“I took care of the dude from the dog park. I got one of my friends to help me out,” said Buddy while he fixed dry Manhattans for himself and Veronica.
“What do you mean?” she asked in a measured voice.
Veronica really enjoyed Buddy’s company and they spent a lot of time together, but she was sure that he had a lot of history that he hadn’t told her about. He answered all of her questions with refreshing honesty but he didn’t ever offer anything about himself without being asked. She was convinced that he had a darker streak in him, but so for it hadn’t shown itself.
“You were unhappy about the incident in the dog park and I made sure that he has other things to focus on,” said Buddy.
“First you tell me that it is Santa Claus, and I can see the likeness now that you mentioned it. And now you say you have taken care of him.”
“Well, you know, I just made sure he has something else to think about.”
“So you kneecapped him? Or what?”
“Kneecapped him? How quaint. No, nothing like that.”
“You know I have power enough to take care of him myself.”
“I was just trying to do something nice,” said Buddy and took a sip of his drink.
“So what did you do?”
“I posted a picture on his accounts on social media.”
“What? Of him doing lines with some of the dancers from one of those clubs on Broadway Street?”
Buddy laughed and said, “No but that’s a good idea. Maybe we can do that next time.”
“Next time? No next time. I’ll deal with him.”
“Double, double toil and trouble, huh?” said Buddy and laughed.
“Laugh it up, Buddy, but this shit is for real,” she said as she pulled a small black velvet pouch out of her sweater pocket.
“Sorry,” he said with a straight face.
“This one will make that magic wand of yours flaccid for two weeks,” she said.
“I said I was sorry, man, and we don’t want a limp wand, do we?” Buddy replied.
