Dutch

As I glance out the window I once again grimace and see the fast falling snow flakes coming down on the already sevens inches on the ground. “Great,” I say under my breath, keeping in mind the Lent promise of giving up on using foul language. Oh well, I might as well get dressed and get the driveway done before it gets too deep. Once dressed and with shovel in hand, again, I commence to slowing pushing the snow over to the mounds of already shoveled snow. Three years ago I would have been slinging snow like a 20 year old, but not anymore, dang sciatic nerve acts up when I do too much twisting and I feel as if I’ll fall over with the pain. Good thing the driveway is short and it also helps that there is a shallow ditch to the west, which helps with drifting. As I finish I notice a lump in the snow in the ditch. Thinking the worse, I picture me slowly uncovering the body of Dutch, the neighbors three legged dog, which is also deaf. I’m sure Dutch was one half of the pair of dogs that enter the ark on that rainy day many years ago. I sluggishly made my way into the knee deep snow to the lump, I take the shovel and move two to three inches away. Huh, it’s a small bag, brown with some worn leather on each end. I reach down and grab it by the nylon straps, hey it’s got some heft to it. I make my way back to the garage and throw the bag on my work bench. I hit the switch for the kerosene salamander and it comes alive burping a small poof of black smoke then heat. I take my heavy coat off and position myself on the stool in front of the bench. Now let’s see what in the bag. I pull at the zipper and it slides down the teeth of the zipper smoothly. As I peer into the bag I’m shocked to see stacks of $20 dollar bills. Each stack is bound with paper band violet and white in color with the $2000 stamped twice. Wow!! As I take them out all I can think of is that they are counterfeit or they are real and there is a dye pack located somewhere in the stacks, it pays to watch the crime shows. Well to my surprise and to my relief I pulled thirteen stacks from the bag and no dye pack. Now that it’s too late I guess I should have worn gloves, never know if the bills had drugs on them or I could leave finger prints, guess I should pay attention to the crime shows I watch. Now that I have $26,000.00 sitting on my workbench and it’s too early to drink, now what. I guess the next thing would be to check the rest of the bag, dare I, what could I fined, a severed finger or two wrapped in bloody gauze or maybe a gun or drugs even, I have to get a grip! Okay only two pockets so let’s go. First one was some loose tobacco in the bottom and a gum wrapper. Hey, there is something in the other pocket I can feel it before opening the zipper. A book, a little black book with a worn cover and dog-eared pages. Never know, I might find out who this belongs too so I can return ……it. Do I open the book or not. Okay I’m not a thief, it is what it is I’ll do the right thing, but $26,000.00 right? Yes, do the right thing. Inside the front cover was a smeared or really bad penmanship name and an address, neither was readable, really. The front page had names but each of the five names had a black line like a sharpie drawn though it. The second and subsequent pages revealed nothing. The back cover had a name, Lome Kinse and under that was M.A Jinnah Rd, Seari Quarters, Karachi, Karachi City, Sindh, Pakistan. Well either Mr. Kinse was the owner or he knows something about this, but what. I put all the money back in the bag and hide it behind the water heater, turned off the salamander and proceeded to go in the house with the little black book in my hand. Grab a cup of coffee from the pot and sit down at the computer. I typed in the address and found out the Seari Quarter is known as the wall street of Pakistan. And the rest of the address, the State Bank Of Pakistan, who would of thunk, haha! As I rest back to enjoy my coffee and amazing search skills I noticed a red SUV with tinted windows drive slowly in front of the house, the driver had his window down while at the same time was scanning the roadway and vicinity. I wonder what they, wait a minute! Could this be who lost the bag! I know they will see the spot in the ditch were I found it, damn tracks in the snow. Great I broke my Lent promise, plus I have somebody looking for their money that I have in my garage. As they make a slow pass in front of the house, all of sudden out of nowhere comes Dutch the three legged wonder dog. The driver looks up just in time to slam on the brakes but being on a packed snow covered road they don’t quite work, the SUV as in slow motion approaches Dutch, who had turned around to investigate his butt as dogs do. The driver is honking his horn but to no avail, Dutch is deaf. The front bumper was within a foot of Dutch the dog from the ark when Dutch spun around as if he knew of some impending doom and amazingly lurched out of the way with only three legs. The driver relived he hadn’t struck the dog continued on down the road looking for whatever he was looking for. Dutch had saved me, for when the driver was sliding down the road in a state of panic because he was going to hit a dog his eyes were on ole Dutch and he slid right past where I had found the bag. Once Dutch was out of the way they just continued down the road, finally out of site. By this time Dutch had found my scent and was over by the hole in the ditch to investigate, good I thought now it’ll look like the dog dug the hole. So, because I watch the crime shows and they will show even though bad guys are really stingy with their money but even more stingy with their time, prison time and not wanting to get caught the guys in the red SUV didn’t return and I’m sure are facing some very serious questions about where $26, 000.00 went. As for me, I’m going to the pet store to buy Dutch some treats, not $26,000.00 worth but at least $20.00 worth. Good boy Dutch, wait he’s deaf, oh well.