Welcome To The Glen
Kim pulled his Austin Healy off the road and looked at the map again surely this couldn’t be the road…there was nothing out here but fields and trees. Clearly the old man was past it. Finally he saw the discreet sign that pointed toward The Glen. Turning down the narrow lane he passed a few more miles before coming into the town centre. Driving slowly he found 202 Main Street and parked in front. Although the town was new the building was obviously…old and the sad painted sign over the front said Barrett’s Variety Store. Kim shook his head Barrett’s was known all over Australia as an upscale department store where you could find everything from a frying pan to a pair of socks. This however was never meant to be Barrett’s as he knew it.
Wearily he exited from his car and stretched feeling for the keys in his pocket he opened the door. With only the light coming from the front windows he walked through the store. His father, he thought, had to be kidding. This was something from another time…
He stumbled over shoe boxes stacked in the aisle and got caught up in a rack of men’s pants crashed into the novelty counter upsetting a music box and a clock that began chiming twelve o’clock…over and over and over. He however couldn’t hear it having hit his head on the counter and passing out underneath a nice display of silk scarves.
Miss Peeg out on her lunch walk passed by the open door and hearing the chime’s thought the store might have reopened and stepped inside. It was semi dark and empty of people except for the clock it was also quiet. Now she suspected a break
- in slowly she backed out of the store and ran down the street to Mr. Robert’s office."Oh sir come quickly I think there’s been a break in at Barrett’s Variety shall I call the police?"
The former cop rose to the occasion and Richie ran up the street calling behind him for Miss Peeg to call the police.
Richie eased in through the door and grabbing a croquet mallet from a window display he slowly and quietly made his way through the store with the clock jangling his nerves. Checking behind display counters and hanging racks he finally came to the overturned rack and the feet.
The feet sticking out from under the overturned rack began to move and Richie jumped from behind and raised the mallet. The police siren was getting closer…"don’t fucking move," he told the display of scarves.
Kim blinking and reaching for the growing lump on the side of his head, what the hell happened?
The scarves began to move, "I said don’t move…stay down," Richie yelled in his best cop voice.
"Who the hell are you?" Kim yelled back aware now the voice was talking to him.
"I might ask you that," Richie said
"Kim Barrett…I own this fucking place."
"Let me see some ID," Richie demanded
Kim felt around in his coat pocket and threw out his wallet, "here take it…there’s not much cash there and only one credit card…it’s maxed out."
Richie examined his wallet and with the mallet pulled the scarves off Kim’s face. He tossed the wallet back to him, "welcome to The Glen," he said.
