The Entertainer

By Norman Shute

Codes: Humor, Romance, Violence

Species: Fox, Human, Hyena, Tiger, Vampire Bat

Synopsis: A wandering entertainer in search of employment ends up getting more than he bargained for.

Copyright: 2003, Norman Shute. All rights reserved.

Lee walked into the Cat's Cradle pub clutching a faded "Help Wanted" sign in his right hand and a beat-up guitar case in his other hand. Peering into the poorly lit room the young man stood next to an empty booth while his eyes adjusted to the dim light and smoky atmosphere.

"Can I help you?" the tiger tending bar behind the counter called out.

"Yes sir, I hope you can," replied Lee. "I'm looking for a Mister?.er?Mister Lyon.. I think."

"He's in the back takin' stock. Wha'cha want with him anyway?"

"I was hoping that he still needed an entertainer," Lee replied holding out the sign.

"He hasn't hired anyone as far as I know, so you might have a chance." Putting down the towel he was using to wipe down the top of the bar, he extended his right paw to Lee. "My name's Antonio, but most just call me?"

"Tony?" piped in Lee.

"Not unless they want a fight," laughed Antonio. "Most just call me Stripes."

Reaching for the extended paw Lee shook hands with the bartender.

"Nice to meet you Stripes. I'm Lee, but I'm known to answer to Hey You."

"So, what kind of entertainer are you?"

"I sing and play the guitar. Wanna hear a song?" Lee opened the faded case and pulled out a shiny but well-worn 12-string guitar and proceeded to play. He started to play slowly and softly but gradually his music built to a crescendo as he ended the song with a flurry of notes, his hand descending down the guitars neck.

"Wow, what was that you just played?" asked an awed Stripes.

"A little piece called "Nuages" by the mad gypsy Django Reinhart," replied Lee.

"Wait a minute," thought Antonio. "There couldn't be more than ten to fifteen people in here, but as soon as this kid started playing everyone all of a sudden needs a drink."

"Well, what do we have here?" an elderly cougar asked, wiping his paws on his apron.

"Mister Lyon I'd like to introduce you to Lee. He's here to apply for the entertainer job," replied the bartender, pointing to Lee.

"I heard the music and came over because I needed something to drink,"the cougar replied. "I'm Clarence Lyon. Nice to meet you. Your playing is very good. Can you sing too?"

"Yes sir, but I must admit I have a thing for the old songs," replied Lee.

"That's fine son. I'm partial to the old songs too, Do you know anything by the Grateful Dead?" the old cougar asked, smiling at the guitarist.

"Yes sir. I have a songbook that I can work out of till I memorize enough songs, plus I know about 30 to 40 instrumentals to fill out the sets." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "If memory serves me I've got about ten to fifteen songs from the Dead in my book. I'll have to remember to include a couple of them for you."

Lee paused for a moment, then asked, "What are the hours and the pay, if I may ask?"

"Ten PM to Two AM daily with Mondays and Tuesdays off. Three-fifty a week plus tips," replied the cougar. "Could you start tonight?"

"Yes sir that will work out fine. I'm a night person anyways. However since I'm on foot it's going to take a while to get my gear here," sighed Lee.

"I can help if you want me too," a tiny voice piped up from the back of the room.

"Who's there?" asked Clarence.

"Just me, Chira," replied a lovely bat wearing a tan halter-top and mini skirt. She walked to the booth where Lee, Antonio and Clarence were seated. "How can I help Clarence?"

"Oh Lee I'd like to introduce you to Miss Chira Desmera. She, shall we say, "works" in the bar nightly."

"What Clarence is politely saying is that I'm a call girl and that I make a living out of his bar."

"So, where do we need to go?" the bat asked, smiling at Lee.

"This might sound funny but I'm staying with a friend that works as a grounds man at the cemetery."

"Oh," laughed Chira, "so you're staying with Flynn. How is that old stoat?"

"So how do you know Flynn? He doesn't get out much and most folks are afraid to visit him at his house next to the graveyard," laughed Lee.

"Flynn is a regular. Either my roommates Stacy or Lacy or myself visit him twice a week, depending on who's short on money that week," Chira replied offhandedly. "In fact, after we pick up your stuff I'll need to pick up the girls before we head back to the bar."

