LAST TIME: She fished the credit card out of her wallet and handed the plastic to Joe so the transaction could be completed. Leaving the store, Beth stepped back out into the bright sunshine and repeated to heself, 'Yes, now I know exactly how to get back in your good graces my dear Cody.'


********************************************************************************************
********************************************************************************************


Corpulent, and a year shy of retirement, Debbie Ritterhoff had been Judge Stancil's judicial assistant and clerical specialist for twenty-nine years. Her mid-brown frizzy hair conformed well with her salient nose, thick eyebrows, and thin lips. Her vivacious personality captivated her to all she came in contact with. Situated in front of the Judge's chambers, it was in her capacious work station that her amicable greeting was presented to Sheriff Daniels and Cody upon their arrival at the scheduled afternoon hearing.

Conferring in a lighthearted manner she queried them, "It sure is another nice day in Astatula, isn't it?" Then, she delayed a moment and pronounced, "Except it's hotter than blue blazes!"

"That's what summertime in West Texas is all about, Debbie," was Sheriff Daniels' sociable reply. Always a gentleman, he withdrew his cream-colored Stetson hat from off the top of his head and held it in his hands at his waist.

"The Judge is expecting you, Sheriff, so have a seat and I'll inform him that you have arrived. As you know, he admires promptness," she declared. Inquisitive and cordial, she turned to Cody and wondered, "How's your diabetes coming along these days, pipsqueak?"

"Ugh! No fun," Cody grumbled. It seemed everybody in town knew about his malady. They never allowed him to forget it either. He'd let anyone of them have the syndrome just for the asking.

After Sheriff Daniels and Cody were settled, Debbie Ritterhoff departed her cubicle to speak to Judge Stancil. In a couple moments she reappeared and divulged, "The Judge will see you now, Sheriff."

They erected themselves and traipsed behind her into the voluminous chambers. Immediately, Cody spotted an autographed poster of Roger "The Dodger" Staubach, the famous quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys NFL football team, prominently plastered on a side wall of the Judge's assembly room. He wasn't impressed by the banner. His favorite football team was the New Orleans Saints, and their unstoppable signal caller Drew Brees. Much like Cody, his short stature was copious and he was elusive on the playing field.

Eyeballing Cody's reaction to what he observed, and with his Cowboys pride obvious, Judge Stancil boasted, "There was never a better passer in the history of the game, my boy."

He enjoined the lawman to, "Pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable, Sheriff."

Once Sheriff Daniels fulfilled the request, the Judge quizzed him by posing, "How goes the war on crime in our fair town today, Brock?"

"We're winning the battle right now, Judge," Sheriff Daniels reciprocated.

Cody recollected an incident from two years earlier. It was the first time he'd met Judge Stancil. In retrospect, he remembered how the Judge, while seated behind the bench, had lifted him up and set him on his lap. Not only that, but Judge Stancil had locked eyes with him the entire time they conversed man-to-man.

At first, he was convinced the Judge would force him to return to Palo Pinto. An unknown distant relative had mysteriously surfaced who claimed he wanted Cody. He recalled how that prospect made him miserable. But, startling, Judge Stancil approved Sheriff Daniels' adoption petition and Cody was ecstatic!

Since that time, Cody had grown a little bigger than he was before. He knew there would be no sitting on Judge Stancil's lap today. A wooden chair had been placed opposite of where the Judge roosted.

"Park yourself right there, Cody. I have a little story to tell you. Then, we're going to discuss at length the matter of what you may know about your father," Judge Stancil commenced. He realized the error in what he said and corrected his vernacular with, "Forgive me, dear boy. What I mean is of what you may know about Earl Anthony Schroder's grave."

Cody mounted the chair like it was a horse. He wrapped the toes of his sneakers around the front legs of the chair, leaned forward, and attentively listened to what the Judge orated. He was all ears as their vis-a-vis conversation launched.

"Are you minding the Sheriff, Cody?" the Judge asked him.

"Sometimes," Cody replied in all sincerity. 'Hey, a boy's gotta be truthful,' he thought to himself without audiblizing the words.

"Sometimes?" came the Judge's surprised response.

"Most of the time," Cody sheepishly remarked.

"How about from now on the only answer I get when I ask you that question is all the time, young man?" the Judge scolded him.

"Yes, sir," Cody assented.

"Have you made your Dad lock you in jail again?" Judge Stancil inquired changing the subject.

"No, sir. One time was plenty for me!" Cody unhesitantly ascertained.

"You haven't graffitied anybody else's property lately have you?" the Judge wanted to know.

"No, sir. I'm being good about that kind of stuff," Cody admitted.

"Sheriff, locking Cody in jail for vandalizing that barn was classic parenting," Judge Stancil complimented the lawman. He said, "Too bad more parents in Astatula can not do the same thing. That way the juvenile delinquency rate in my courtroom would plummet."

"Thank you, Your Honor. I'm convinced Cody and Matt will never pull another stunt like that one ever again," Sheriff Daniels replied.

"I'm sure they won't indeed," Judge Stancil concurred.

They both laughed heartily. Cody perched quiet on his chair listening to them conversate. That was when Judge Stancil told him this story.

"There were these two little boys. One of them bragged my pecker is bigger than your pecker. It's longer, too! Well, mine's fatter and juicer than yours. And, it elongates, too! The second little boy retorted."

The Judge paused for dramatic effect before he continued with, "Well, if that's the way you feel about it, I'm going to take my pecker and go home! Boy Number One fumed. He grabbed his chicken and stormed off the feedlot."

Cody ruptured a gasket cackling. He belly laughed so hard his sides throbbed. He thought that was the funniest story he'd ever heard. He snickered so much he almost wet his pants from guffawing.

(Shame on you! Where was your mind at?)

Immensely fond of Cody, the Judge specified, "Now, quarter-pint, let's just get right to the crux of why I called you in here today. I want you to tell me explicitly what you meant when you told your Dad at Pasta Fairre if you had a cup of hot water you could make tomato soup. And, don't spare any gory details in what you say."

(To Be Continued:)


********************************************************************************************
********************************************************************************************


Cast of Characters:

Cody Schroder - Blond munchkin and main character of the book.

Sheriff Brock Daniels - Long time Sheriff of Astatula and Cody's Dad.

Beth Sorenson - Sheriff Daniels' long time lady friend. Brought Cody to Astatula.

Matt Cochran - Cody's best friend.

Judge Stancil - Circuit Judge for Astatula. Approved Cody's adoption by Sheriff Brock Daniels.

Debbie Ritterhoff - Judge Stancil's judicial assistant and clerical specialist.

Joe - Salesclerk for Martindale's Sporting Goods store.

Roger Staubach - Real life Hall of Fame Quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.

Drew Brees - Named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year for 2010, he is the real life quarterback of the New Orleans Saints National Football League team.

Earl Anthony Schroder - Cody's biological sperm donor. Put Cody through ten years of hellacious physical, mental, and sexual abuse in Palo Pinto.

Chapter Word Count: 1,164
Book Word Count: 10,818