The door slammed, from inside.
Luke Pepper sat straight up in bed.
“Michael??” he called out.
Michael showed up in the doorway of the bedroom. His face was red, and pinched.
“Someone cut down our pride flag.”
Luke climbed out of bed.
“Any other damage to the house?”
“I didn’t see any,” Michael said “ but I didn’t really look. I’m so pissed off.”
Luke pulled on some sweats.
“Let’s go look. If there aren’t any hate messages or real damage, we’ll just get a new-”
“There don’t need to be hate messages. It’s a hate crime already.”
Luke reached out quickly and rubbed Michael’s shoulder.
“You’re so deeply your sign it hurts sometimes, let’s-”
“I feel attacked,Lucas, there’s no reason someone should-”
Luke stepped confidently out onto the porch and surveyed the facade of the house. No spraypaint, no eggs, no cracked windows.
He looked at the flagpole.
“It’s not cut, pumpkin, they untied it. “
“I’m making a police report,” Michael said.
Luke surveyed the block. The woman with the elderly Lab was walking him, no cars were damaged, but something didn’t seem right.
He looked back around again.
“Don’t you call 911. Just call the office number, it’s not…wait, wait Michael. Stop.”
Michael shut off his phone.
“You’re awfully calm, Lucas, I’m-”
“I hope Mr. Kerkarian is as calm as me. His Marine Corps flag is gone. So’s Dirtz’s MSU flag and Carillo’s soccer flag and the pot leaf flag on the corner. Someone had a Great Flag Robbery.”
“No way.
“Yep. It’s a beautiful Saturday morning. Everyone’s flags would be out. If this was a hate crime, it’s the most diverse hate crime in history.”
Michael folded his arms.
“I still don’t like it. Why would-”
“Fraternity prank? I don’t understand either, but don’t you feel a little better?”
“Maybe,” Michael said. “I’ll go let Mr. Kerkarian know his flag is missing.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Michael shook his head, this quick subtle little tremble that Luke loved.
“You don’t have a shirt on.”
“Michael, he was a Marine. He’s seen men without a -”
Luke went silent as he saw Mr. Kerkarian coming around the corner holding his Marine Corps flag.
He tapped Michael, who turned.
They both wordlessly hurried down the steps and crossed the street.
“Mr. K ??? “ Michael called out.
Luke noticed that Mr. Kerkarian had the Dirtz’s green and white MSU flag as well as his own.
Both flags were muddied and creased.
Mr. Kerkarian- neither Michael nor Luke could remember if his first name was Paul or Phil-waved his empty hand.
“You fellas missing a flag too, right?”
Luke felt a strange sadness that Mr. K had retrieved the MSU flag but not theirs.
“Where did you find them, Mr. K?
“Majestic Park. Saw my flag was missing and looked at my Doorbell Cam tape. Little snotwagon that lives on Dorchester took it.”
Michael thought it odd that the gruff old Marine was smiling.
“Ummm,” Luke started, “is ours…there? What…snotwagon?”
“Yours is the rainbow thingy, right? It’s still in play, least it was when I was there. Buncha kids using them as capes, jousting with cardboard poster tubes on their dirtbikes. Can’t say I understand how it works exactly, but they’re roughing each other up pretty good. Kid wearing the State flag was eliminated first, then Bobby O’Brien, wearing my globe and anchor. Mexican kid is wearing yours, I’m pretty sure, and he was still going when I left, as well as that troublemaker,Jimmy Kyle, from Dorchester. His parents told me he was at Majestic He’s on tape taking down mine, I’m guessing he might have got yours too.”
“Looks like yours got pretty messed up.”
Mr. K looked down at it.
“Yeah, I was mad at first…but…”
“I was furious when I saw ours missing,” Michael said.
Mr. K nodded.
“ Yeah, I wasn’t happy.I was ready to wring the kid’s neck. But when I saw a bunch of kids actually outside, really roughhousing…shit…I couldn’t be mad at that.”
“We’re gonna go reclaim ours, I think. You didn’t have any trouble?”
“Naww, once the kids saw I wasn’t gonna strangle ‘em, they were pretty cooperative.”
“Ok, Mr. K. Thanks.”
“Hang on. Let me put my flag in the washer and give the Dirtz’s back theirs. Then I’ll go back over with ya. It’s a pretty interesting game those kids made up.”
Mr. K. paused and smiled.
“Who knows? Maybe the kid wearing your flag will win.”
***
Nicely done.
We’re so stereotyped 😅
Love that the story shifted at the end