People Shooter #8

“You know, they always let on they know my ma drinks too much or sleeps around. That gets old. I don’t like thinking about it all the time. In school I think about it because they give me the business.” McShuster was relieved to be away from the school. “I mean, I can’t even walk down the hall without a girl rolling her eyes or hoofing it around me. Ain’t official bullying, I suppose, but it still ain’t right in my book.” His voice cracked. “How I stop my ma from doing stuff?”

“I’m still recording. I read you your rights and you are free to remain silent. Is your mother the reason for tonight?”

“Well, I don’t for sure know why I did it tonight. I mean, I get it. School hurts everyone sometimes. Guess just maybe sometimes even if you’re hurting you got to do something. That’s why I did it. I mean, I wasn’t sure so I went to Mister Jerry Timm’s. He the one where the gun was. They in a safe but everyone knows the com.”

“Okay, for the record now. You were teased and it hurt so you went to a Timm’s house. You knew the combination to the safe. Is that right?”

“Yes. I think you know most of it, right? Can I get a phone call now?”

 “Are you calling a lawyer? I can stop this tape any time you want.”

“I need to call work because Dosh is a good boss. He owns Shorty’s by the old train depot. I gotta call so someone can cover tonight. I don’t think I’m going in tonight. My side’s killing me.”

“I am sorry but the last thing you need to worry about is going to work.”

“Look I am trying to do it right. I get hammered by a bunch of cops and feel like they broke my back. I get tossed in a squad car and so why do I have to also get fired now? Answer me that, Officer Dickless Tracey?” He immediately wished he hadn’t said it; the anger had overtaken him; but he knew he should have never said it.

“Look, I’ve been plenty good to you. My Megan—my daughter—was at that damn basketball game tonight. If she had gotten hurt, I’d made damn sure your back was broken. You wouldn’t be walking, let alone flipping burgers!” She too immediately regretted saying it.

After so much hollering and the gun shot ringing in his ears silence reined. The entire evening was too much. Guns had once been fun, but now they were scary. He knew one thing for sure: Once a trigger is pulled, there is no going back. Not like on a computer game. Real life didn’t come with a reset button.

He fixed his gaze on the mountains.

May days in law enforcement resulted in this dialog. Subtle clues to shootings are being dropped here and there. The lady in #7 who is getting huffy really happens. Venting I guess you'd call it. Sheila, many thanks for the feedback. All 8 of the postings are available. Just scroll back to the first one and read away. Mike, I attended the FBI Academy, just after you, way back in the 90's!