Thunder Bay

Ch_005_000: Thunder Bay, Ontario

I catch my breath and hold my sides. The running has been intense over the past weeks. I stand next to a large statue. Thunder Bay’s big thing is a statue of a dog named Terry Fox. The two dog tourists look at Terry and ask, ||Who is this dog?|| to each other. Someone nearby says he liked to run and lost a leg. I feel like that might be a good deal at this point. Would Mastereye pay for a cab if I lost a leg?

-96EB

Mastereye answers my thoughts directly, “No, I would not pay for a cab. You and everyone in there will pay if you do not stay on schedule, however. Please find the magistrate. He should be at his office in city hall.”

+14EB

I notice that my audience is endlessly filled with eyes, but I do see a nearby shipping container. There are a handful of eyes around it, but I see the performer inside. It’s another human. He has long flowing yellow and white hair. He’s looking at me intently and his audience seems to be happy just looking at his hair?

Nevertheless, I need to get going as Mastereye is clear as to what is necessary.

-22EB

I walk over and follow signs from the statue to downtown. The slow pace is a bit of a relief, but after all the running, I cannot go faster. The magistrate has a small courtroom for his work and the dog himself is sitting on the bench. I walk inside to his surprise but he is too busy talking to some nearby policedogs.

The magistrate says, ||Someone took my pup. He’s missing and there was a note left.||

One of the policedogs asks, ||Can I see the note, sir? It could help us find your son.||

The august dog hands over a note covered in magazine letters, but since they are not subtitled, I have no idea what it says.

+58EB

I speak up and ask, “What does the note say? I can’t read it.”

-13EB

The magistrate looks up and says, ||What the hell is this human doing in my courtroom? Can one of you kick him out, please?||

+71EB

One of the larger dogs comes near me. I try to avoid him and say, “I am supposed to be here. You want me to be here, I bet. I mean…” He simply ignores my speech and pushes me outside to the curb.

+88EB

“Crap,” I think. “Where the heck would a kidnapper hang out in Thunder Bay?”

-19EB

I look around and I see the sign: “Gateway Casinos.” “This is where a kidnapper would spend their time in Thunder Bay,” Mastereye insists inside my brain. Also, a casino is always interesting and I hope that will keep my audience happy.

-64EB

I look out and see that the other shipping container has a larger crowd around it. I can barely hear, ||What’s that, girl? Timmy is in quicksand!||

-127EB

The casino has a revolving door and I can feel the air conditioning making Canada cooler somehow. I look around and see many very old dogs at the slots. The first dog is playing a slot named “Bountiful Bones!” and is watching reels of various bone shapes. He keeps tapping the “next spin” button without seeing what bones show up.

A large group of dogs is around a poker table. Another dog, an artist, has a canvas on an easel and is working up a painting of the dogs playing the card game. I see some shady characters there, unlike the aged slot players, and head over.

The bulldog at the table says, ||Is this my good side? I want the painting to have my stogie off my lip!|| All the dogs look at me as I walk up.

I ask the table, “May I join the game, fellas?”

-8EB

The dogs stare at me and a very long dachshund finally says, ||Who let a human into the casino?||

The bulldog barks and says, ||Haha! He looks like he’s a better player than you, Willie!||

The long dog replies, ||Do not call me Willie. My name is William; thank you.||

The bulldog snaps back, ||I’ll bet you now, Willie. That human is a better card player than you. Let’s play!||

He continues, ||Sit, boy! Sit! Sit!||

I sit at the table and the bulldog explodes in laughter, ||Hahahaha! If only he could ante!||

+96EB

I take a chip from a nearby stack and drop it into the center of the pot. The dogs go silent and stare at me.

+118EB

The bulldog speaks slowly now and says, ||It anted. Deal it in then.||

William huffs a bit and says, ||Come on, dog. Let’s play seriously. You can draw your own Humans Play Poker at home, Monty. Those pups you kidnapped will love the bit.||

+37EB

Monty, the bulldog, says, ||Shut up, Willie. You want us to get caught. You know the rules! You cannot play if you do not ante and you cannot not play if you do ante. He anted. He plays.||

William sighs and deals five cards to each player. I look at my cards to the general amusement of everyone. I cannot make out any of it. None of the cards make any sense. The dogs keep laughing as my head turns from side to side trying to understand what I am looking at.

I put my cards back down and wait. Monty laughs and says, ||I guess he’s standing pat! Must have a great hand! Hahahaha!||

+52EB

Monty asks for two cards and William takes one. Monty bets four milkbones and a meaty stick. William calls. I stare and Monty laughs, ||I think he wants to go ALL-IN! HAHAHA!||

The bulldog continues, ||Read ’em and weep, boys, three tens!||

William notes, ||Sorry, I have a straight!|| and he starts to pull in the pot.

Monty says, ||Wait! What about our friend here! What does he have?||

William argues, ||I am not having a showdown with a human, Monty. This is dumb.||

The bulldog barks, ||Willie, just shut up and have some fun for a second. Let’s see what he has! LOOK AT THAT! A flush! HAHAHAHAHA! I told you he had you, Willie! HAHAHAHA! You owe him that pot! HAHAHAHA!||

+77EB

Willie stands up and his head hits the chandelier overhead, ||That’s enough! Let’s get back. Those puppies are going to be hungry as it’s been hours since they ate.||

Monty sighs, ||Fine, Willie. Let’s go, but my man, the Poker Human, is coming with us.||

I watch as Monty walks over to me and puts me into his arms.

+104EB

Mastereye invades my mind, “Enjoy your sleep,” and I exhale when “To Be Continued…” appears in the sky.