; ; This did nothing to improve the mood of the Pumpkin sitting there.
; ; "It's just not right, I tell you," the Pumpkin brooded over his bloody mary. ; "Just ... not ... right ...."
; ; Hysterical guffaws were wafting in from the open window behind the bar.
; ; "What *IS* that?" the blonde asked about the odd noises.
; ; "It's a horse," the bartender told her.
; ; "Oh."
; ; After a moment, the boy scout spoke up and asked, "But horses don't normally ; ... laugh hysterically like that. Do they, sir?"
; ; "I didn't THINK so!" the blonde pointed knowingly at the boy, nodding her ; pretty head, then looked at the bartender for explanation.
; ; "Normally, no," the bartender told them.
; ; "Oh," the two of them nodded their heads.
; ; The peals continued to waft in through the open window.
; ; "It's just an unholy sound," the priest shook his head sadly.
; ; "Exactly!" the Pumpkin snapped his fingers and pointed at the priest. "My ; point exactly! Horses aren't SUPPOSED to laugh hysterically! Everyone knows ; that! So when an Indian bets you he can make the horse outside laugh ; uncontrollable, you take him up on it. Because they ... just ... don't ... do ; that kind of thing!"
; ; He settled back in sullenly with his drink, and they all lapsed into silence.
; ; "Pumpkins don't normally ... talk. Do they?" the boy scout asked after a ; few moments.
; ; "I didn't THINK so!" the blonde pointed knowingly at the boy, nodding her ; pretty head, then looked at the Pumpkin for explanation.
; ; A spat of flames licked out of the pumpkin's eyeholes as he nursed his drink ; without replying.
; ; "Oh," the two of them nodded their heads meekly.
; ; "He's not in a real good mood right now, in case you hadn't noticed," the ; bartender explained.
; ; "It's just unholy, it is," the priest nodded sagely.
; ; "See, that's the sort of religious dogma that interferes with the advancement ; of knowledge," the blonde expressed her concerns about the priest's attitude. ; "It's only by freak chance that primates evolved the power of emotional ; expression via vocal responses. It could just as easily have been equines ; -- arguably more so, in fact, as they are herd animals, and efficient ; communication of sentiments is a positive survival trail for them. But ; theology, from its rigid, short-sighted homocentric viewpoint, declares all ; equally valid alternative worlds to ours as unholy and inconceivable." Pretty ; nod: so there.
; ; "No, I was talking about the Pumpkin," the priest clarified. "A talking ; pumpkin is just an unholy thing. 'Course you're right: a laughing horse is no ; better. I mean, if God had meant horses to laugh, He would have made them ; ticklish."
; ; The horse was gasping for air between peals of giggles outside the window.
; ; "And how would you do it? How would you even make a horse laugh like that?!"
; ; The horse continued to laugh like that.
; ; "Perhaps ... we should ask the Indian that made the bet," the boy scout ; offered.
; ; "I thought the SAME THING!" the blonde pointed knowingly at the boy, nodding ; her pretty head, then looked at the bartender for directions to said Indian.
; ; "He's gone to walk his skin or something. Said he'd be back in an hour."
; ; "Oh." Sad face. "WhatEVER will we do to pass the time?"
; ; "I can recite by heart the Constitution of the United States and all of its ; Amendments," the boy scout brightly offered.
; ; "No," the Pumpkin declared.
; ; "Let me share with you the path of the soul and all of its trials and ; tribulations and its sufferings for its failures!" the priest eagerly offered.
; ; "No!" the Pumpkin declared.
; ; "How ... EVER ... will we pass the time ...," the blonde bemoaned.
; ; "Oh, okay," the Pumpkin sighed .... ; ; End of ; Part 0 ; [0 ; 1 ; 2 ; 3] ; ;
;