The Gardens of Digby Green: In Sight
In his current cabin at the out-of-date motel where he paid its weekly rate in cash, Digby Green stuffed his clothes into a sports bag and one backpack. The fistfight with Tim had been a mistake. It didn’t matter at all that any word spreading about it would cost him the Roseland Garden Center job. Employment was easy.
The fistfight re-triggered his urge to create a new garden, and it was stronger now than it’d been in months. This town already had two of his special gardens.
Digby hoisted the backpack and looked out the streaky cabin window. Yup, time to clear out.
He hauled his gear to the truck, and stowed it in the back. His stomach rumbled. Lunch would be good. The breeze brought him a whiff of fried fish, but Digby shuddered.
Just a block and a half away, that woman Keziah had not only recognized him, she called him by name. No fish for him today.
“Maybe I should’a kept those magnets,” he muttered as he opened the driver’s door. The spots where they’d been were conspicuously shiny on the otherwise oak pollen-dusted pickup. Worse, the shades of green clashed. He’d turn in the cabin key, then hit the car wash closest to the Interstate 80 on-ramp.
#
When the power washer sat in its usual corner of the garage floor, Ray stretched. He went into the house and plugged Rose’s phone into the charger. People were still calling to place orders at Rose’s Roses, though how they could have missed the obituary and store closing, he couldn’t understand. Right now, there were three messages. Someday the calls would stop.
Ray put his own phone in his shirt pocket, and lifted the Chrysler’s keys from the hook where he’d put them last night.
He left the hardware store with three new brushes, but had to slam on the brakes in the parking lot when a green pickup cut off the driver of the car attempting to exit ahead of him. Ray recognized the truck. It was still in sight, when the Honda turned right. Accelerating, Ray turned left, after the green pickup.
The Gardens of Digby Green is a serialized story that posts on Fridays.
Next week, part fifty-three, Burger Joint.
Find a link to purchase Heartland Treasures anthology here.
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