Blueberry and Jimmy (Part 1) - The good and the bad
Story and art by Carpdime
- Following on from the series “Ruby’s new life”.
"The test results have come back and there is nothing unusual to report. Your fluffy, Blueberry seems to be in relatively good health.” Dr. Samantha Johnson said as she handed the report to the blue eyed young man sitting across from her in the examination room, “But that is not to say he is in peak condition. You should be bringing Blueberry in for regular, half-yearly check ups.” The doctor added quickly.
The young man scanned through the pages filled with meaningless medical jargon, “So what caused this severe case of diarrhea?”
Dr. Johnson leaned forward in her chair, “Listen Jimmy, I’ll be honest with you and say that I don’t know. It could have been some bad food he had, maybe he was in contact with a sick animal, I don’t know.”
“He doesn’t, he wouldn’t.” Jimmy cut in, “I’m very careful with who he interacts with.”
The doctor reclined back into her chair, “For the time being, we should just monitor him. Given his relatively good shape, I doubt this thing he had will rear its head again. However, do come by the clinic if anything happens to Blueberry again”, Dr. Johnson motioned her eyes subtly to dismiss the young man. Jimmy saw the cue and thanked the doctor for her opinion.
Anxiously waiting for Jimmy’s return was his blue colored fluffy. Sitting motionless in the holding pen next to the reception desk, Blueberry’s eyes constantly darted back and forth, chasing any signs of movement.
“Was there anything else you needed from us?” nurse Lucy asked Jimmy as he neared the clinic’s reception desk.
“No, nothing else. I guess it was just a one off thing Blueberry had… ” Jimmy looked around distractedly at the other owners in the reception.
“Very well, just sign here to approve the payment for the test and consultation fees. After that you are on your way!” nurse Lucy beamed.
Jimmy signed the paper haphazardly and picked up Blueberry from the holding pen.
“C’mon boy, let’s get out of here. I’m hungry.”
The blue fluffy held on for dear life, burying his head tight against Jimmy’s t-shirt.
He was in an unfamiliar part of town and this made him long for something he could relate to. The shop fronts around the fluffy clinic looked unfriendly and ugly with their rusty, gated fronts. He hated being here.
Jimmy longed for a homely pizza, like the one from that joint two blocks away from his apartment. Unable to contain his hunger, Jimmy settled for the greasy old pizza parlor that was three doors down from the clinic.
“You can’t eat here with your fluffy. Hygiene rules man.” the pizza chef barked.
“He’s trained.” Jimmy said as he continued to sit down, opening his pizza box.
“I don’t care. Either the fluffy stays outside or you go too.”
At this point, most of the customers at the shop were looking down at the floor, avoiding eye contact with Jimmy. He looked at the blue fluffy who was sitting quietly on his lap.
“Blueberry, daddy’s just gonna put you outside for a second. I’ll put you in a spot where I can see you all the time. OK boy?”
Blueberry’s eyes widened, “Nu daddeh! Dun weave Bwuebewwy awone! Feew su scawed!” the fluffy begged.
“Damn it Blueberry, it’s only gonna take a minute.”
“Daddeh says weave fow one second, now daddeh says weave fow a minute?!?!”
Jimmy knew it was a futile exercise. He looked helplessly towards the pizza chef.
“Sorry friend. Hygiene rules man…” the chef said unrelentingly.
Jimmy kicked the leg of the table in anger. Blueberry jolted from the shock and pressed his face against Jimmy’s chest, clawing desperately at his t-shirt.
“Yeah OK. Whatever.” He grabbed the pizza box and Blueberry before marching out the door.
His steps were heavy and uneven. Jimmy’s head was boiling. He crouched down and let go of Blueberry, allowing the fluffy to land with his rear legs onto the ground. Jimmy didn’t look back as he continued down the sidewalk towards the car park.
“Daddeh…wait fow Bwuebewwy…” Blueberry whimpered as he cantered after his owner, “Am Bwuebewwy in twouble??”
Jimmy didn’t reply. He picked up his pace.
Blueberry went into a gallop to keep pace, “Daddeh…” he kept repeating and repeating.
“Damn it Blueberry, you aren’t in trouble. But you are a goddamn big boy now. You can walk yourself.”
“Nuuu daddeh, Bwuebewwy nu can wun as fast as daddeh…” he puffed.
Jimmy slowed and allowed his fluffy to catch up. The scowl that was on Jimmy’s face struck fear within Blueberry. The fluffy’s legs felt weak and tears started falling from his eyes.
“Not again!” Jimmy turned to leave but at the last second he bent down and scooped up his blue fluffy.
He crossed the street on a red light and entered the clinic lot where his pickup truck was still parked. When he got to his truck, Jimmy put his pizza and fluffy in the truck bed before going to the truck’s cabin. From the cabin, he took out his stash of emergency lager that he hid under the passenger’s seat.
“C’mon boy, it’s not so bad is it?” Jimmy said as he returned to the truck bed where Blueberry was waiting nervously.
