The Doggie in the Window

[Milton Hughes]

Milton swung open the door to the shop and scanned it quickly, before making his way up to the counter with a big smile on his face. "Say, did you know that just by advertising in the Bloomsdale Gazette you could just about double your business?"

[Benjamin Helms]

Ben looked up from the counter he was leaning over precariously, attempting to straighten the barstools. As he looked up, startled at Milton's entrance, his hat slid off his head and hit the floor of the noticeably empty shop. His eyes brightened. "Is that so?"

[Milton Hughes]

Milton slid onto a stool. "Sure is." he glanced up at the drinks menu. "Get the the gratitude and custom of a certain reporter at the least. Soda for me, please." He dumped his notepad on the table. "And, uh, you haven't had Miss Prescotti in here, right?"

[Benjamin Helms]

The shopowner began pouring Milt's soda importantly. "You wouldn't happen to be Milton Hughes, would you? The newspaper reporter? No, I haven't seen the girl one around. Too bad, I could use the business, really." Benjamin started to slide the soda over to the reporter, but paused. "Did you know that for only fifteen cents more, I could make this a Coke float for you? Little bit of ice cream'd go real well with this soda." He flashed a bright and shiny smile.

[Milton Hughes]

"Thats me." Milton grinned. "And ice-cream'd just make my day, you know that? I think your soda's just about the best I've ever tasted. You know what else would make my day? An ad for the paper. Can I count on you for that? People need to know about this place." Milton's smile wasn't quite as bright and shiny as Ben's, but it was cheeky and winning. He hoped.

[Benjamin Helms]

Ben dropped a scoop of ice cream into the drink and slid it over. "Well, I suppose that might be good for business. How much does it cost per line?"

[Milton Hughes]

"We're doing a special, three lines for the price of two." Milton took the drink and slurped it. "That sure is good soda." He flicked through his notebook and took out a piece of paper, and held it out to Ben. "Prices. Mister Cutter's pretty particular."

[Benjamin Helms]

Ben studied the paper intently. "Yeah, I think it might be good for business. Can I purchase a running ad for the next, say, three weeks? School's nearly out, isn't it? I oughta get the kids in here, they like ice cream, don't they? Kids?"

[Milton Hughes]

"Sure, kids just love ice-cream." Milton grinned. "Three weeks, gotcha. You want to write it out now or send it into the office?" he took another drink, and scribbled on his notepad.

[Benjamin Helms]

"I'll send it over to the office this afternoon. I need to think about what I want to say, first." Ben started wiping down the already immaculate booths, his prosthetic leg giving a loud creak. He made a mental note to oil it later. "Say, how's the reporting going? You got any good stories yet?"

[Milton Hughes]

"Be sure to say that I convinced you. On the note." Milton said, kicking his legs slightly. "Not that much goes on in a town like this. And when it does, seems I'm still set to report on cat parades." Milton pulled a wry grin. "See my piece in the last paper? On Hildas breaking up for the summer." he took another slurp. "Thrilling stuff."

[Benjamin Helms]

Ben hmmed sympathetically. "Cutter wanting to keep all the good stories for himself?" he asked wisely, though truthfully he had only the vaguest idea of how newspapers worked.

[Milton Hughes]

"Cutter's a good editor." Milton said, avoiding the question a little too obviously. He pushed his empty glass over towards Ben. "Local papers need the rubbish in them to make them sell." He grimaced. "Never know, some day the New Yorker'll see my entries and make me their cat-parade columnist."

[Benjamin Helms]

"Do they have cat parades in New York?" Ben asked curiously. "You want a refill on that one?" he added.

[Milton Hughes]

Milton shrugged. "Wasn't the sort of thing I was looking for when I visited. And thanks, yeah." The man had ordered three ads, he could probably afford another drink.

[Benjamin Helms]

The owner of this fine shoppe filled the glass to the brim and slid it back to Milton. "When did you visit New York? I've only been there once or twice; never got around to much sight-seeing, to be honest."

[Milton Hughes]

Milton snorted. "I didn't get much time for much else- went on a trip with some friends from uni. A last thing together, you know." he smiled. "You'd be looking up cat-parades, if you had time?"

[Benjamin Helms]

"I would be now," he joked. "Where'd you go to college? Up North?"

[Milton Hughes]

Milton nodded. "University of Maryland-Baltimore. After the war I didn't want to go too far from home." He smiled. "Course, I came down here afterwards. Are you from here?"

[Benjamin Helms]

"Nope - I'm from Savannah," Benjamin replied cheerfully. "I joined up, but didn't much care to go home and be coddled by my mother after I got my leg blown off, so I decided to come here. Heard good things about it, anyway. I like small towns."

[Milton Hughes]

Milton shrugged. "Fair enough, I guess. You didn't think you'd have too much competition with the diner there already?" he suddenly seemed to have an idea, and took a pen out from his jacket. "And you mind telling me what you think of that new plant?"

[Benjamin Helms]

"Nah. Diners are impersonal," Ben replied, somewhat fiercely. "Here you can come in, get a quick drink, maybe a small bite to eat, talk to your friends, you know, anything, really. And I fill prescriptions, too. So people have to come in once in awhile anyway. And - and the plant? I don't know. I guess it'll give some new jobs for the citizens. Draw in some new blood. Seems all right. Just as long as we don't end up all glowing in the dark!"

[Milton Hughes]

Milton scribbled on the notepad, then stuck the pen in his pocket, standing up. "You don't mind me quoting you on that one, right? Good soda- don't forget the ads!" he grinned at the other man. "Just put sold by Milton Hughes at the bottom for me, right?" he reached into his pocket and drew out a note, which he pushed towards Ben.

[Benjamin Helms]

"Sure thing," Benjamin replied distractedly. "I'll see you around. Good luck on finding a good story today!"

[Milton Hughes]

Milton grinned, and tucked the notebook into his pocket. "Thanks. See you soon." with a wink, he made his way out of the shop.

((out))