Welcome to Gayberry

Welcome to Gayberry – 7

Feel free to address any comments on this story to fritz819@yahoo.com. His is a work of fiction and is based on no real persons, living or dead. If you enjoy this or any of the wonderful stories here, I hope you will consider a donation to the Nifty Archive to keep the site going. It is a treasure!!!!!!! http://donate.nifty.org/

7

He told the boy to stay put in the car, threatening him that if he made a move to leave the vehicle, Randy would take him directly to Statesvile and leave him there in the nasty, dangerous prison with men who would tear his young, tender ass to shreds. The poor lad sat still, sniffling. He couldn't believe his life had taken such a turn so quickly. Just a few hours ago he had been with his young, cute girlfriend, seeing a movie. She was the daughter of the mayor and he was sure she was crazy about him. He was fairly certain he'd be taking her cherry, something he'd really been looking forward to. He would never have admitted it to his friends but the truth was that Jimmy himself was still a virgin. He'd never gotten it off a girl and his paw had forbid him to go to the service station and let Homer service him. His father, the town barber, believed that even letting another man touch you n your private places was fag stuff. He had convinced the boy that was deviant behavior. Jimmy beat his meat almost every day but he always felt guilty about it because his dad had told him if a boy did that too much, he would end up insane.

Jimmy knew he had one of the biggest dicks in his school – that was apparent in the school locker room – but he'd never had a chance to use it on anyone. Now the prospects didn't look good at all. In fact, he'd be very lucky to even get to keep his nuts at all. The sheriff had put a tight rubber band on his oversized balls and told him they would just disappear if the band were left in place. The band was really starting to hurt and his nuts felt really sore and swollen. But Jimmy was smart enough not to try to escape. He had no doubt the sheriff would dump him at the state prison in a heartbeat.

He had thought the sheriff was bringing him home to his parents but he had been wrong about that. Sheriff Gaylor had left the frightened boy in the car while he went in to talk to his parents. He had no idea what the sheriff was telling them and he was afraid to find out. He knew he'd be in deep trouble if the sheriff told his father about the boy trying to fuck the mayor's daughter. His father had told him many times that he didn't want any bastards in his family. His father said their family was one of Gayberry's oldest and most respected and he had no intention of any son of his damaging the family's distinguished reputation.

Now he was alone in his car naked and with his hands cuffed behind him. He was about as down as down could be. It seemed that the sheriff had been gone forever.

Randy had known the boy's father for years. The family was old and respected, but Randy knew the man was a bumbling idiot. He wasn't sure the man knew enough to get out of the rain. But he was basically a nice guy.

"Lloyd," the sheriff began, "this may be hard for you and the missus to understand. Your boy, Jimmy, has been called to do a great service for this town and for his country. It is of the utmost importance that you not have any contact with the boy for a while. It could be even several months. The boy is a secret agent. He may try to speak to you but you must, absolutely must act as if you don't see or hear him."

"Oh, Randy," he said, "I'm very proud for Jimmy to do this. His great-great grandfather did some spying for General George Washington so my boy is carrying on a proud tradition. I'll make it clear to the missus that we have to avoid any contact. Now, if he tries to talk to us, what is it we do?"

"You act as if you don't see him or hear a word he says" the sheriff said. "If he calls you, hang up the phone as soon as you hear his voice. To do otherwise could put you and him in extreme danger. Do you understand? You both will go down in history as one of our country's great patriots."

"Yes, I've got it" the man said. "Now what is we do if he tries to talk to us?"

"Lloyd, like I said, you are to act as if you don't see him or hear a word he says" the sheriff reiterated.

"And what if we like see him on the street or in a store?" he asked. "What is it we do?"

"Act as if he's invisible" he said. "That's all you have to do."

"We can do that, Randy, and thank you for letting us know" the man said.

"Now I need to go up and pack a bag for the boy" the sheriff said. "He won't need much but he'll need clothes for school."

