DENTON CROUCH 22

denton stood under the porch awning of the saloon with a mug of beet. he was watching the sumer rain pouring off the tin roof in sheets. the sky was black and there was plenty of lightning and thunder. he watched the rain water wash down rail road avenue there in willcox. it washed all the refuse and trash on down the street leaveing it clean as of yet there wasnt even a horse hoof print. he took a sip of the beer and thought to himself that would be great if that was how life was.he was hopeing for a fresh start in this world and if he could just wash the street clean. when he finished his beer he started walking toward the sherriffs office. he was mad at alvie but at the same time didnt want to be responsivble for his death. as he neared the office he met the doctor comming out of the office, his black bag in hand. " well doc hows the patient?"denton asked. " i dont know how he is still holding on. that bullitt should have done him in, i think its mean ness that keeps him hanging on."doc was shakeing his head as he walked off.. denton stood there takeing in what the doctor had said. he walked on down the street. puddles stood in the low lying spots and a slow drizzle fell from the black cloud over head. when he reached the boarding house he found jody sitting on the front porch a sack of potatoes next to her . she wwas peeling the potatoes and putting them in a pan of water on the opposite side, the peels fell to the floor between her legs. "whats for supper girl?" denton tryed to be up lifting. jody looked up and a shadow of a smile crossed her face" meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green peas, any complaints?" " not from me, i eat whats put in front of me or get away from the table and do without.!" denton pulled a chair up close to the side of jody, then reached into the sack and withdrew a potato and handed it to jody. "well arnt you helpful?" jody took the potato and started peeling. " how id pearl getting on?" denton asked. " she eats, she sleeps, then eats again. i bet she dont remember ever haveing a full belly or a soft place to sleep. what are you going to do about her?" jody asked. " thats a fair question.i dont know yet. ime hopeing the judge will give us direction. ime counting on starting fresh in a day or so. if i can find a cook who knows how to peel potatoes."denton looked jody in the face smiling. " i might know some one that will fit that bill., but right now she has her hands full let me know when you can be more definate." jody got up and scooped up the potato peelings. she carried them to the back of the boarding house to a chicken yard and threw them over the fence. the chickens began working the peelings over. them chickens are almost as hungry as i am" denton laughed as he picked up the bucket and the sack and followed jody into the boarding house.