12 The Melancholy Fatty (1/2)
”.....Boss, you know about my huuuuge stomach, don't worry, you know as the saying goes, feed a man a day and he'll feed you later when you get older!!!!” A nasal voice replied. Where the owner of said voice got the mentioned saying I did not know, though his shamelessness truly cracked me up.
I shrugged as I walked past the wall trying to see the conversing duo. As I walked past the cracked walls I came upon a pudgy looking boy, barely five foot in height. His round boyish face shone with a child-like innocence while his inflated hands seemed to play with the hem of his tattered shirt.
”No. No more. I shouldn't have volunteered to care for you in the first place!” the exasperated voice of the shopkeeper echoed as he motioned with his hands towards the fat man, obviously in an attempt, to get rid of the fat man.
”sigh... go away brat I have many customers to feed, go to the pier or something.” the shopkeeper said, before decidedly ignoring the young pudgy man and hurrying to his humble restaurant. ”But boss.......” the fatty moaned, before slumping to the ground in a defeated and melancholy manner.
”Am I going to die just like this…..? A virgin, and starving??” he bemoaned as he looked up at the sky in an attempt to curse god for his misfortune. His smile melting off of his face as a sad frown took its place.
”Lil' brother what might you be doing here?” I asked as I walked over to him and patted his dispirited back. ”Uncle....” the fatty replied. ”Oh! its uncle john! Shopkeeper boss, my uncle is here! He has money! Give me some foooood!!!” He shouted loudly as he got to his feet and raced toward the shopkeeper, who by now had settled into a pearly apron and was working hard at the kitchen.
I did not know whether to laugh or cry, as I made my way forward hurriedly in an attempt to explain myself to the man before I too would be forcefully conscripted into the fatty's little scheme to fill his stomach.
”What uncle? Which unfortunate soul has sinned so much so as to gain you as a nephew?” The shopkeeper replied as he looked up from the food he was making, which now that I noticed turned out to be a round and aromatic dumpling, albeit half complete.
As he looked at me, I could see a vast amount of pity that seemed to dot his face. ”Young man….I pity you…to have such a glutton as a nephew….. Hais what can be said, maybe god has cursed you for the sins of your ancestors..” He said to me as he made his way over, obviously in an attempt to fleece me of the little coin that my pockets jingled with.
”What uncle?!?” I said glaring at the fat man. ”I am not your uncle, you must have me mistaken with someone else..” I said as I looked pleadingly towards the kindly old shopkeeper, whose face had again fallen as he dispiritedly muttered about an awful loss of money.
”Brat... you win, get up ill pay for your food…” I said as my heart bled. ”Uncle!” the fatty said with an obviously fake happiness. ”Thank you…” He said as he ran into the kitchen while I emptied my pockets into the old shopkeepers hand.
”Can his bill be covered with this..? if not ill have to go get some more from a friend nearby” I said as I remembered the snobbish noble man who I had previously stolen from. ” it ...........should be enough” the man said with a thoughtful expression as he meticulously counted the coins in his hand. ”Infact, it should be slightly more than enough” he said as he tried handing me back some coins, ”Keep it, I am hungry too” I said as I made my way inside and sat at the table with the fatty who was happily chomping away at the dumpling in his hand.
”So brat, what are you doing here and why did you have to drag me into your games..?” I asked questioningly as I waited patiently for my food. ”Heh, sorry uncle, but I was hungry and you looked like a rich man” The fatty replied as he continued to eat, not even looking up to see my face. ”What uncle, I am just ten years old, if anything I need to call you uncle.. This older brother is gonna be the strongest pirate in the world!” I said grumbling. ”Call me Lore, that should do” I said as I waited for him to acknowledge my statements.
”Of cource, your ten yea- wait What!!!?????” the fatty exclaimed as he stopped looking at his food and, finally, looked at me. ”You're saying, that uncle here,” he said motioning at me with his greasy hands, ”is only TEN YEARS OLD!!!??!?!” his loud voice resonated in the empty restaurant.
”keep it down there!!” the shopkeeper exclaimed as he scowled at me, as if I had committed a terrible error and would be judged by the divine light of god. ”You are ruining the customers experience!”