The sheriff went up to Jimmy's bedroom. He felt horny just knowing this was where the boy lived. He began to go through his drawers. He found the boy's underwear and sniffed the fresh, clean scent. He found a couple of jockstraps and threw them in the bag. He got a number of shirts and slacks for the boy, although he planned not to let t he boy wear anything the majority of the time. Then he looked in the top drawer of the boy's chest. He found several unopened condom packets. He took those and threw them into the suitcase. On a hunch, he lifted the boy's mattress and found a couple of magazines with naked women in them. He took those. He went into the bathroom and got the boy's shaving kit, then headed back downstairs. Lloyd stopped him at the foot of the stairs.

"I have one question, Randy" he said. "Now what is it we do if we see our son?"

"Goddamn it, Lloyd!" he said. "Are you and your wife a couple of total fuckin' idiots?"

The couple stood there, looking confused.

"You fucking ignore him" Randy said. "You do not speak to him. You do not acknowledge him. You act as if he is not there. As if he is not fucking there!"

"Got it, Randy," he said. "We just act like we don't see him. Right?"

"Right" the sheriff said as he walked out of the house.

He got back into the car with the frightened boy.

"Did you tell them what I did?" the boy asked.

"Of course I did, Jimmy," he said. "I had to tell him everything. Your paw and your momma took it badly. Neither of them wants to talk to you or see you, at least for a while. They may not ever want to see you."

The boy was crying softly now. Randy reached over and put an arm around him. The boy still smelled good, even after his stressful day.

"I'm going to do my best to get you back on the path to righteousness" the sheriff said. "You need to listen to everything I tell you. Never question me about anything. If I say it, you do it. Can you manage that?"

"I think I can, sheriff," the boy answered. "I'll sure try to."

"Your big old dick got you in trouble" Randy said. "You're not the first boy to follow his dick instead of following his Lord and Savior. You won't be the last. I'll do the best I can. This may involve some pain, but you're a tough, strong boy."

Randy reached over and grabbed one of the boy's pink nipples. He pinched it as hard as he could and the boy howled.

"What the fuck are you doing?" the boy asked angrily. "You got no business grabbing my nipple like that. That's homo stuff."

Randy reached over and slapped the shit out of the boy. His ears were ringing from the lick.

"Boy, I just told you that you will never question a motherfucking thing I do" he said. "Are you as dimwitted as your own father?"

"Hey don't talk about my paw" the boy said.

"You're digging your own grave here, boy," he said. "I was about to take you over to the jail and take that band off of your nuts. Don't look like that's gonna happen now, boy."

"Oh please, sheriff," I'm so sorry" the boy wailed. "I won't do it again. I'll do better."

Randy stomped the brake, bringing the car to an abrupt stop. The boy's chest hit the dashboard, almost knocking the breath out of him,

"That was your last fucking chance, boy," he said. "That's it. Those balls can rot off for all I care. You won't need them at Statesville any way. Those men will turn you into a pussy boy in no time flat. The last thing you'll ever need in that prison is those nuts or that big old nut sac of yours."

Randy again slapped the boy. He was crying again.

"I'm sick of that crying bullshit, boy" he said. "Sick of it. You think I'm going to listen to that shit? If you do you're wrong."

The boy was silent. Randy held the boy's face in his hand, squeezing.

"Open your mouth boy," he said.

Without hesitating, the boy opened his mouth wide. Randy spit into his mouth. The lad winced but he said nothing.

"Swallow it" the sheriff said.

He obeyed silently.

"Okay, that's the way I expect you to behave. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," the boy answered quietly.

"Good next time I grab your titty, you say nothing" he instructed. "Even if it feels like I'm about to pull it off your body or even if I decide to bite it off your body, you don't utter one fucking word. Got it?"

"Yes, sir"' he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Okay," the sheriff said. "I'll think about taking that band off your nuts when we get back if I don't hear another peep out of you."

The boy nodded his head silently and managed a weak smile in spite of his painful nipple and the excruciating pain in his crotch.

The sheriff went to his home and pulled Jimmy's car into his garage. He took the naked boy and put him into the patrol car. Then they headed for the jail. When they arrived, the sheriff pulled in behind the jail. He took the boy from the car and told him to stand beside the car. He made it clear to Jimmy that if he tried to run, he would be headed straight to the Statesville Prison.

