05-26-2022, 07:21 PM
A shite defense was right, and shame heated in Edmund's veins and turned to anger. But he had no one to be angry at but himself, so he did as the man in front of him said and ducked his head, staring at his own shoes until the stranger walked away.
Edmund looked back up at the man's retreating back, glaring and rubbing where his hand had been smacked. Now he had to wonder if he should continue his effort on this same street or find a place where people were more unaware... and perhaps get a drink himself.
Before he could, something terrible happened. The man turned back to look at Edmund and a second later, some women in the crowd began screaming. The noise was so loud and shocking, the boy jumped and then hurried towards the group, thinking someone had been hurt.
That was not the case, Edmund soon realized. No, a woman's skirt had come undone, and fallen to the ground, and Edmund had rushed over looking very ridiculous now. Again, he averted his eyes to his own shoes, and saw a a thick purse on the ground near the women when he did. The strap had broken - no, been cut, it looked.
The woman who the purse must have belonged to had yet to notice with her skirt situation. Others in the crowd either had their eyes on the loud group, or were steadfastly averting their eyes. Edmund was too short to see where the constable was over the heads around him, but did not wait another second to check before swooping in.
He grabbed the sliced strap and heaved the purse up. It hit Edmund's chest and thin arms wrapped around it in a poor attempts to obscure it from the rest of the people around him as he tried to make an escape.
Edmund looked back up at the man's retreating back, glaring and rubbing where his hand had been smacked. Now he had to wonder if he should continue his effort on this same street or find a place where people were more unaware... and perhaps get a drink himself.
Before he could, something terrible happened. The man turned back to look at Edmund and a second later, some women in the crowd began screaming. The noise was so loud and shocking, the boy jumped and then hurried towards the group, thinking someone had been hurt.
That was not the case, Edmund soon realized. No, a woman's skirt had come undone, and fallen to the ground, and Edmund had rushed over looking very ridiculous now. Again, he averted his eyes to his own shoes, and saw a a thick purse on the ground near the women when he did. The strap had broken - no, been cut, it looked.
The woman who the purse must have belonged to had yet to notice with her skirt situation. Others in the crowd either had their eyes on the loud group, or were steadfastly averting their eyes. Edmund was too short to see where the constable was over the heads around him, but did not wait another second to check before swooping in.
He grabbed the sliced strap and heaved the purse up. It hit Edmund's chest and thin arms wrapped around it in a poor attempts to obscure it from the rest of the people around him as he tried to make an escape.
