Just Shy of MIschief (Inspiration Monday)

Inspiration Monday Challenge

Here is the link: http://bekindrewrite.com/2014/03/24/inspiration-monday-silent-conversation/

Here are the rules according to Steph: "Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and then give me the link in the comments below (I’ll also love you more if you link back to me); I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at stephanie (at) bekindrewrite (dot) com. (I do reserve the right to NOT link to a piece as stated in my Link Discretion Policy.)"

And last, but not least, the prompts:

SILENT CONVERSATION

CANDY FROM A GROWNUP

LET’S PLAY DROP

PINS AND KNITTING NEEDLES

NEW KIND OF MAGIC

I decided to use them all, in my first ever Inspiration Monday tale.

Just Shy of Mischief 

My friend Alexander yelled from his upstairs window "let's play drop," as he tossed the basketball out of his window in my direction. With deft hands, I moved the ball into a dribble, across the street, and into the hoop. 

Alex was a fun friend, we did all kinds of things when we got together and he was really good at standing on the edge of mischief without getting us in trouble, most of the time. This game of "drop" was kind of like parkour without having to climb walls and scale buildings, the basketball did it for us. We usually started by warming up at the courts and then we would head downtown. 

As we were walking through the unusually quiet streets, we came upon a man who had one of those little carts we would see set up with chili dogs or something, but this man did not have chili dogs, he had cotton candy, licorice, and little hard candies on his cart. He stopped us to talk as we were going by him, and I nudged Alex in the ribs. He knew we were not supposed to talk to strangers and especially downtown. We were not even supposed to be downtown. 

"It's starting to rain, do you two want to take some candy with you?" the Candy Man asked.

"No, we don't have any money," Alex said.

I could see these little round balls that looked like some kind of monster eyeball. "What are these?" I asked and pointed at the same time.

"Those are eye drops, made of sugar" he said. 

"They look so real," Alex added.

"It is a very old recipe that has been in our family for hundreds of years," the candy man said. He caught Alex's eyes and smiled. "They're magic eye drops. If you eat just one it will show you a path that you cannot find without it."

Alex could not take his eyes off of the Candy Man. I bumped his arm and he just kept staring. 

There was a silent conversation taking place that had me on pins and knitting needles. I knew I was not supposed to accept candy from a grownup, but I really wanted to taste a new kind of magic, so I slid the little eye drop into my mouth and smiled. 

"Thanks mister, we've got to go now," I said and pulled on Alex. "Let's go Alex."

Alex popped one of the candy eye drops in his mouth and we started walking away. The rain started to come down faster and faster until it was soaking us. The clouds got dark and blocked out the sun. It was too early for the street lights to come on, but I was wishing that they would. 

When we finally got back to our street, the rain had stopped, but we were soaking wet. We wondered if the crazy shift in weather had anything to do with the Candy Man's magick eye drops, but we would never be sure. We were both glad to be home. 

"Catch up with you again tomorrow ?" Alex asked as he headed into his apartment building.

"I'll be here." I said as I shot the basketball through the hoop once more, and back to Alex. 

We always had interesting adventures together, just shy of mischief.