Randy had a hose and water faucet out behind the jail which he used to wash the patrol car, He told the boy to stand still beside the car and he turned on the water. He began to spray Jimmy with the cold water. Randy knew it was not comfortable, but the boy said nothing. He wet him down thoroughly, then he took him into the court house through the back door.

"You're gonna be spending some time here for a while, boy, so you might as well jut get used to it. He led the boy into one of the two cells. The boy stood silently, just looking scared. Randy took a towel and dried the boy.

"We don't want you catching cold now, do we?" the sheriff asked. "Jimmy, you can make this easy or you can make this rough. The worse you behave, the worse you'll get treated. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, sir," the boy said quietly.

"I'm glad you've calmed down" the sheriff said. "I ain't toleratin' bad behavior or nasty language from you. I don't tolerate it from my son and I sure as Hell ain't takin' it from you. Are you havin' any numbness in your fingers yet, boy?"

"Yes, sir," the boy said.

"That happens when your hands is cuffed, especially when they're cuffed behind you" he said.

The sheriff fumbled in his pocket for a key then he told him to turn around with his back to the sheriff.

"That sure is a pretty little ass you got on you, boy," the sheriff said. "Your ass is rounder than that little bitch you was trying to put your dick in. Yes, sir, it surely is. I certainly ain't no homo, but I know a nice round ass when I see one."

The sheriff had gotten sidetracked from his task and he began to stroke the boy's creamy, smooth ass cheeks. His skin felt warm to the sheriff and he felt his dick twitch.

"Yes, siree, you got a fine ass on you, boy," he said. "That cherry wouldn't last an hour up in Statesville. You'd have some man's big old dick pokin' you in no time. Them horny men would rip up that pretty ass before the sun came up. There's a whole lot of men who say fuckin' another boy up the ass ain't gay if the fucker pretends he's puttin' it in a pussy. It's the one getting' fucked that's the faggot. They say an ass is a whole lot tighter than a pussy too. It's enough to make a man think twice about tryin' a piece of boy ass, especially if it's cherry. Is that round ass of yours still cherry, boy?"

"Is it what?" Jimmy asked.

The boy was tired and was having trouble following conversation. His arms and shoulder felt like they had needles sticking in them and the pain in his nut sac was getting more intense by the minute.

"Is that ass of yours still cherry?" the sheriff asked. "Or have you let some of your buddies on the football team stick their dicks in you? I hear you run track too. Some of them track team buddies slippin' you their dicks? I've always wondered about you track boys runnin' around in them tiny little flimsy shorts and all. Your track buddies been tappin' that pretty ass of yours, Jimmy?"

"No, sir, sheriff," the boy said. "I've never done nothin' with nobody. Please believe me."

"I guess you mean you ain't done nothin' with no boys" he said. "You've been getting pretty of puss, ain't you, boy?"

The boy was silent and he stared at the floor. It suddenly occurred to Randy that this boy was a virgin. He hadn't been with any boys or any girls. He'd planned on losing his own cherry at the mayor's house in addition to taking young Jenny's.

Stand up straight, boy!" the sheriff said, moving right in front of the boy.

"Now you look me in the eye and tell me the truth" he barked. "Was this gonna be your first piece?"

"Yes, sir," he said quietly. Please don't tell anyone. None of my friends know. They all think I've got experience. I'd just die if my friends and teammates found out."

"Found out what, boy?" he asked. "Say it!"

"If they found out I'm a virgin" he whispered with a tear running down his cheek.

The sheriff let out a loud laugh which further humiliated this boy.

"That's good to know" the sheriff said. "You know what they all say. If you ain't never had it, you don't know what you're missin'. I may have to think a little more about removing that band from your nut sac, boy. Maybe we ought to just let those nuts rot off of you. It would sure mean you wouldn't ever be doin' none of the stuff you were tryin' to do at the mayor's house tonight."

That terrified the boy. The thought that the sheriff might leave the band on him and let his nuts just disappear was terrifying.

