Velvet Elvis
“It’s close, but not quite the same.”“It’ll have to do.”
“I’m pretty sure the color is off.”
“It’ll have to do.”
“Wasn’t it hanging lower?”
“It’ll have to do.”
“You shouldn’t have taken it down in the first place.”
“I SAID IT WILL HAVE TO DO! Jimmy will be home soon and he can’t see it missing.”
“All right, all right, no need to get snippy. Where did you find it anyway? The likeness is remarkable.”
“Down by the overpass. They’re all over the place there. Now hold it steady, I have to make sure it’s secure.”
A car door slammed outside and they could hear Jimmy laughing and calling to his friends.
“Crap. It’ll have to do.”
“I don’t think it will work. It’s been in the same place for years. He’ll notice the difference.”
“It’ll have to do.”
The door swung open and in ran little Jimmy.
“Hi Mom, hi Dad, hi Grandpa, I had a great day at school today.”
The boy got up on his tiptoes and kissed them each in turn and then ran off to play, never aware that the swinging corpse wasn’t actually his grandfather.
