Key Service

(continued)

By Rik Hunik

With Marna out of the picture, Jarvis attended a party in his friend Wayne's twelfth-floor apartment. Near midnight he decided to leave. Wayne asked, "How are you planning to get home?"

"I'll drive. It's not far."

"Distance isn't the question." While Jarvis was tying his shoes, Wayne grabbed his jacket and dug out Jarvis's key chain.

"Hey, give them back. My apartment key is on there."

Wayne backed away, with Jarvis pursuing him, snatching repeatedly at the keys. Wayne tripped on somebody's foot, and his arms flailed as he fought for balance. The keys sailed out of his hand, across the room and out through the sliding glass door. They landed with a clink on the balcony, then slid over the edge.

"Nice move," somebody said.

Jarvis stood there fuming.

Wayne, fully vertical again, said, "Sorry, man, I didn't mean for that to happen. I'll pay for your cab home and replace your keys first thing tomorrow."

Jarvis calmed down. "It's okay. I'll find them. They had to fall straight down." He put on his jacket and headed for the exit. "Call me a cab. I'll be right back."

"Oh yeah, in about half an hour."

"I'll be back with my keys in less than ten minutes."

Wayne laughed. "If you're back up here in less than ten minutes with your keys I'll give you ten bucks."

"I'll throw in five."

"Me, too."

By the time everyone had their say the pot was nearly forty dollars. Jarvis had nothing to lose. He stood with one hand on the doorknob while somebody with a stopwatch feature on his wristwatch shouted, "Ready, steady, go!"

Followed by cheers and jeers, Jarvis slipped out the door and walked calmly to the elevator. He punched the down button, and the elevator opened. "Hey, thanks," Jarvis said, as he took the keys from the little guy in the blue-gray coveralls.

"Sixteen dollars."

For the first time, Jarvis smiled while paying. The midget frowned, and the door slid closed between them. Jarvis pushed the button, and the door opened right away. The elevator was empty. He shrugged and returned to Wayne's apartment.

"Where's my cab?" Jarvis held his keys high for all to see.

"Already?"

"No way."

"Pay up, everybody." He smugly accepted his money and, when pressed to tell how he had done it, he just slugged a friend's shoulder and said, "Magic." Of course, nobody believed him.

He'd made a profit this time, but the circumstances were exceptional. The next time he lost his keys it would be expensive. For thirty-two dollars, he could get all of his keys duplicated several times.

When he got home, he removed the "Key Service" tag from his key ring and tossed it in the trash.