My diner reservation was at the beach resort nearing the far South end of this island. I took the Donkey carriage from my Hotel and met Marcia in front the Germantown Schnitzelbank, a steak joint of some reknown.
Entering through the front door I saw Marcia seated in a corner booth. Our greetings were warm but as the night wore on it was to get very cold indeed.
Once seated she asked what I'd learned about my missing person. I knew that she already had pictures showing what mericles this place could do so telling of my close call was really nothing that new. In fact I was baiting her for what she'd learned of her now missing Donkey.
She had asked about of where or who one might contact about a Donkey. In every time the answer was Jeb Flycatcher in the Laredo, Old West exhbit.
A short coach ride brought her to the acrid smelling building with it's name of Laredo Stable. She entered with caution and worked her way around till the sound of heated works coming from a small office.
One crotchity old man in a plaid shirt and jeans was seated behind a old and weathered desk. A coach driver in red coat and white nickkers paced the floor grumbling. It was his thinking that one of his Donkeys was still a little to human. He told of the animal trying to make contact with passersby and on occasion making the coach run over the curbs.
After some time the stable's manager left to see the animal in question, this allowed Marcia to enter the office. I was a little surprised at how gutsey she could be, but she was a woman!
A quick search of the simple office soon produced a list. The list which Marcia ran a copy off on the man's copy machine, was showing the name, dated changed, assigned livery, and duration of time to be in service.
Thirty one pages, thirty four lines to a page, the list had almost a 1054 listings of people nolonger people. She had circled the name of Jimmy Winton, the date, his breed and assigned work place, the duration for him was twenty years to life.
Now that paper alone had for me my case won as the pony was Danny. I could return quickly back to his Mother and show her proof in writing of what happened to him. Then the photo of the pony in his pen backstage and maybe one of him working would be enough. Since my close call with the guy getting goated that afternoon I'd had my fill of this place.
Marcia noted her quest's name, the date change, and his livery being one of the thousands of male donkeys working on or around the Park or its farms. The older brother was now working out of Jeb Flycatcher's Laredo Livery stable, as his duration only showed two years, this was odd.
We both agreed that for some strange reason her case was being somehow manipulated. The Park would not go to the trouble to change someone away from being human unless there was a motive. Marcia's young man was indeed worth checking out as he was posted for other things in a short length of time.
Marcia then explained that the Donkey which Jeb and the coach driver were talking about was none but the young man she was searching to find.
Suddenly form out in the main street came a Police whistle and the sound of people screaming. We haldf sat up to peer out a near window as an English Handsom Cab pulled by a tall black horse was zig zagging wildly down the street.
A waiter came over too and under his breath sort of way grumbled about someone still not used to their vocation. Now one might think he was talking of the driver accept he was with the Police and running to catch up.
We returned to our table and Marcia was quickly pawing the long list till she looked up and smiled.
Just last week a man named Squire something was changed to be a Hackney horse and livery was as a Handsom Cab horse in Germantown. We both looked at the list as I muttered something like, "I wish the guy well!"
Marcia got suddenly angry and shoved the paper list into my chest. She was a little too loud as the waiter and his head waiter both took obvious notice of what she said. As I remember she was pissed off to think i could so casually kiss off some poor guy to be a horse for the rest of his life. Worse yet that I didn't give a rat shit about the guy's family, wife, and maybe kids. Standing up she was ready to leave when there standing at our table was of all things as his badge stated, "Stable Times Security!"