The sheriff now unlocked the handcuffs. Being able to move his arms in front of him felt so good. Jimmy hadn't realized it but both of his arms were numb and his shoulders ached when he moved them. He began to flex his arms, bending them at the elbow. But this activity was short-lived as the sheriff immediately grabbed his right hand and slapped a cuff on that wrist. He then raised that arm above the boy and attached the other cuff to a cross-bar on the cell's rail. This arm was now extended over his head, uncomfortably, but he was able to move one of his arms at least. The sheriff stood in front of the boy, just leering at his naked body. The boy's arm was raised over his head, exposing his creamy pit with thick, bushy hair. Randy touched the pit and the boy tried to pull away from his hand.

Randy slapped him.

"Boy, don't ever do that again" he said. "If I choose to touch you, you better just say `thank you'. Don't you ever do that again. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," the boy said.

The sheriff ran his hand up and down the boy's warm, lightly muscled arm and through his thick pit hair. He inhaled the boy's scent which was clean and fresh in spite of the rough afternoon and evening he had experienced.

"You do realize I can touch you wherever I want to and do whatever I want to, don't you, son," the sheriff asked.

"Yes, sir," he said. "I can't do nothin' about it you got me cuffed."

"And you're gonna stay cuffed till you get it through your head that I can do what I want to you whether you're cuffed or you ain't. That big old dick of yours has gone all soft now, ain't it? It ain't got hard since we left sweet little Jenny's house. You think it might've quit workin all together?"

"I hope not, sir," the boy said.

"I want to see you get it hard, boy," the sheriff said.

"Please don't make me do that, sheriff," the boy begged."My paw says it just ain't right for a boy to be hard in front of other boys or men. Paw says it just ain't fittin'."

Randy smacked the boy's swollen, red ball sac and the boy yelped. Randy laughed.

"Did that hurt, Jimmy?" the sheriff asked.

"It hurt bad" the boy answered. "It hurt bad before you hit it and worse after you did that."

Randy slapped the boy's swollen nut sac again and the boy screamed. He was trying to turn away from the sheriff to protect his sore testicles, but his movement was severely restricted.

"I told you to get that dick hard, boy" the sheriff said.

Jimmy, with his free hand reached for his limp, uncut meat. Randy slapped his nut sac again. The boy screamed.

"Please, sheriff," he begged. "That hurts so bad. Please don't hit me again."

"I didn't say you could use your hands did I?" the sheriff asked.

"No, sir, but I need my hand to get hard" he said.

"You best try to get hard without using your hand" the sheriff chuckled. "You better close your eyes and think about that sweet pussy you tried to get into. You know when I whispered to you that I might give you a chance to get some of that puss. That depends on how well you mind me. I could have you feeling and licking that little puss any time I want to. I've got that mayor wrapped around my little finger. I could get you in that house and in that girl's bedroom. I could get that girl's wet mouth on your hard prick."

The boy's big, uncut meat was starting to rise. He had his eyes closed and he was thinking about how close he had gotten. He remembered how pretty it was and the sweet, unique smell of the girl. He remembered the wetness. He could feel his cock hardening and it felt so good. Randy noticed the boy was making a little bit of pre-cum.

"You really want to empty those nuts, don't you, boy?" the sheriff asked him.

"Yes, sir," he answered din a hoarse voice.

"You sound hoarse, son," Randy said. "Is that the fuck voice you use when you're trying to fuck that pretty girl?"

"Yes, sir," he answered. "I guess it is."

Randy reached out one of his hands and touched the boy's cock. It felt hot as fire, even through the wet, sheer panties. Jimmy started to pull away but he stopped himself from doing that, fearing another painful slap to the face. He didn't like this man touching his meat but he had no choice. Randy lowered the waist band of the panties and tucked the band beneath the boy's sore, swollen, banded nuts. He wrapped his hand around the boy's thick, hard dick. Randy started to jack the boy's big dick. He slowly slid the long foreskin back, exposing his pink, shiny cockhead. The boy gasped in pleasure as the sheriff began to move the skin back and forth. It felt really good, having the sheriff's hand jacking his dick. He kept his eyes closed and imagined it was Jenny's little hand beating his meat instead of the sheriff's hand. He began to hunch forward as he made more pre-cum, which added to the lubrication and increased the pleasure to his nerve-endings in his penis.

