From Dusk Till Dawn

Chapter 4-Part 2: Two Unlucky Pennies

Thankfully, we don't live that far from Decker Post. Though most of the snow has melted, the freezing temperature remains.

I ride through the busy city until I reach my destination. The city is a lot busier than it was yesterday.

When I arrive at the Decker Post office I push it to the back of the tall building ensuring the safety of my bike. One time I left it out front and someone stole it. I learned my mistake immediately.

"You're late Decker!" A snarky journalist named Bartholomew Blackwell calls me. We gave Barry the reasonable nickname, Hairy Barry. One of his pals was the one that got the nickname started. He has long, dark, brown hair with light blue eyes.

A flirty smile plays on his face as he watches me sit down next to his desk. He's handsome, I'll give the man that but that's about all he has going for him.

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow? I'd like to take you out to a drive-in movie." He scoots his chair up to my desk. "What happened to Penelope? Did she get bored of you already?" He laughs loud enough for a few people to catch everyone's attention.

"Wow, she can deal out a joke. I'm impressed, Decker." Ignoring him, I drew out the notepad I used to review the play from yesterday.

"What do you say, Decker?"
I roll my eyes to his recurring proposal. "Why do you-" as he begins as my eyes suddenly catch a familiar person pacing about outside in front of Decker Post.

"I'll be right back." Grabbing mother's coat off the coat rack, I walk out into the brisk afternoon air.

The tall, slim man has stopped pacing when I get to him. He's about to leave when I call out his name.

"Joseph?" He stops in place turning to face me, "Oh, hello Louise." He greets hastily.

"Hi, Joseph." In his arms, Joseph holds a large piece of brown fabric. A sense of relief passes through me.

"Is that my pancho?"

"Yes, you forgot it at my family's furniture store yesterday. I conveniently happened to be around this part of the city today so I thought I'd come by and return it." He stuffs his hand in his pants pocket.

"That's very kind of you." I take the pancho back from him. There's silence but it's not awkward.

"I went to the public library to try and find out what this meant in the American Sign Language but I couldn't find a single book."

Joseph tells me, signing the word friend.

"Don't you have work? Or is your family's furniture store not busy?" I question curiously.

"I work there when I'm available. I'm employed in the underground subways fixing the cars. My boss gave us an hour-long lunch so I found time to come by." I hold my pancho close to my chest, unsure of what I should say next.

Shortly after, Joseph nods timidly with a stiff stance before leaving.
"It's quite difficult to come across a book for American Sign Language." My voice stops him before he can turn the corner of the street.

"Thankfully, I know of a person who owns one."A breeze blows by sending a shiver through me. His body shifts back around, gazing at me.

"Would you like to borrow it?" I ask, suddenly feeling anxious with his round, dark eyes on me.

"That'd be swell." His posture relaxes as he follows me into the warm building.

Journalists glance at us when we enter, immediately returning back to typing on their typewriters. I head to my desk that sits by Barry and his other friend. They seem to be out for lunch. I set my poncho on the back of my chair