Faking Out The Phantom
Johnny's day just hadn’t started out right and the dark-haired man wished desperately he could go back to bed and start all over. Hastily parking his Land Rover in a spot, Gage ran from the parking lot into the locker room. When his toe connected with the door jamb, he began to jump around and swear. The commotion brought Chet into the room.
“Geez, what’s up with you, Gage?” he snorted.
Between swear words, Johnny ground out, “I just rammed my hallux into the corner of the door.”
“What?”
Johnny finally stopped jumping around and limped over to his locker. “I said, I just rammed my toe into the door.”
“That’s not what you said.”
“It is too, Chet. I was perfectly pellucid.”
“There you go again. Talking funny.”
“What I said was perfectly clear. I can’t help that we’re antipodes.”
“We’re what?”
“Opposites. I said we’re opposites.”
“That’s not . . .” A strange look crossed the mustached fireman’s face. “Ahhh, stop. Just stop!” He stormed out of the room, almost taking out Roy along the way.
“What’s with him?”
Johnny shrugged. “Beats me.” He finished dressing and followed Roy out of the room and into the kitchen. He noticed Chet getting ready to take the garbage out back.
“Hey, Chet. Don’t be otiose. Pretend you’re a garbologist and make sure to separate the cullet out so I can have it.”
Now all eyes in the room were trained on the tall, lanky paramedic. He looked back innocently.
“What? I told him not to be lazy and sort the glass out so I can have it. Is that a problem?”
Stunned, his shiftmates shook their heads no in unison.
Gage loped over to the coffee pot. “Oh, Roy, remind me later to call the digerati and get that problem with my check straightened out.”
When Roy didn’t say anything, Johnny stopped pouring and turned to look at him.
“Call who, Johnny?”
“Man, what is it with you guys today? I said I need to call the computer experts to straighten out my paycheck. Sheesh.” The dark-haired man turned back to his cup of coffee and took a huge sip. Immediately after swallowing, his stomach growled.
“Wow, you hear that borborygmus? I need to eat something. Aren’t there any donuts?”
Chet had had enough. “Will you stop it, Gage! Man, you’re freaking me out!”
“What? Do you guys think I’m purposely trying to embrangle you?”
“Cap, tell Johnny to stop that.”
Captain Stanley looked pensive for a moment and then trained his eyes on his younger paramedic.
“Gage, I suggest you stop. Otherwise, Kelly might just defenestrate you.”
Chet Kelly gave up and stormed out of the station, trash bag in hand.
* * * The End * * *
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Stories By Vanessa Sgroi 10 Words Challenge
