Miss Herbert seemed oblivious

Animal Crackers

Page 2

Miss Herbert seemed oblivious to Sergeant Collins behavior as he stared defiantly at Tim for the apparent interruption and walked toward them from around his desk with a slight limp. Miss Herbert turned away and said, “ Tim’s here for an extended stay, would you see to it he’s checked in and assigned a room”. Tim watched the slender middle aged woman briskly walk down the dark hallway of the building and disappear into a office and lock the door behind her. It was at that moment he found himself face to face with Sergeant Collins who reeked of cigarette smoke and cheap after shave. Sergeant Collins was a balding man with a deep scar under his left eye and a permanent bump on his forehead the size of a quail egg, he suddenly snapped to attention placing his nose just a inch from Tim’s. “I have one rule and one rule only here at Madison’s kid and that is you step out of line just once and that will be the last time you do”. Tim remained silent even though his heart was nearly beating out of his chest but he wasn’t a stranger to intimidation by others with or without any authority.

Sergeant Collins continued, “ I know all about you kid, I read your file and I know your old man is going to fry for what he did and I hope it’s soon”. Tim could barely contained himself from breaking down to either tears or escape when suddenly Sergeant Collins blew a brass colored whistle that hung around his neck. From down the hall came the sound of running footsteps and a red faced boy about Tim’s age quickly stopped at the front desk and immediately came to attention. “Look forward”, shouted Sergeant Collins, “ and why is my ashtray full again, Jones”.  The young man didn’t blink as he emptied the ashtray in a nearby waste paper basket and returned to the desk. “Don’t let it happen again, Jones or you will suffer the consequences”. The young boy with the red face again came to attention as Sergeant Collins directed him to take Tim to his room and change into the Madison uniform for dinner.

Tim followed the red face boy down the darken hallway and up a flight of stairs to the second floor where they stopped at room number ten. Inside were to beds and a writing desk with a small closet and a large picture window half covered with cobwebs. “Don’t minds those”, said the red faced boy who introduced himself as Wilfred Jones but people around here just call me Will. Tim walked across the room and sat down on one of the beds, and it was then that he spoke for the first time. “My names Tim Rogers and I never though I’d find myself in a place like this”.  Will turned to Tim and said, “don’t let Sergeant Collins scare you Tim, he’s more of a prisoner then we are you know”. Tim nodded his head and replied, “ prisoners, is this what this place is a prison of kid‘s ?’ Will stopped for a moment but didn’t answer as he handed Tim a light green jumpsuit from the closet. “I hope this fit’s you”, he said, “ now why don’t you try it on while I wait outside, it’s almost time for dinner”.