Party Pooper

Party Pooper

“I’m calling the police.” Jim Mayfield heard over the cacophony of his backyard party.

He sighed and pasted on a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He approached the fence and said:

“Why Karen Laramie! I must have forgotten to send you an invitation. Care to join us?”

She looked down her nose at him with disdain.

“No, I do not! Lower the noise or I ‘ll do it,” she sniffed.

“No need,” Jim said as he turned and shouted over the din.

“Norm, Norm Shillington! Someone here wants to speak to you!”

A tall dark-haired man holding a BBQ spatula sauntered over to the fence.

“Make it quick, I don’t like my burgers charcoal encrusted,” he said as he smiled at Karen.

“Ms. Laramie here is looking for a policeman.”

Norm’s grin widened.

“Sorry to say I’m married ma’am.”

“You’re a police officer? I’m gonna be sick!”

Norm frowned.

“Do we need to call paramedics?”

Norm bellowed over the music.

“We need medics!”

Several men came wearing T-shirts with EMT on them.

“Ms. Laramie is feeling poorly. Maybe you boys can help!”

The men jumped the fence. Karen screamed and backed up. Puzzled, they went back over the fence again.

Nick came up to Jim.

“I have something that will help. I market a line of noise-cancelling headphones called “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” Maybe Ms. Laramie would like a free pair,” he said as he passed over a mauve set.

Karen took them and put them on. The blissful grin that crossed her face said it all. She mouthed a thank you at Nick. Jim and Nick watched her go back into her house.

“You owe me for another pair of those headphones,” Nick said to Jim just before he turned back to his DJ duties.