# The Adventures of Peter Gray chapter 5: Kick-the-Can

Author: Domus Vocis
Tags: 1899, Cub (clean), Cubs, Human, Humor, New York City, Olives, Raccoon, Wolf, can, irony, play, street, urchin

Chapter
5
Kick-the-Can
 
          "Ready?"
 
          "Yeah!"
 
          "And begin!" 
 
          In me opinion, they should have kick-the-can
be played in stadiums, because nothing compared to it. The fancy universities
had basketball, the nobles and rich gents owned polo, but we street boys had
kick-the-can. And nothing soothed me nerves better than a playful game with
other boys.
 
          I accidentally bumped into Danny, a
fox from down the street, who had the can. "Hey! Watchit, ya dumb wolf!" he
said, but carried a smirk on his muzzle.
 
          I smirked back. Well, almost playful.
 
          While other kits, cubs, and even
James's little sister Annabelle watched from afar, I played with me team
composed of meself and James. The opposing team was made of Bromley the newsie
and another newsie, a black furred raccoon two feet taller than me everyone
called Frankie.
 
          We started over with Bromley starting
with the old can. The Shepherd kicked the can to Frankie who passed by me
attempts to block him. He was quick, and so was Bromley, both of whom were newsies.
Bromley kicked it in between his foot pads and dribbled the dang thing like a
soccer ball, but I managed to keep him away long enough for James to take the
can and kick it in between the trash bins opposite of the street. 
 
          "One to zero!" I laughed, playfully
patting James's back. "Nice kick, James." 
 
          Bromley also commented with a wag of
his tail, "Yeah, nice goal."
 
          James looked to me and laughed.
"Thanks, Peter," he said with a smile. "I got my first goal, thanks to you."
 
          "Aye, it's an achievement as high as
flying, boy," I joked. "Next thing ya know, ya shall be President of these 'ere
States." I laughed with him and went to get the can.
 
          "Jamie! Jamie!" Annabelle laughed her
little girl voice. I couldn't help but give a small smile to her face. But with
that, while she innocently sat on the stairs to her tenement building, I earned
meself a "doggie" comment.
 
          We started over with me with the can.
I had spent years on the streets perfecting me skills with this game, whether
it be with a broken bottle, a can of beans, or an empty one, I knew the twists
and turns to kick-the-can. And with James, Annabelle, and the rest here, now
was me chance to shine.
 
          "Ready, everyone?" I asked with each
side looking to me. "'ere ya go!" 
 
          I kicked it high in the air. And it crashed
through the tenement building's window across from me. James and Frankie looked
at me flatly while Bromley did his best to suppress laughter I meself deserved.

 
          "Relax, everyone, I'll get it..." 
 
          Mumbling, I walked me way to the
tenement house and opened the door. After fifteen minutes or so of finding the
right room, I discovered the right address to the roof. And boy did it smell
like a dumpster.
 
          Oh
bless me tail and the Lord! I covered me nose and coughed loudly. The foul
smells came from rotten food and fruit from the last occupant. And from the
looks of it, they didn't like the landlord. What
is this, Five Points on holiday?!   
 
          Wheezing and dying, me paws blindly
searched the ground for the can. They found old clothes, broken
wood, a shattered bottle, even a dress torn with blood and booze. I felt
something round eventually, but me eyes barely saw the logo on it to be sure it
was right. 
 
          As soon as I pulled outta the
building, I fixed a smile and perked me ears brightly with my victory.
"Alrighty then! Let us play!" I happilt tossed the can on the street in front
of me human friend, but James picked it up curiously and suddenly began
laughing. "What is it?" In response, he showed it to the other fursons and they
laughed too. "What?"
 
          James, still giggling like a loon,
tossed it to me. It read 'Southern Joe's Fresh Olives', and I frowned with
folded ears. I was such a dumb wolf.
 
          James, composing himself with a wry
smile, asked, "Are you sure you don't like olives?" He and the other two
giggled shortly.
 
          I threw it to the ground at me footpaws.
"Shut up and play."

Source: https://sofurry.com/view/810715

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