The World According to Vince - Jane Harvey-Berrick Page 0,44
of shit that was always getting me into trouble with people—people like Gracie.
“Jabari, buddy,” I said, my voice a little more high-pitched than usual as my balls shrank to the size of grape seeds. “What are you doing here? Did you follow me from the theater? Been a long night, eh?”
He padded towards me and I wondered if it was too late to hide behind a table. But instead, he butted me in the stomach with his heavy head like a big ole cat asking to be stroked.
Once I could breathe again, I ran my hands through the wiry tufts of his mane and stroked the softer fur of his ears, feeling relieved as his eyes closed in pleasure.
“You had me a bit worried there for a moment, Jabari,” I said. “I’ll have to change me underwear.”
The restaurant door opened and Rick appeared holding a chair in front of him with one hand and a large, heavy candlestick in the other.
“Vin! You still alive?” he whispered. “The police are on their way and someone from the zoo with a tranquilizer gun.”
“Ah, mate! That’s just overkill. Jabari’s an old fella—he doesn’t want to get shot!”
“Yeah, and I don’t want to get mauled to death,” Rick muttered.
“He won’t hurt you,” I scoffed. “They wouldn’t have brought him to the theater if they were worried he was dangerous.”
“Then why are they sending someone from the zoo to shoot him?”
“Look, I’ll talk to him.”
“What? Who?”
“Jabari! You know, like Dr. Doolittle. Animals listen to me.”
“Vin, get back in the restaurant now!”
“Seriously, it’s cool. I think he came here to find me. It’s like I’m the chosen one or something.”
And then I had a brilliant idea. If I got in the Pedicab, I could lead Jabari back to the zoo and there’d be no need to tranquilize him!
Persuading Rick wasn’t easy, and he refused to go anywhere unless he could take the chair and candlestick with him.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to take souvenirs from this restaurant, Rick. Did you pay the check, because I forgot?”
“Shut up and pedal,” he snarled, side-eyeing Jabari who was padding along beside us.
It was different pedaling through Central Park at night without any people around and I was rather enjoying myself, but Rick didn’t seem to be feeling very chatty. He was probably tired: great coming out of the gate, but not too much for stamina. I think I heard that in a film once.
But when we arrived at the zoo, there was another problem: it was locked.
Jabari sat down and yawned.
Still looking wary, and still holding his chair and candlestick, Rick climbed out of the back of the Pedicab and stared at the locked entrance.
“I can’t find a doorbell,” I said.
Rick threw me a look that was supposed to mean something. I shrugged.
“How do we get in?”
“We wait for the police and the man with the tranquilizer gun,” said Rick, one eye still on Jabari who seemed to have fallen asleep.
“Ah, come on! We can’t let him get shot! He’s snoring!”
Rick sighed. “Okay, can you climb the gate and find some way of opening it from the inside?”
I eyed the wall. “Maybe. If you stand on the chair and I get on your shoulders, I should be able to reach the top of the wall.”
Glancing again at Jabari who was now drooling in his sleep, Rick stood on the chair. It wobbled slightly as I climbed onto Rick’s back then slowly fumbled my way up until I was swaying on his shoulders like amateur hour at Cirque Du Soleil.
“Stand still!” I grumbled.
“I am standing still!” he hissed. “You’re bloody heavy so hurry up!”
Taking a deep breath, I launched myself at the wall and managed to get one leg over it, wincing when I found some sharp bits sticking into me knob. Then with an embarrassingly girly yelp, I tumbled over the other side, landing on my hands and knees.
“Did you fall on your face?” Rick’s muffled voice came from the other side. “Because Cady will have to hide you at the back of the wedding photos.”
“My face would win awards,” I grinned, coming around to peer at him through the gates.
Rick looked relieved that his best man was still alive. “Can you find a way to open the doors?” he asked.
“I dunno. Is Jabari still sleeping?”
Rick’s face seemed paler in the lamplight as he realized that he was on the same side as Simba, and Dr. Doolittle, moi, was on the other side of the gate.