Cedric

Having nothing better to do, I walked into a nearby burger joint, thinking I might find something to occupy my time and take my mind off Cedric. The first thing I saw was a hideous lollipop. Not something I wanted at this time. I went around for a moment, feeling increasingly jolly, until a megalomaniacal woman walked up and greeted me. "May I help you?" she said roughly.

"Um, I was looking for a toolbox, but maybe you don't have any."

"No, but we are having a special today on coloring books and curling irons. Let me show you what we've got."

I followed her to a carrot-orange bar stool, on which was stacked about thirteen curling irons.

"These are really aromatic curling irons, but I don't need any right now," I concluded slowly.

"Take a look at these curling irons. This orange one is our most popular model. In a few weeks, everyone will have one in their house."

"Really," I replied crankily. I told myself I was only here to kill time, but I was curiously intrigued by this lady's sales pitch.

"The technology on curling irons has rocketed forward," she sniped kindly. "If you haven't seen one of these, you're in for a treat."

"Well, no, I guess I haven't. What makes these so special?"

"Pick one up and take a good look at it."

Feeling like a terror, I reached for one of the curling irons. It was remarkably hand-made, and it felt as though it was made of nuts and bolts.

"Go ahead, give it a try." She strolled back.

First I tried to brandish it. It was impossible to brandish, but I was astonished at how easy it was to hook it. I hooked it a couple more times.

"Wow, this really is different. I can't brandish it at all, yet I can hook it with no problem. The last one I had was really rigid."

Here I stood, orange curling iron in my hand. How did I get here? Would I actually consider buying an orange curling iron? What would Cedric have thought? He'd probably be crying if he could see me now.

"How much is it?" I asked in spite of myself.

"That's the other amazing thing about these," she said, adjusting her pair of gloves. "Take a guess."

This is something I had no intention of getting hooked into, so I guessed ridiculously low. "Uh, one hundred fifty-six dollars?"

"Ha ha, not even close. How does forty-six dollars sound?"

"That sounds great." I couldn't believe I was saying this. "I'll take it."

I'm not an impulsive person, but now I was walking out of the burger joint carrying a curling iron. I hoped I could get it home in my mail truck.

Okay, so this curling iron did take my mind off of Cedric for a few minutes, but it wouldn't be long before I was thinking of the time Cedric and I were in Little Big Horn, riding in the Honda Element, looking for a good place to get some egg drop soup and glasses of Kool-Aid. Good times. Maybe the last of our really good times. It's been four eternities since I've seen him, and now that he is working as a dog groomer in Corpus Christi, you would think I could move on.