BBB's prize winning story: WHAT DID HE SAY?

I won a first prize for this story with the Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine contest about 13 years ago. There was a 650 word limit, which was hard to achieve. But I had fun doing it, and was shocked when I won because I had never entered a writing contest before.

WHAT DID HE SAY?
By BumbleBeeBoogie

"Don't you think that its time you got rid of those penguins?” Alice asked for the tenth time.

“Ok! Ok!” Jeb groused, “I’ve had it with your nagging me about those stupid birds,”

Jeb’s money making scheme to raise penguins on his ranch was a financial disaster as the Great Depression grew worse. It had been a good idea when he first heard there was going to be a great demand for penguins. He dipped into their savings and bought 100 to raise on their small ranch. Alice was angry from the very beginning because he hadn’t discussed it with her first. She ended up having to do a lot of the work caring for the birds.

A few months later the penguin market dried up and Jeb had to find a way to get rid of them before he lost any more money. He actually was relieved by Alice’s complaints about his money losing venture. Now he could blame her for having to get rid of the penguins and his friends wouldn’t laugh at his bad business judgment.

Jeb tried, but failed to sell the penguins. Desperate, he herded the penguins into his truck and started driving the 75 miles to the city where he would donate them to the city zoo. Along the way he became thirsty and stopped at a small café to get a cup of coffee and buy gas. As he parked the truck, he noticed a young man standing by his truck.

“Morning, how ya doing?”

“Morning, doing ok.”

“You from around here?”

“Nope, jest passing through, lookin for work.”

“Not much work round here.”

“You got that right.”

“Would ya like to make a few bucks?”

“Sure.”

“My name’s Jeb; what’s yer’s?”

“Sam,” they shook hands. “What’s the job?”

“Well, I was wondering if ya’d be willing to take them penguins to the city zoo if I gave ya five bucks?”

“That’s all I gotta do?”

“Yep.”

“It’s a deal.”

The two men shook hands on their contract. They herded the penguins into Sam’s truck. Jeb handed Sam a fiver and gave him directions to the zoo.

Jeb was happy to have the penguins off his hands as he drove home to give Alice the good news.

The next day, Jeb had to drive to town to buy supplies. On the way he stopped at the same café. He was drinking his coffee when he looked out the window and saw Sam drive up with the 100 penguins still in his truck. Jeb ran out to the parking lot.

Sam waved at Jeb. “I’ve been driving round lookin’ all over fer ya.”

“Why ya been lookin fer me?

“I did just like ya tole me ta do.”

“What in tarnation you doin back here with them. You was supposed to take em to the zoo!”

“I did take em to the zoo and they had a real good time. But I still got some of the $5 you give me so I’m gonna take em to a baseball game today.”

Jeb stared at Sam in disbelief.

“If ya tell me where yer ranch is, I can bring them back tonight after the game.”

Later that night, the sheriff stopped a young man for driving without headlights.

“What happened to yer lights?”

“A crazy old man busted em with his fists.”