"Ooooooh, that feels good" he moaned. "Soooo good. Slide that skin. Fuck yeah, that's the way. Make that thing shoot. Make me cum!"

Randy jacked the boy faster. He was breathing fast and moaning now. The sheriff saw the boy's swollen nuts pulsing and he knew the boy was ready to unload his cream.

"Do it, please" the boy begged. "Make my big old dick cum. Make it shoot that hot fucking load."

Just as the boy was about to shoot his hot load, Randy pulled his hand off the boy's meat and gave him a hard lick to his nut sac. The boy was shocked that his climax had been ruined and his nut sac hit harder than previously.

"What the fuck was that?" he yelled. "I was about to cum. Now my nuts are on fire."

Randy stood back looking at the boy's wilting cock and laughed at him. He watched as the cock completely lost the erection. The boy's cockhead was still exposed as Randy grabbed the skin and pulled it down, covering the sticky cockhead.

"That's a nice, long foreskin, boy," he said. "You're sure made lots of pre-cum. I bet you like to eat your pre-cum, don't you?"

"No, sir," he answered, his breathing slowing and his pain decreasing to a manageable level. "That's what fags do. Straight men don't eat cum."

"I guess you're about to cross the line, then, Jimmy," the sheriff said as he put a finger into the boy's foreskin and scooping some of the boy's stringy fluid.

The sheriff raised his hand and put his sticky finger to the boy's mouth. Jimmy didn't want to taste his cum. He didn't want to taste anybody's cum. He didn't want to be a fag. But the sheriff looked straight into his eyes.

"Open your mouth, boy," the sheriff said, with a tight smile.

The boy had no choice. He opened his mouth just a little bit, not wide enough for the sheriff to insert his finger.

"Wider, boy," he said.

The boy made no move to comply. Then he felt a fist to his balls and then an open palm to his face. He wailed.

"Please, sir," he begged. I'm opening my mouth! I'm so sorry. I'll do whatever you say."

He was dancing to try to ease the pain in his nuts.

"Be still, you little asshole," he said.

Randy took his index finger and scooped a large amount of the boy's pre-cum from his now rapidly softening cock. The boy opened his mouth wide. Randy inserted his thick finger, coated in the boy's juice into his mouth. He went so far that the boy started gagging and coughing.

"You better not throw up, boy," he said. "If you do that, you'll lick every drop off the floor. You better clean that cum off of my finger. You better get used to the taste cause you're going to be eating a lot of that shit. I told you we can do this the easy way of the hard way and I fucking meant it."

The boy started sucking on the man's finger and licking it to clean every drop of his own cum. The sheriff then took the hand of the boy that was not cuffed and guided it down to his crotch. Randy was hard. The boy started to jerk his hand away, but then he realized what would happen if he did that. He allowed the sheriff to rub his hand over his pants, feeling his big hard dick. The boy realized that the sheriff's dick was as big or bigger than his own. He could never have imagined putting his hand on another man's crotch and he felt totally humiliated. But he didn't fight it. He knew fighting with one hand cuffed to the cell would be futile.

Then the sheriff moved face to face with the boy. The lad had no idea what was coming next. He was shocked when Randy put his arm behind the boy's neck, pulled him close and kissed him roughly, jamming his wet, thick tongue into the boy's mouth as far as it could go. Jimmy really didn't want this but he dared not resist the sheriff. He kissed him long and hard. Randy tasted the pre-cum he had just fed the boy and he liked the taste. It tasted faintly of almonds and the sheriff liked almonds.

The sheriff ended the kiss and stepped back, his eyes still locked with the boy's.

" I hope you know what will happen to you if you ever even think about telling a soul about all this" the sheriff whispered. "That prison in Statesville will look like the county fair compared to what you'll get. I hope you know that."

"Yes, sir" the boy said as he realized he had actually liked the feeling of the sheriff kissing him. He also realized that he was curious to see the sheriff's big cock outside his own pants as he admitted to himself he'd always been fascinated by the thought of seeing his own father's big cock hard. But the boy had always repressed those feelings and was shocked that they were surfacing now in his brain.

