Cemetery Street

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I scrambled out the door.

I found Shannie in her backyard, sitting facing the tree line. "Hey. What're you doing?" I asked. She didn't answer. I watched her sift dirt. "Earth to Shannie, Earth to Shannie, Come in please."

She noticed me when she sat down the sifting box. "Hi Just James."

"What're you doing?" I repeated.

"Making a present for our new neighbor."

"What's the present?"

"A mud pie."

I laughed. "Who's the new neighbor?"

Shannie shrugged. "Don't know."

"Who's moving out?" I asked.

"No one. The new one is moving in tomorrow morning."

"No one is moving out but someone is moving in?"

"Yep."

"I'm confused."

"There's nothing to be confused about," she added water to the ingredients.

"Is someone moving in with you and Diane?"

"Nope," She quipped.

Scratching my head I asked, "What gives?"

"Count told me there's a funeral in the morning."

"Who's Count?"

"He lives on the cemetery. I'll introduce you. Anywho, don't you think it's proper to leave a gift?"

"So you leave the stiff a mud pie?"

Shannie scowled at me. "Yep"

"You're weird Shannie."

"Remember when you told Diane and me you were afraid to move next to a cemetery. Thinking zombies were going to get you. That's weird!. I'm just giving a grave-warming present."

"You're still weird."

"Whatever."

"Sounds like bribery," I gloated.

"When I'm dead and gone, I hope someone cares enough to think of me." She said.

I shrugged. "Lets go to Wally's."

***

The next morning I waited for Shannie's call. The night before she said: "don't call me, I'll call you." As time passed curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to watch Shannie leave her grave-warming gift. I climbed one of the oak trees edging Fernwood cemetery.

The last of the mourners were leaving as I settled high in the tree. Moments later three men emerged from the brick building on the far side of Fernwood. One of them hopped into a backhoe, the other two walked to the open grave. The leader was a great bear of a man with a wide and kind face. His black hair was cropped short. Their olive green work clothes reminded me of army uniforms. The bear's helper was a teenager, probably about fifteen or sixteen with features like the bear. The backhoe motored past them.