"Let's pick up the girls first. I'd like to see the look on old Flynn's face when I pull up with three drop dead gorgeous babes in tow," laughed Lee.

"Easy there, let's not give Flynn a heart attack. Besides, how much gear are we picking up?"

"Just my six string, a mandolin, an amp and a duffle bag. Hopefully it shouldn't take that much room," replied Lee as he opened the back door for Chira as they left the bar and headed for the parking lot.

Chira pointed to a battered Pinto station wagon. "Here we go. It's not much but it beats walking."

"The car looks beautiful, just like it's owner," replied Lee, sidling up next to Chira. He leant over to her and began softly nibbling on her neck, slowly working his way to her mouth where he planted a gentle kiss. All the while he was softly caressing her velvety smooth wings.

"What made you become a call girl in the first place?" Lee inquired as he placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Well, you try being nocturnal for one, then add that I'm a vampire bat. Not too many will work nights with me. Let's face it, there aren't many opportunities for my kind." Chira sighed, shaking her head.

Lee opened Chira's door then walked around the car and entered on the passenger side. Once inside he leaned over to kiss her again, gazing into her eyes. "There really isn't much difference between you and me when you think about it."

"I don't follow you. What do you mean?" Chira replied with a confused look on her face.

Lee held out his hands. "With these two hands and a silly piece of wood with vibrating strings I can create a diversion that let people forget their troubles for a little while. You, on the other hand, use your body to do the same. We both supply that escape that they seek us out for."

Lee took her clawed hand in his. "Chira, would you go out with me, perhaps for dinner?"

"Are you sure you could handle what dinner is to a vampire bat? Most are not comfortable that when I feed something either dies or is drained to near death, especially since humans like yourself are my chief prey," Chira replied looking, Lee in the eye.

Lee hugged Chira and replied, "I've lived hand to mouth most my life and have had to run down and kill my dinner more times than I would like to admit. At least you and I have accepted the fact that for us to survive something had to die."

"What about me feeding on you in your sleep? Surely that must have crossed your mind?"

"I don't think you could attack anything you have formed an emotional attachment to, and I'm willing to bet my life on it," Lee replied.

Driving to the outskirts of town Chira pulled up into an old driveway next to a graveyard. Turning to Lee she smiled and said, "I'll wait here while you get your gear. Flynn may think this is more than a social visit."

"Okay. I'll be back in a flash with my trash," replied Lee, leaning over to kiss Chira one last time before heading to the house to retrieve his gear.

Chira sighed as Lee headed for the house. Why was she feeling this way and especially for a human? Chira couldn't put a finger on it but something seemed so damn familiar and safe when she was with him. Maybe Lee was right. She had never even thought of feeding on either Stacy or Lacy and they have been roomies for years.

Lee returned with an amp and a duffle bag that he placed in the back. He promptly headed back to the house and returned with two cases that he placed in back next to the amp.

"Okay, that's it. Let's go get the girls."

"Get what girls?" a vixen, asked poking her head out of a door that Lee had walked out of a second ago.

"Stacy is that you?" Chira called out.

"Yeah. Lacy and I just finished cleaning up Flynn's house. Can we get a ride to the Cat's Cradle?"

"So you're the foxies that Flynn's been bragging about waiting on him hand and foot," laughed Lee.

"Stacy, Lacy," cooed Chira, "let me introduce you to Lee, the Cat's Cradle newest entertainer."

"So what is he? A comic or a juggler?" Stacy asked.

"Neither, although my career has been one big joke and I'm pretty good at juggling responsibilities," laughed Lee.

"So Clarence hired some new talent again the last ones were run off by the MacKinzie twins? Chira, have you warned Lee about them yet?" Lacy remarked.

"No. Who, or what, are the MacKinzie twins?" Lee replied.

"Oh, they're just a couple of hyenas. You know, big and stupid," replied Stacy.

"Yeah the only thing smaller than between their legs is what's between their ears," laughed Lacy.

"I'll have to take your word on that," laughed Lee. "But I can handle a couple of thugs, especially stupid ones."

"Just don't provoke them tonight if possible," Chira begged. "I still want to take you up on that offer for dinner and I can't stand hospital food."

