Chapter Ten
CHAPTER TEN
Canon shifted his weight, glancing down the street to the sidewalk food vendor’s cart. The longer he waited for his friends to join him at the party store, the hungrier he became. He stuffed his hands in his front pockets and turned his back on the sight. The smell of pan fried burgers and sausages continued to taunt him.
“Hey, Canon,” Jasen hollered, hurrying toward him with a giant sausage loaded with sauerkraut in his hand. He brought it to his lips and took a large bite.
“Ah man, you’re killing me. That smells heavenly.” Canon clutched his stomach as Jasen took another bite.
Jasen closed his eyes and chewed. He swallowed. “I have to scarf it down fast. I’ve only got so much time on my lunch break.”
“Sure, I get it. I don’t have to like it, though.” Canon grinned. His stomach rumbled loudly in agreement, and they laughed.
“I’m here. The party can start,” B.J. announced, sauntering up.
Jasen opened his mouth to answer, but a horn honked as a yellow convertible pulled into an empty spot across the street. It was the kind of little car a teenaged girl would drive and something Grammie would love. Parker hefted his girth out of the bucket seat. Every time Canon saw him, Parker drove an unfamiliar car. Such was the nature of being a used car dealer.
“Howdy,” Parker greeted with a wave.
“I thought you might be a hot chick in the banana car,” B.J. said, tipping his mirrored shades down.
“I just got it and wanted to see if anything was wrong with it.” Parker glanced at the car. “I don’t want it to turn out to be a lemon.”
“It’s the right color for it,” Canon teased.
“Speaking of color, what superhero look are you going for?” Jasen asked.
“Superheroes usually wear primary colors,” Parker suggested.
“Not the Hulk or Green Lantern,” B.J. pointed out.
“Or Batman.” Jasen added.
“Okay, you’re right. Some don’t wear primary but most wear yellow, red, and blue.” Parker put a finger in the air, “Or some combination of those. Like Superman, Spider-Man, or Iron Man.”
“All the cool mans have bright colors,” B.J. said.
“Not Batman.” Jasen countered.
“I said all the cool ones.” B.J. smirked and placed his hands on his hips.
Jasen frowned. “Batman is the coolest.”
“No way. He doesn’t even have a superpower.” B.J. shot back.
“That’s what makes him awesome,” Jasen proclaimed. “He’s the average Joe.”
“Not really. He’s got a bah-zillion dollars,” Canon stated.
“I know what to get you punks for Christmas.” Parker aimed his remark at Jasen and B.J. “Iron Man and Batman jammies.”
“Oh, good.” Brad joined them, shaking Canon’s hand. “I see the circus is in town. You’re hanging out with the clowns.”
Canon laughed. His phone vibrated. “Forrest is coming. He said to go on in, and he’ll meet us there.”
Brad pulled open the door and held it as the guys filtered in. The employees knew they were in the Fortuna Dare Society book club and whispered as they passed. Canon flashed hot and hurried toward the room with the costumes.
They shuffled through the items on the rack. “How about Mr. Incredible?” B.J. asked.
“Nice puffy muscles,” Jasen laughed.
“Canon doesn’t need them, but you two do,” Brad teased, earning raised brows from the group.
“Thanks,” Canon nodded at Brad. Sometimes Jasen and B.J. could be hard to handle, and Canon appreciated the older man coming to his aid and wrangling their attention.
“See primary colors,” Parker motioned to the rack.
After sifting through the various racks, Canon concluded. “I think I need to invent my own.”
“No Lone Ranger?” Brad asked.
“Any ideas?” Parker studied Canon.
“No, that’s why I wanted your help,” Canon admitted with a shrug.
“Okay, let’s brainstorm. Canon is young, he works at the firehouse and is an EMT,” Jasen mused, rubbing his scruff.
“EMT man?” B.J. laughed.
“What about Fire Man?” Forrest quipped, walking into the room.
“Fire Man.” Canon rolled the words around.
“That’s brilliant!” Jasen laughed.
“Thank you,” Forrest said with a flourish and a bow.
“I like it.” Canon clapped his hands together. “Now for the costume.”
The men stood staring at the shelves and costumes. “He doesn’t need a full costume. Maybe just a mask?” Brad picked up a plastic mask that only covered the eyes.
“Wait, what kind of superpowers does Fire Man have?” Jasen asked.
“Putting out fires?” Forrest suggested.
“No, too cliché.” Canon shook his head.
“Or he can start fires. There’s kind of no in between.” Forrest shifted more costumes to the right.
“Unless he’s Full-of-Smoke-Man,” Parker laughed.
“Maybe he should fart fire,” Forrest muttered, trying to bite back a laugh.
Canon winced. “Why would I do that on a date with someone I actually want to impress?”
“A better question is: how could you flart without singeing your butt hairs?” B.J. threw out.
The group cringed.
“Fart Man isn’t happening, so nothing more about it. And I’m not breathing fire either.” Canon scowled at B.J.
“You’d have to have dragon breath,” Brad shrugged.
Canon covered his face and shook his head. Maybe brainstorming with the book club was a bad idea.
“Just snap your fingers and have a flame appear. It’s magic. I’m sure you can figure it out if you search online.” Jasen tapped his chin.
Canon nodded. “I like that.”
Forrest offered Canon a red tube. “What if, instead of a wig or mask, you color your hair? This stuff will wash out and doesn’t smell funky.”
Canon took and uncapped it. Forrest was right. It hardly smelled.
“You cannot recreate the ginger, but you can try.” Forrest ran his fingers through his hair, then stroked his beard.
“Actually,” Jasen said, picking up a yellow tube, “How about using this too? Spike the top, then use the red on the tips.”
“Or the red first with yellow tips,” Brad suggested.
“Use both. I got it.” Canon took both tubes. “What should I wear?”
“Red leggings,” Parker said, trying not to laugh.
B.J. snickered. “Just a T-shirt with an F on it.”
“Fart Man,” Jasen blurted, elbowing B.J.
Brad rolled his eyes. “Go to the thrift store and find a shirt. You can paint or draw an F in a circle or whatever.”
Canon nodded and picked up an orange oval shaped mask. He could slip it over his head easily enough. “Thanks guys.”
“I need to get back to work,” Jasen said. “Thanks for the distraction.”
“Your taxpayer dollars at work,” B.J. teased.
“That’s right,” Jasen winked, then exited.
Canon made the purchase. As he left, both Parker and Forrest, the married men, waited to be rung up. Canon had shifted his eyes elsewhere but hadn’t been fast enough to unsee what the men were happily purchasing.
The gift shop had recently received a new shipment of body paint. He couldn’t unsee the glee in Parker’s eyes, but maybe a foot-long wiener from Hamish’s Burger Wagon would distract him. His stomach grumbled in agreement.