19490616 06:21:18

BM-S-5683

19490616 06:21:18

Albert Courin walked to the front of the garage in an unhurried pace and opened it without urgency. He had a full list of things to do today - such as people to meet for bill collection, which required travel to several distant points of the city, and this knowing that a day full of meandering travel awaited him was chief amongst his current irritants. It wasn't until after he opened the door and looked down his driveway that he noticed a garbage truck parked and idling specifically at the end of it. He was boxed in. He figured that all he would have to do is get in the car and begin to back out, and the garbage men inside would hear him approaching and move up to allow him to pass through. But when he did start the car and begin backing out, the garbage truck stayed. He parked the car and let it sit idle in the driveway for a moment. The garbage truck stayed. Albert put the car in park and got out to approach the truck. It wasn't until he was nearby that he heard a steady stream of coughing coming from the truck's cab. Eventually, he saw that the driver was doubled over and coughing with alarming force, while the passenger was turned to face him.
"Is everything OK?" Albert asked with genuine concern.
"Nah, Mac, something's up. Alla sudden, Teddy here just started hackin a lung, seems like he's gonna run out of breath any second here."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No," said Teddy in response, "no, I'll be OK." He needed several heaving breaths to utter each word.
"OK, well, see, I gotta get going to work so, if you can just move up a bit."
"Right, Mac, right. Just give it a minute and we can go."
"Well, could you drive, Sir?"
"See, I can't move him though. He's all sensitive right now." The passenger touched Teddy on the shoulder and he screeched in animated pain. "See?"
Albert narrowed his eyes at the scene. Was this a joke of some kind? There are two men in the truck and it is anchored until he overcomes some unexplained sudden pain? "OK, well, I do have to get going."
"Right, Mac."
Albert returned to sit in his car and turned the radio on to wait for clearance. He tuned one station to the next, finding a commercial break each time, and spending less time on each station in growing irritation. He went out of park and inched the car backwards. The truck moved, but only for an instant before it parked again. There were manicured flower beds lining each side of the driveway, a decoration which he felt he paid too much for but his wife appreciated, and he didn't want to have to drive over them just to get out of his own driveway. But the garbage truck remained in his way. A seemingly interminable few minutes passed, and the truck moved forward again, only to come to a halt again. Albert threw his door open with a furious thrust of his arm and rose out with full intent to start screaming, but was immediately responded to by the passenger again.
"Just a bit more, Mac! He's tryin!"
Albert had enough of waiting. He was sure this was some kind of joke, but he had no idea what the point of it was, and didn't want to wait to find out. He pulled up to the front of the garage door at an angle and reversed his way through the flower bed and bounced the car over the curb to reach the street. He sped off from his house with determined force.
 Chene then pulled out from Albert's neighbor's driveway and began to follow him.