Jimmy slung the pack of six beer cans over the sides of the truck bed and it crashed loudly next to a frightened Blueberry.
“Don’t cry. It’s OK.” Jimmy jumped into the truck bed next to Blueberry and ran his hands through the fluffy’s mint green mane, “Daddy’s really sorry Blueberry, daddy wasn’t mad at you I promise.” He gave his fluffy a heartfelt hug which did little to soothe Blueberry. In spite of this, Blueberry hugged back on instinct, he just knew he should always hug his daddy back and not let go.
The fifth can of beer went down without a fight. By now his displeasure with the warmth of the beer had long faded with the increasing feeling of lightness that he loved so much. The only thing anchoring him to the truck bed was the possessive grasp of his beloved fluffy.
The swirling sound of blood in his ears mixed with the sound of shoes grinding against bitumen. Jimmy could feel someone approaching from outside his vision. It felt close, but he couldn’t be sure, it could have just been the sun.
“Hi.”
Jimmy swung his head wildly at the direction of the voice. A young woman with shoulder length brown hair wearing a yellow top was leaning over the edge of the truck bed. He quickly sat up upon realizing that he was in fact almost slumped over the floor of the truck bed.
“Hi.” He replied.
“Are you all right there?” she asked, likely addressing Blueberry more than Jimmy.
“Ah yes of course. Just having a bit of a late lunch you know.” He pointed to the almost empty pizza box, “Would you like a slice?”
“No thanks.”
Jimmy searched for words, “How about a beer?” he grabbed the last can of beer and offered it to the young woman. She didn’t flinch.
The young woman ignored Jimmy and turned towards the fluffy who was cowering behind Jimmy, “Hi Blueberry. Are you okay there?” she asked.
The scared fluffy didn’t answer.
Even in his stupor, Jimmy found it strange that she knew Blueberry’s name, “How do you know Blueberry’s name?” he asked the most obvious question that was queued up in his muddled mind.
“I’m a volunteer at the clinic. I sometimes help out with taking care of the fluffy patients.”
“Oh right. The clinic. That makes sense.” Jimmy grabbed Blueberry by his mane and slowly turned his fluffy’s head towards the young woman, “Go on Blueberry, you can talk to the lady, she is legit.”
Blueberry was visibly uncomfortable but he obeyed his master, “He…he…hewwo Becky…Bwuebewwy am otay.” the fluffy blurted out the last few words and hid his face behind Jimmy again.
“Good boy!” Jimmy said, “Right. So…Becky! It’s been real nice talking to you. But we are about done here and we don’t want to get in your way.” Jimmy rummaged through all of his pant pockets before locating the keys to his truck.
Becky looked worryingly at Blueberry.
“You know what? Let me have that beer.” Becky reached out with her hand, “I’m off work anyway and was just on my way home. I’ve got a bit of time to chill.”
Jimmy looked confusingly at Becky, “But the beer is warm and I hate it.”
Becky walked over to the open truck bed and sat down next to Jimmy. She took the sixth and final can of beer and opened it.
“Well you can have that one, it’s probably skunked anyway.” Jimmy slurred.
Becky smiled. She put the can on the ground without Jimmy noticing and kicked it away.
“So what’s your name?” She asked Jimmy.
“Blueberry.” Jimmy replied.
“YOUR name, not your fluffy’s.” Becky said, trying very hard to maintain her politeness.
“Oh right. My name is Jimmy Lewis. My little man here is called Blueberry.” He pointed to the fluffy who was slowly withdrawing out of his shell.
“Hi Blueberry!” Becky greeted the fluffy for the second time. This time, Blueberry managed a shy look at Becky.
Becky turned back to Jimmy who was now eating the very last slice of pizza, “So Jimmy. This is quite a nice truck you got here.”
Jimmy’s eyes lit up at the mention of his truck, “Oh boy, the engine on this thing. You can’t tell from the outside, but my baby here has the V8.”
“Really?”
“Yes really.” Jimmy said seriously. He reached his hand over the side of the truck and pointed roughly at the V8 badge that was on the truck’s flanks, “But oh, excuse my manners. I must be boring a lady such as yourself.”
“No, not at all. Take all the time you want to tell me everything about this kick ass truck!” Becky gave the sweetest smile she could forcibly muster.
“Well, if you insist I guess…”
Jimmy began a long re-telling of the history of his truck. He had taken Blueberry on an epic road trip in their old rust bucket to buy this dream truck. Between reckless antics and incidents bordering on negligence, Becky could feel the love between man and fluffy. She listened as intently as possible, asking probing questions that drew out the conversation with a series of meandering segues.
During the hour or so that they conversed, Blueberry slowly edged closer to Becky. A short while later, Jimmy fell asleep on the bed of the truck, snoring loudly. Blueberry nestled himself next to Becky who placed a comforting arm across his body. At all times, Blueberry always kept one hoof in contact with his sleeping master, he knew that Jimmy would have liked it if he was awake.
Continued in Part 2