Chapter 2: Marty's Criminal History

“Hey Marty!” Billy yelled. “Have you ever done anything bad?”

“Well, Billy,” Marty said, looking at the boy with an odd keen eye, “I think a question like that requires an answer in the form of a story!”

“Yaaaaay!” the children joyfully screamed as they gathered in a circle around old Marty.

“This story happened only three weeks ago...” Marty started.

---

“Alright, Marty,” Bad Boy Bart called as he approached. “I cased the joint, and we'll return at nightfall to pick up our loot.”

“Not so loud!” I shushed.

“Sorry,” Bart winced, obviously taking my shushing as a blow to his self-esteem.

“Let's hide out in that old abandoned shack until then,” I suggested, so we strolled inconspicuously to our hideout. Little did we know that there was an angry poodle inside that shack. When we opened the door, the poodle started barking so loudly that we were forced to... uh... do away with it. Unfortunately for us, its barking alerted the police to our location, and they captured us and locked us up.

Luckily, the police found my storytelling abilities to be quite remarkable, and gave me a job doing community service.

---

“Isn't that right?” Marty asked, looking up at the parole officers around him. They gave him a gruff look.

“That was a great story, Marty!” Billy praised. “When I grow up, I want to be just like you!” Before Marty could say anything, a little girl pointed out the window.

“What's that?” she asked. Marty looked to where she was pointing.

“Oh, it seems our little friend Dan is committing suicide!” Marty explained. “See, he's jumping off that bridge over there!”

The officers took one quick look and ran out the door towards the bridge. Marty used this opportunity to jump out the window.

“See ya, kids!” he yelled as he ran down the street.

“Yaaaaaay!” the kids screeched jubilantly.