Thinks happen: Talking Pictures - Melanie's Headband

It was Melanie’s headband, and she was keeping it. It was given to her on that romantic ride with “Standback” and his motorcycle gang out along the city drainage canal.

Melanie’s mother had advised her from childhood to save herself and not fall for the first man that came along; to look around; to play the field; to look deep. Now, at 42 she was very glad she honored her mother’s advice. “Standback” was the perfect match for her. She had thought Eldon Shrough was the perfect match too but he disappeared after only 8 years. And there was Tudie Fence before that and…well that’s another story.

Sebert “Standback” Spang, gang leader, was a janitor at a dry cleaning plant by day and by night a watchman for a pet groomer. He barely had time between jobs to change uniforms. There was no rest for the wicked he knew, and boy was he wicked. He had to learn to sleep standing up and he really disliked his uniforms because they covered his BPP* tats.

But on Sundays, (and alternate Tuesdays) he and his gang, Pete and Jergen Pheltz, went out along the drainage canal to stir up whatever mischief they could muster. Of course there was never anyone else there and so rolling small stones into the canal was always the worst they could come up with. Once Jergen fell in the canal but was able to get back on the bank without help. No one would have helped him anyway because of the smell.

At the end of each frenetic “rave” out on the canal banks the gang vowed to get real motorcycles so they could discontinue renting golf carts every Sunday (and alternate Tuesdays).

Melanie met “Standback” at the pet shop one morning just as the night job shift ended. Melanie rattled the door and woke him. That following Sunday (and alternate Tuesday) they rode together along the canal and “Standback” gave her the head band. Of course, it was really a just dog collar unintentionally left at the pet shop by a forgetful St. Bernard. The engraved name “Wrecks” was cleverly hidden with a strip of duct tape. Melanie didn’t care. She was not ever going to take it off. It was hers and she was keeping it. Besides, her hair was caught in the buckle.

*Ball Point Pen