Two weeks is too long.
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Cindy slipped in the quarter, cranked the handle, and caught the jack in mid air. Hospey's Drug Emporium was the only place anywhere that had a jack machine, and Cindy was determined to collect all eighteen colors. When she did, she could play against Mrs. Hospey, who wore diamond tipped jack earings given to her by some Cadillac dealer she'd dated in 1957.
"Had a head filled with dead fish, but he sure did like to spend money on pretty girls. And that was me, as I said."
The Wisconsin All State Jack and Hoola Hoop Competition was only a month away. This year, Cindy was riding with Jeff Lansing, who could juggle Nerf balls while gyrating seven hoops around his shiny black waist. Everybody thought they were dating, but Jeff only talked about Menisha Calhoun. Menisha was on swim team, and had filled out more than the other girls. Cindy knew that Menisha only talked to Jeff because she liked the attention, but with the competition so close it wouldn't help anyone to dash his dreams of a poolside kiss.
"Cindy, how many left?" asked Mrs. Hospey from behind her.
"Just three."
"Uh huh. Well, I've been practicing. Think I might have to take you down a peg. Folks say you've been boasting."
Cindy looked at the dusty floorboards. "No, ma'am. I just think I can beat you, is all."
Mrs. Hospey turned away. "Hm. Well, no harm in thinking. It's what the Good Lord gave you a skull for, to hold all them thoughts."
Stuffing the jack into her pink purse, Cindy ran outside into the sun and dust of Orange River, population thirteen hundred and a half.