alarm, setting off a piercing alarm. An overhead page sounded, indicating a code red in the east lobby elevator. The page was repeated two more times. “That's this elevator,” the Pastor said with a gasp. Three pairs of eyes widened in alarm.

One of the passengers stared at the red button pushed flat against the panel. He tugged on it to dislodge it. Rodney held his finger firmly on the button.

The overhead paging system again indicated code red. As the elevator rose to the fourth floor, the occupants heard static from a walkie-talkie. A voice shouted, “It just got to the fourth floor."

The doors swooshed open. Several nurses and a security guard ran toward them with fire extinguishers aimed at the opening.

"We didn't push the button. I swear,” one of the passengers said. “I tried to make it stop, but it kept ringing."

As they exited the elevator, Rodney reached for the pastor's hand and placed it on the passenger's crotch.

"What the hell?” the man shouted. “What's wrong with you?"

Rodney fell into stride next to the pastor, who had paled. He followed him into a room and stood at the end of the bed while the pastor fought to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry I'm late. It's been quite a morning.” The pastor dabbed at the sweat beading on his face.

The woman smiled. “That's all right. Nothing could dampen my spirits today. The doctor just gave me my biopsy results and it appears the tumor was benign."

The pastor clasped the woman's hands. “Praise the Lord. I knew everything would be all right."

"Sheeeittt,” Rodney moaned. He kicked the air with his foot. “That sucks."