Fantasy fiction; Science fiction; Subconsciousness -- Fiction
"Pillsworth?" the cop said. "But that's the same guy who was pinching
the other dame in the coupe. My gosh! how he gets around!"
Just then the other policeman, who had retreated to the background,
arrived on the scene with Marc and the blonde in custody.
"Hey," he said, "I caught this creep on the creep. He was trying to
sneak out."
The cop looked quickly at Marc, then back to George. "It's the same
guy!" he said. "Which one of you birds is Pillsworth?"
Marc and George went smoothly into their routine of pointing to each
other in unison.
"He is!" they said.
The cop turned to Toffee. "Do you know which is which?" he asked.
"Sure," Toffee said and nodded at George. "He's Pillsworth."
"She's crazy," George retorted hotly. "She's as crazy as bedbugs in a
bathtub."
"That's right," the thug put in. "She's a looney if there ever was one."
Marc moved urgently to gain the cop's attention. "You've got to arrest
that man," he said, pointing at the congressman. "He's a subversive and
a murderer."
* * * * *
The congressman whirled about. "You must be insane, sir!" he rasped in
frantic denial.
"_You_ must be," Marc said. "You must have been ripe for the hatch
years ago."
"You're a fine one to talk," the blonde put in nastily. "Officer, this
man is off his rocker like a busted hobby horse. He's done nothing but
pinch me ever since we met."
Toffee levelled her gaze at Marc. "What were you doing pinching that
tomato?" she demanded. "Just what were you getting at?"
"Oh, don't be crazy," Marc said distractedly.
"Oh, so I'm crazy, am I?" Toffee said, doubling her fists.
"You sure are, sister," the thug put in. "You're the most hopped up
dame I ever saw." He turned to the cop. "She ought to be locked up."
"Oh, yeah?" Toffee said. "At least I didn't put anyone in a busted car
and send them off to get killed. Officer, I want you to arrest that
killer."
"Look, officer," Marc insisted, "you've got to take this man into
custody. He's a menace to the whole country."
"If you take anyone in, officer," the blonde put in harshly, "make it
this skinny bimbo. Pinch him like he pinched me."
The congressman moved in aggressively toward Marc. "You're making
slanderous accusations!" he blustered. "You should be committed to an
institution!"
"You're crazy!" Marc raged.
"_You're_ crazy!" the blonde screeched.
"_You're_ crazy!" Toffee hollered at the blonde.
"_You're_ crazy!" the thug insisted moodily.
The cop turned dizzily to his companion and held out a palsied hand.
"Hurry!" he pleaded, "call the wagon, and let's take the whole bunch of
them in. In another minute _I'm_ going to be crazy!"
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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