Just Dumb Enough to Try

When You're Smiling and Astride Me

Louis stood on the marble steps, facing towards the street. The columns of the museum rose up behind him. Other animals passed around him as he impatiently waited. The feeling that had been building since Legosi accepted the date was at its peak. He wished he hadn't said yes. His chest felt like it could collapse from weakness at any moment.

The night after his little adventure was spent in fitful sleep, gripping Legosi's pillow until it no longer smelled like him. The next days did not prove much better. They passed by agonizingly slow, while the nights, he would wake up in cold sweats. His rehearsals started to be affected. He'd show up exhausted and unable to work fully.

What was Legosi doing to him? He needed to end this little fling before it got worse.

As if on cue, the wolf's head appeared above the crowd, frantically trying to make it to Louis. He couldn't help but crack a smile at the display.

"Sorry!" Legosi gasped, bounding up the steps. He doubled over, wheezing.

"Come on" Louis began dragging the exhausted wolf up the steps and into the museum. He noticed Legosi's fur as he caught up to Louis.

"Have you been brushing you fur?"

"Yeah, I bought a brush."

Louis nodded, impressed. His pride quickly turned to annoyance at the sight of the line snaking through the maze of velvet ropes. Legosi kept apologizing as they slowly shuffled forward. He handed an anteater his membership card and took two tickets. What was the point of donating large amounts of money, if you weren't able to skip the line?

The security guard scanned them in and they walked into the closest exhibit. The room was full of dioramas depicting ancient scenes of primitive animals in their natural habitats, usually in some state of carnage. Despite the size of the room, sound doesn't travel very far. Words seemed to get sucked up into the stillness.

They stepped in front of a scene depicting a wolf leaping at a buck. Louis' face reflected over the wolf's snarling face. His eyes overlayed the beasts shining orbs. Legosi looked equally uncomfortable at the scene. Louis pushed his shoulder to move them along.

The hallway echoed their steps and others'. A nice change of pace to the unyielding silence. A directory showed them the possibilities on where to go. Louis looked to Legosi.

"Which one?"

The wolf blinked and shrugged. Louis exhaled sharply and pushed him towards the next exhibit.
The room opened up into an ancient world. Light shone in from the glass ceiling and wall. No matter how many times he came, the massive marble pyramid in the center would demand his respect, taking his breath as tribute. He watched Legosi scan the room, completely dumbfounded as well.

They walked around the small moat protecting the pyramid. A little bridge allowed them to pass to the island. A doorway opened into ancient relics surrounding a glass case containing a sarcophagus. The sides depicted jackals in various scenes.

"If I die, you can dry me out like this. I've heard good things about deer jerky." Louis teased.

"Please don't joke like that!" Legosi jumped back at the suggestion.

Louis lead Legosi out of the pyramid and around the wing. They passed crumbling stone carvings and other creations from ancient civilizations.

As they passed through the next doorway, they were greeted by a massive T Rex. Its jaws were positioned as if attacking incoming guests. Legosi gawked at the beasts, bumping into Louis on multiple occasions. It was hard to imagine creatures like this roamed the earth at one point. Even Louis was in awe.