Mack's clownsuit was gettin itchy. "Must be laundry day again", he thought. Damn. He'd been saving his quarters since the last laundry day almost a year ago, but he was one quarter short. "This is embarassin'. I guess I'm agonna have to give rides."

Mack heaved the saddle over his shoulder and picked his way through the chairs and tables of the 4 Ace High Hole soda shop, stopping every few seconds to dislodge one of his size 42 clown shoes from between a couple of chair legs, and to apologize to the customers when his saddle or one of the stirrups hit a customer in the head or poked them in the eye.

Mack was gettin' tard but he wadn't about to give up, and it's a good thing because he was almost to the door. The Mayor was a couple of feet away, flirting with Sassy, and he was standing on Mack's left shoe. Pulling hard on his left leg, and trying not to grunt too loud, Mack got his shoe out from under the Mayor, toppling the Mayor sideways in the process. "I gotta make tracks now", he thought. "That Mayor don't cotton to no clowns anyhow." Fortunately one of the beer delivery men had left the door propped open or Mack would have wasted another fifteen precious minutes that he needed for earning his laundry money.

"I reckon the Piggley Wiggley this time", thought Mack. It was only a block away, and Mack figgered he could make it before nightfall, if he didn't get no surprises. And if the Mayor didn't catch up to him or send any cops after him.

The Mayor had other things on his mind, and about a half hour before nightfall, Mack was slinging his shiny new saddle down off his shoulder and clearing the pop cans and old newspapers off a section of sidewalk a few feet from the door of the Piggley Wiggley. He got down on his hands and knees and crawled under the arch of the saddle, lifting the saddle up on his back as he went. Fastening the straps was a bit tricky, but he got it done and after placing his little cup about a foot away for collecting quarters, he was ready for his first customer.