"Okay, Jimmy," the sheriff said. "I've got an early morning tomorrow. Got to head up to Raleigh but I'll be back in the afternoon. My deputy will be in tomorrow morning. Do not say a single word to him, no matter what he asks you. Not one word. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," the boy answered, "But what is Arney gonna think when he finds me locked up here?"

"That ain't your concern, boy," Randy said. "Let me worry about that. You just don't say a word to him."

"What about school?" Jimmy asked. "I've got to go to school."

"Not tomorrow you ain't goin' Jimmy," the sheriff said. "You've got to make me trust you, boy. You ain't leavin' that cell till I feel like I can trust you. You ain't wearin' clothes except them pretty panties and you ain't leavin' here."

"Aren't you going to uncuff me so I can lay down and sleep?" the boy asked.

"Not tonight, son," the sheriff told him. "You got to earn my trust. You can sleep standing up and cuffed to that rail or you can fuckin' stay awake all night. Keep in mind that I ain't the bad guy here. You was the one trying to stick your big old dick into that virgin twat. That girl was underage. I could tell she was ripe for it and probably fertile too. If you'd succeeded, you might have planted a baby in that underage bitch and then you'd be tied down for the rest of your life. You may not believe it right now, but one day you'll thank me for cock blockin' you tonight. That girl's been temptin' you for a while now and you better be glad I got you out of her trap. You need to think about that and think about it a lot."

"One more thing, sheriff," the boy said. "You told me you'd take this band off my nuts when we got to the jail. My balls are really hurtin' bad."

"I changed my mind" the sheriff chuckled. "Good night, boy."

The sheriff left, turning off the light and hearing the naked boy sob quietly in the cell, one of his arms attached to a cell rail above his head.

When Jimmy was alone, he realized just how badly he had fucked up. He knew how much power the sheriff had in this town. Nobody would take the word of a teen-age boy over the word of the top law enforcement officer and the mayor. He so wished he could just go back a few hours in time. He would take Jenny in his car and take her away. He could take her over the state line and they could get married. Life would be one long sweet fuck. But now life wouldn't be anything like that. He'd be lucky to even keep his nuts. Then he realized he could do something about that. Jimmy knew he could get the band off his nuts with his free hand.

The boy reached down with his free hand and felt the tight band around his big nuts. He had always been proud of his big balls. He had seen other boys look at him in the locker room, admiring their size. He knew other guys were jealous of his package and he liked that. Now he really wished he had smaller balls, thinking the banding might not be so painful. It hurt severely to even touch the swollen, tender nut sac, but he was determined to save two of his most important possessions.

Then the light was switched back on and the sheriff was walking back in the door and toward the cell.

"I thought you might try this, boy," the sheriff said. "I was gonna give you a chance but you failed the test. You was about to take the band off your nuts, wasn't you?"

"Yes, sir," he answered. "Please, I don't want to lose my balls! Please, he said. I swear I'll be better."

"I can't believe a fucking word that comes out of your lying mouth, boy," the sheriff said as he grabbed the boy's free hand and raised it over his head, cuffing it to the cross piece. Both the boy's hands were now cuffed above his head. The boy's feet could touch the floor, but not flatly. He had to stand on tip-toe, which was painful. He knew it would become even more painful with time.

"You fucked up, son," the sheriff said. "You really fucked up!"

The boy was no longer quietly sobbing, but crying loudly as the sheriff kissed him again on the mouth, turned out the light, and left the building.

Randy wanted to talk to Arney before the deputy went in to the court house in the morning. He knew the man would be upset to find a naked teen handcuffed in the cell. He was glad to see the lights still on at Velma Sue's. He knew that meant his deputy would be there at his girl friend's house. Randy parked in front of the house and walked up on the porch. He could hear music playing on the phonograph. He wondered if his deputy might be getting a little puss, but he had trouble even imagining that. His knock was answered immediately by Velma Sue.

"Well, good evenin' Sheriff Gaylor" the attractive young woman said sweetly. "You're out and about awful late, aren't you?"

"I sure do hate to bother y'all, but is Arney still over here? He told me he'd be over here tonight and I really need to speak with him for a minute or two" the sheriff explained.

"Why of course, Randy, just come on in" she said. "Arney, Randy's here and he needs to talk to you."