"Honey, I don't look for trouble but I won't run from it either," warned Lee.

Pulling into the parking lot Chira drove to the back of the bar and parked near the back door. "Would you like a hand with your gear?" she asked Lee.

"Sure. You girls grab the instrument cases while I carry the amp and duffle bag into the club," replied Lee.

Standing next to the stage were two hyenas who were pawing at the mandolin that Stacy had set down on the stage. Lee stepped past them, setting down his amp and duffel bag, and then sliding his six string with his foot to the center of the stage.

"Hey Stripes, could you hand me that case with my 12 string behind the bar there please?"

"Sure thing sir, but I'm not Stripes. I'm Chris, Antonio's brother," laughed Chris, handing him the case.

Lee placed both his 6 and 12 string guitars on stands he produced from the duffle bag. After setting up the rest of his equipment, Lee walked over to retrieve his mandolin from the two hyenas that were staring at him.

"You got some nice things there. It would be a shame if something happened to them," remarked one of the hyenas. "I'm Douglas and that is my brother Robert holding on to your guitar there."

"Actually that is a mandolin and be careful, it's over 200 years old. It was given to me by an old friend."

"It would be terrible if something was to happen to it. Now for, lets say, 20 a week the MacKinzie Protection Agency will make sure nothing like this happens again. Show him Bobby," grinned the hyena as his brother destroyed the mandolin in his hands.

"Oops there that snapped like a dry twig. I guess they don't make'em like they used to. Oh, that's right, that IS how they used to make them," Robert said, smiling with way too many teeth.

Lee reached over, grabbing both hyenas by the collar and pulling them to his face as he hissed at them. "If you idiots ever try anything with anyone here I will personally force feed you your livers. Do I make myself clear?" he spat at them. "Mess with me and I'll show you why you're afraid of the night."

"The MacKinzie's aren't afraid of nothing ever," growled Robert.

"If not you should be. Remember this, if you look at that little place where all your fears are you will find me there, staring back at you," hissed Lee as he tossed the two like rag dolls across the barroom floor.

Chira walked up, looking at the remains of Lee's mandolin. Shaking her head she helped pick up the fragments. "I figured as much. Be careful Lee. Those idiots won't try anything in the bar. They're too afraid of Clarence. But watch out after closing time," warned Chira.

Looking up at Chira Lee said, "If that's the case then dinner WILL be served tonight after all!"

"Just be careful. I would like someone to dine with sometime," cautioned Chira.

"Don't worry," Lee smiled. "You can't hurt what you can't touch."

Lee walked onto the stage and started to play slow and sweet, weaving a tapestry of old songs and instrumentals that lasted the whole night. After the last song Clarence walked up to Lee and patted him on the back exclaiming, "I think you'll work out fine. It's been a long time since we've had this much fun around here."

"Great" exclaimed Lee as he emptied his nearly full tip jar. "I think I'll spend this on my friends tonight. Care to join us?"

"No thanks. I still need to lock up but you have fun." Looking at Chira, Clarence smiled and said to her, "Don't wear him out too much, he still has to play tomorrow."

Stacy, Lacy, Chira and Lee headed toward the back door and then to the car. Unfortunately the MacKinzie's were waiting for them.

"No one makes fun of the MacKinzie's and lives to tell about it," snarled Doug, pointing a pistol at Lee's chest.

A low guttural growl erupted from Lee as he charged the two hyenas. Doug emptied the pistol into Lee's chest but stood dumbfounded as Lee snatched away the pistol with a gnarled claw and threw it into the night.

Lee held a hyena in each cruel claw as he stepped into the pool of light shining down from a nearby streetlight. The girls could see that he had fangs bared and that his eyes were glowing red, shining with hatred at the hyenas.

Lee smiled. He could smell the fear from the hyenas. "I've lived for centuries preying on the dregs of the world, just like you two," he snarled at them. "Tell me boys, just who is going to miss you? Who is going to care if two thugs like you two are found with their throats ripped out?"

He looked over at girls as he held the hyenas, their feet dangling in the air. "Chira, my dear, care to join me for a quick bite? Someone once said stupid people taste the best, so these two must taste sublime," he chuckled.

"You sure know how to treat a lady," laughed Chira as she leapt forward, tearing into Robert's throat.