It was a bad day, Jon had lost his stolen jar of wealth maker in the alley. He'd had a chance to touch the true wealth of Grace and lost her due to the junkmen. Now he felt sick to his stomac and discouraged too.
Miles from home and not enough money on him for a cab or even the bus, he must walk the distance. Alley after alley he walked thinking all the while about what he could do to get rich.
"Hey Jon!" called a friendly voice. Turning to look he saw Wes Motug on the porch steps of his apartment.
"Yea Wes, hey I need a place to flop!" said Jon.
Quickly Jon was let inside the townhouse apartment. Jon told of his easy score at the ointment shop and the jar of wealth cream he had taken. His story of the junkmen and how they roughed him up and too the jar was a little less than true.
Wes being a good friend and interested in a cream that brought wealth offered to return with Jon to that alley.
After a pizza and beer they lit out for the alley at Seventh and Fairmont. On the walk Jon tried to explain the cream's action and how it was told to him of it's working. As they neared the alley Jon doubled to his knees in a sharp pain.
Wes stood looking at his friend and offered to call for help. Minutes passed and Jon slowly got to his feet. The boys continued the walk up the long alley as Wes kept an eye on Jon.
Jon stopped and leaned against the brick wall of the alley. Moaning of more pains he mumbled something which made Wes step away. Standing the far side of the alley Wes watched his friend's back begin to hump.
Jon's moaning became louder till he began what sounded like a high pitch whine. Wes watched as his friend's back bulged till the seams of his coat began to burst. Heavy breathing turned to huffing like a steam engine as Jon then began to shake one leg and then the other.
The clothes pressing company began to fill the alley once again with clouds of steam. Then just as before the sounds to that old wooden cart of the junkmen was creaking along the alley.
Wes stepped back into an encove along the alley. The sounds to Jon huffing and the coming wagon creaking echoed the alleyway.
Soon the large horse drawn wagon was in front of Wes as the men searched for whatever metals they could find. It was then that the one man exclaimed to the other of a strange find.
The steam cleared as Wes then got a good look at the two black men standing about a dappled gray horse colt. Wes stared as he saw the men, a colt horse and a big Percheron draft horse all standing directly in front of him.
One man looped a rope lead over the head of the colt and tied it to the harness of the big mare pulling the wagon. The colt shook it's head violently but as the wagon moved it walked along side the big horse doing it's work.
Wes ran out to where Jon was standing and only saw torn clothing laying around. Shoe, pants. a bust leather belt but not a sign of Jon.