5

Chapter 5

It was a hot and humid day, as I'd mentioned already.  (Even a normal day is a hot and humid one here, so my mentioning that it was a hot and humid day should trigger you to think "Oh, it really must have been extraordinarily hot and humid that day."  I hope that you did think that, which will add to your mental picture of the story and, ultimately, bring you more satisfaction in the reading.)  It was also a very sunny day, which most are, but we won't go into that, as well.

For the purpose of this story, there is one more person I should introduce you to-Edgar Hormer.  He runs (it's actually more of the ghetto version of a 'franchise') the neighborhood ice cream wagon, a person-powered cart made of shiny flimsy metal with a push handle two rubber tires, and a copper bell. A variety of ice cream products are right there inside, cooled by dry ice at the bottom of the wagon's belly.  Edgar is 43.  He's worked this very job for 34 years.  He's very good at his job.  He's efficient at making change and always prompt on his rounds.  While on duty, Edgar's been shot 6 times, hit by 9 cars and robbed 15 times.  Don't ask me about the math.  I'm sure it means something.  But I'm dyslexic...and lactose-intolerant, so I don't know.

Edgar also reads a lot. He's just completed Joseph Conrad's The Hero with A Thousand Faces and will soon launch into a collection of short stories written by and for midgets, a category to which Edgar does not belong, by the way. Another interesting fact about Edgar is that he desires more than anything to be a house player in the community theater, though he's never been granted a audition in 15 years.  And it's not for lack of trying. He's resilient  though. One would have to be, to do what he does. He has no insurance coverage, either for himself or his business.