>>5360413“So there I was: box in my hands ready ta’ dump everything into the water, dig? Just when I’m about to chuck it all, I hear a kid from behind me shout: ‘hey, whatcha got there?’”
Oh crap, did he beat you up and take it all!?
“Ha! No way!” Replies Haulie-Paulie with pride in his voice! “Kid saw the first toy I was about ta’ throw an’ asked where I got it! So having watched my pa for the whole day, I put on my salesman voice an’ told him he could have it… for a <span class="mu-s">DOLLAR!</span>”
“Awww <span class="mu-i">jeez</span>...” Pete groans as Paulie erupts in laughter!
“An’ wouldn’t ya know it? It <span class="mu-i">WORKED!</span> Kids were goin’ window ta’ window talkin’ about how some crazy bastard was sellin’ ‘<span class="mu-i">Robo-Lord</span>’ or whatever down by da’ river! Ya’ shoulda’ seen it, guys–kids were stampedin’ from all over town ta’ get a taste! When I ran out I led ‘em all back to my dad’s car an’ started sellin’ those… musta’ got through half the stock before my dad came rushin’ out!”
“Bet he was happy about that, huh?” Stripes remarks.
“Y’know what?” Paulie replies in a contemplative tone, “He was a little sore at first–mainly cuz’ I was bringin’ half the town over at night, but when he found out I’d sold half of the toys for a <span class="mu-i">dollar</span> each? A <span class="mu-i">dollar?</span>”
The skeleton shakes his head with a nostalgic smile on his face. “He… he just <span class="mu-i">laughed</span>! Sat down right there on the lawn and <span class="mu-i">lost</span> it! Thought he was gonna throttle me until he brought me in for a hug!”
“Wait a sec…” Pete mutters in confusion next to you, “So yer’ sayin’ he was… fine?”
“He was <span class="mu-i">PROUD!</span>” Exclaims Haulie-Paulie! “He sent the kids back home, course, but as we watched ‘em go he gave me a pat on the shoulder an’ leaned in close an’ said: ‘that right there, Paul. That’s what you want in this line a’ work: happy customers.’”
Closing his eyes and grinning to himself, Haulie-Paulie shakes his head after a moment or so. “Then he told me my pricing could use a bit of work. HA!” Shrugging it off, the skeleton looks you in the eye. “Ever since then we were two peas in a pod--he introduced me to some of his suppliers an’ I sold it all off ta’ my friends. Eventually I found suppliers of my own, but my old man awakened something in me back then… like an’ itch I never scratched.”
“Cripes, Paul, she asked where you found all your stock, not your damn life story!” Smirks Stripes.
“Aaah, some stuff never changes.” Shrugs Paulie as if that answered your question. “Guys around here needed supplies–I knew where ta’ find ‘em. Granted, a lot of it don’t belong ta’ me, but a lot of it came from some old stashes an’ warehouses I invested in growin’ up, so… yea.”
“So it’s <span class="mu-i">stolen</span>.”
“Like you care, Stripes! You jacked my wheels back in Junior Year!”
“BORROWED!”
>CONTD. 