Green & Gold

This is the first fiction piece I've actually completed in several years. I'm entering it in an online writing contest. I'd recommend not going to the contest page until after you've finished the story as it would probably give too much away. The story comes in at just under one thousand words.

Green & Gold

In the spring of 1953 Wallace Green was young and strong. According to his grandmother he was also “Sharp as a whip”. It was this fortuitous combination that had allowed him to find the pot of gold and given him the ability to carry it once the finding had taken place. A bit of research beforehand had shown him that gold weighed more than eighteen times what an equivalent volume of water did. You didn't have to be sharp as a whip to realize that even a small pot of gold was going to weigh a lot.

He was in the process of carrying away his new found wealth when the Leprechaun appeared. The fellow was just a bit under two foot tall and dressed in a smart green suit and matching hat. “Where do you think you’re going with my gold?” were the first words to emerge from the diminutive fellow’s mouth.

Wallace paused for a moment to give this turn of events some thought. “Well, first I was planning on heading back to my truck with it.”

The Leprechaun assumed a pose of contemplation with his right hand resting on his chin. “I see.” was all he said and stared at Wallace.

Wallace waited politely for a full minute. He’d have waited longer but the pot was very heavy.  “Well, good to meet you. I’ll be going now.”

The Leprechaun spoke again.“Oh very well, I see that you’re made of stronger stuff than I’d hoped. You’re not going to give me back my gold, are you?”

“I’m afraid not sir.” Wallace replied.

“Would you like to wager for it?” the Leprechaun countered hopefully.

“No sir, I don’t gamble. My Grandmother doesn’t approve.” He resumed his progress.

The trip back was not long but it was difficult. When Wallace arrived he was dirty, sweaty and tired. The Leprechaun was perched on the hood of his beat up black 1933 Chevrolet pickup truck.

Wallace placed the pot of gold on the floor boards in front of the passenger side half of the bucket seat and closed the door. He contemplated the possibility that the Leprechaun might be able to take the pot back now that he was no longer holding it but decided that if that was the case it could happen at any time and he’d just as soon have it happen now rather than later.

He could have walked around the back of the truck and avoided the Leprechaun but that didn’t seem right so he walked to the front and tipped his hat in passing. The little fellow looked resigned and sad. Wallace was not a cruel man by nature and at this point he started to feel a bit guilty. He stopped just as he got to the driver side door and returned to the front of his truck. “Wallace Green” he said and held out his hand. The Leprechaun looked non plussed for a moment before holding out his own hand. “Collin Murphy”. The hand shake was a little awkward given their difference in size but they managed.

"Do you know much about my kind?” Collin asked.

“A little; I didn’t find that pot of gold by accident. Most people wouldn’t even credit that such a thing is possible.”

“Indeed. And how did you find my pot of gold? I’ll wager it didn’t involve walking backwards towards the end of a rainbow.”

“No sir, it hasn’t rained in these parts for more than a month.”

“Then what’s your secret? Is this something you came up with yourself?”

“Yes sir.” Wallace answered.

“Well, as I’ve made you a rich man I’m going to make a request. Would you do me the favor of not telling anyone else?”

Wallace gave this proposal some thought. “That seems fair.”

“Do you swear upon your honor?” Collin asked.

Wallace nodded in the affirmative. “Yes sir.”

The Leprechaun could hear truth in these words and his mood lightened somewhat. Another thought occurred to him. “I know you don’t gamble but would you consider a trade? A Leprechaun is nothing without a pot of gold and I need to get started replacing mine.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Well, as you may know my people are Cordwainer’s by trade. That is to say we make shoes of the finest quality. I’d like to sell you a pair.”

Wallace shrugged. “I could use a new pair of shoes”.

Collin grinned sheepishly. “I’m afraid the pair I have in mind would be far too small for you.  They were made for a customer more my size. They would likely fit a human infant or toddler.”

Wallace was about to say no thank you when he noticed that Collin had doffed his hat and was looking at him beseechingly. “Fine then, how much do you want?”

Collin grinned and put his hat back on his head. “How about twenty gold coins?”

Wallace did a quick estimate on how many coins were in the pot and guessed this was only a small fraction. Even so, his Grandmother had told him to never accept the first offer when bartering was afoot. “Five.” He responded.

Collin was a tenacious and stubborn negotiator and eventually they settled on twelve.  Wallace retrieved the coins from the pot and out of nowhere Collin presented him with a beautifully made set of tiny hard  brown leather shoes.

“Well, I can’t say it was a pleasure doing business with you Wallace Green but at least I have some gold to get me started. I’ll now bid you good bye.” And so saying Collin stood, bowed briefly and vanished.

After securing his new wealth Wallace made a trip down to the local paper and took out an ad.

“For sale, baby shoes. Never used” it read.

He had no use for them and as his Grandmother was fond of saying, “Waste not, want Not.”