* * * * *
So as not to be accused of loitering, I ordered a hot dog and a ginger ale, before I resumed reading.
"I suppose I should've considered myself lucky, Jay, to get such a relatively light sentence for what was basically a morals charge. But, I still felt like I was being railroaded! So, I was very sullen during the bus ride back to city jail, where I was to spend another night before Day 1 of my community service."
"What's worse, even Fate seemed to be rubbing salt into my emotional wounds. Because at eight o'clock, later that evening, the local cable TV station began showing an old sci-fi movie. Heh! Listen to me; 'old' movie."
"It was INVASION OF THE BATON TWIRLERS FROM OUTER SPACE! A completely new release when we were seniors in high school. And, as I'm sure you'll remember, it was the primary reason I chose to major in astrophysics at Lebaron U."
"It was a mixed blessing that I fell asleep before the scene where the beauty pageant winner gets possessed by the evil spirt of that ancient astronaut."
That last sentence gave me a feeling of deja vu, for some reason. But, I shook it off and kept on reading.
"The next morning, I rode over to the city junkyard in the back seat of the same police car in which I'd first been brought to the city jail. Upon arrival, I was escorted to the employees' locker room, where I was given a set of blue cover-alls; a baseball cap without any logo; a pair of work gloves; some safety goggles; a blue filter mask; and a pair of mufflers that looked more like Depression-era switchboard operator headphones!"
"That's how I learned I'd be working at the car compactor for the next thirty days."
"Fortunately, for me, it wasn't going to be a sink-or-swim approach to training me how to operate the controls. One of the regular full-time employees demonstrated the procedure for me. About three or four times. Then, he ordered me to take over, so he could monitor how well I had paid attention."
"And, that's basically how it went for the next eight hours (minus lunch hour)."
"When quitting time came, however, the manager asked me to lag behind in his office. Supposedly, because he had one more car to compact. And, he wanted me to handle it, personally. When I asked him why, he said he'd explain in a little bit. So, I did as requested."
"Five minutes later, an Illinois State Police car came into the yard. Driving right behind it...was the car I'd rented back in Chicago!"
" 'What the frig...?' I had started to demand. Only for the manager's pet Rottweiler to start growling at me! So, I bit my lip as I watched one trooper emerge from the driver's seat of my rental car. While his partner emerged from their regular vehicle to let someone out from the 'shotgun seat.' And, imagine my shock at recognizing the passenger."
"It was Amelie Sargent! Fully decked out in a sleeveless blue-and-silver leotard, with up-do and tan moccasins."
" 'Hello, again, Professor Gambol,' she said to me, just as calmly as you please: 'I'm sorry for that little scene I caused at Joe's Diner, the other day. But, I recognized you right away. From all your Discovery Channel documentaries! And, I needed time to consult with the Supervisors before speaking with you, openly. To see whether or not they deemed you a potential threat to their plans. Which, most regrettably (for you), they have.' "
" 'W-W-What are you talking about?' I stammered (in quite genuine confusion)."
"She gestured to my rental car, in response. And, that's when I finally noticed that it was now positioned directly beneath the electromagnetic crane. A moment later, someone activated the crane...and placed it smack-dab in the compactor."
"Where, last night, I'd been worried about having to declare bankruptcy (after paying three weeks worth of late fees to the car rental agency at O'Hare), now that worry was being eliminated for me. In a way I could never, ever have foreseen!"
" 'You won't need that car anymore, Professor,' Amelie now resumed explaining: 'Because you'll be staying on the premises overnight, every night, for the other twenty-nine days of your community service! Allow me to demonstrate what I mean.' "
"Whereupon, she pointed the upper end of her baton at me. And, the next thing I knew?"
"I had been shrunken down to four inches tall and incarcerated in a bird cage!!!!"
tbc
Giantess World