"Hey, Range," the man said. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah" he said. "I'm really sorry to disturb y'all but I need to have a word."

"Do you boys need privacy?" Velma Sue asked. "I'll be glad to go in the kitchen so y'all can talk"

"No, ma'am," the sheriff replied. "Please keep your seat. I just needed to let Arney know we have a prisoner in the jail. His reason for being there is top secret. He's a young feller' and you'll likely recognize him. It's important that things be left just like they are. Don't even go in the cell. You can pass his breakfast and lunch to him but no talkin'. Is that clear?"

"10-4" the deputy answered. "That's police talk for..."

"I know that, Arney," he said. "I just want to make sure you understand. Feed the boy. No touchin' and no talkin' and absolutely no visitors'."

"Got it, sheriff" he said. "Loud and clear."

"I'll try to call you once we get to Raleigh with any further instructions" the sheriff said.

"Raleigh? Why are you going to Raleigh?" the deputy asked.

The sheriff didn't want to get into this with Arney, but he knew the guy would never shut up if he didn't give him some information.

"Yeah, I'm takin' Dopie to Raleigh early in the mornin'" he said. "We ought to be back by the time school lets out and I've ordered Dopie and his friend, Jeffy to report to the jail after school. They're be punished for fightin' and I want both boys there right after school."

"Why are you and Dopie going to Raleigh?" Arney asked.

"Well, it ain't nothin'" Randy said. "Billy Paul's daddy is taking his boy up to Raleigh to see the boy's doctor. We're going up with them."

"Is Dopie seeing the doctor too?" he asked. "What's the matter with Dopie?"

"Ain't nothin' the matter with Dopie but Billy Paul's doctor's gonna take a look at Dopie too since we're there."

"That seems strange to me, Randy," Arney said. "Why would you be having Dopie see a doctor if there ain't no problem.?"

"Does this have anything to do with what Nellie told me?" Velma Sue asked. "She said you came in the pharmacy and said something about Dopie not developing properly."

"That just ain't the truth" the sheriff said angrily. "There ain't a thang wrong with my boy. He's all boy, just like his daddy was. Nothing's wrong with Dopie and I'd appreciate it if big-mouthed gossips like Nellie would just keep their goddamned traps shut and mind their own business!"

"Well, Randy," Velma Sue sniffed, "you certainly don't need to use that kind of language in my house. I find it disrespectful!"

"Well I find a bunch of blabber mouth busybodies talkin' about matters they know nothing about disrespectful and disgusting" the sheriff said. "And especially when it's comin' from some loud-mouthed harlot like the one who's now runnin' the town drug store. She don't know a woman's place and she needs to go home and get on the stove."

"Why, Randy," Velma Sue said, "you know Nellie is one of my dearest friends and for you to call her a harlot is just over the line."

"If she ain't a harlot, how does it happen she knows so much about jock straps and such?" the sheriff asked. "Ladies don't know nothin' bout such things and sure don't go around acting like they're experts on the subject. She has no business knowin' about that kind of stuff, much less discussin' it with her superiors. Now I'd appreciate it if you would not spread this all over this town before dawn, although I'm sure you'll be on the phone with that blabbering whore by the time I'm back in my car!"

Randy turned and left the house, slamming the door behind him. As he got into his car, his deputy came running out.

"I'm sorry about that, Randy," the deputy said. "Sometimes she just flies off the handle. It's just the way women are. Don't worry about this. I'll make sure she don't discuss nothin' with nobody, especially Nellie. I told you when that lady druggist first moved here that she didn't know her place. I knew she was trouble but you can count on me to nip this in the bud."

Just do your job, deputy, and keep a lid on them gossipin' bitches" he said. "One more thing, Mr. Lee, the plumber will be in early in the morning. I've told him I want a shower installed in the back room of the courthouse and I want it done fast."

"But, Randy, that's gonna cost a lot of money" Arney said. "Who's gonna' pay for that?"

"The mayor of the town is" the sheriff said. "He just don't know it yet."

"But if he don't know it, how can you be sure he's gonna pay?" the deputy asked.

Randy said nothing but just drove away, leaving his deputy in a cloud of dust.