Flapper Dick Ch. 10

Sort of an odd thing to talk about, there is a black guy that is a police officer in this. Now if you go look at Chicago police history, the police have a website with the history, it doesn't really talk about it.

They do mention certain things, like perhaps Chicago hired the first black woman to be a police officer, but there is no mention of her duties. Women who are hired to be police officers are not really considered such by most anyone since all they do is foot patrol beaches and markets, there are a number in Chicago.

They also hired black men to be police officers, but they are not allowed to arrest white guys. Which means the black guys being police officers, are only doing it in the areas that black people live. Which is a step up from many cities in the same time frame, they didn't hire black men.

None of this is talked about by the Chicago police department, not that I really blame them. Rather embarrassing to admit that we didn't think black men could do anything, or that women were not considered police even though we hired them. Before you ask or wonder women were not actually police officers in the sense of now until WW2. They continued on with it because they said no fucking way I am stopping.

One other thing, and you thought I was done. Lingerie, I shit you not it is more or less unheard of in America until the 1920's. Even then it wasn't really lingerie, it was just something to wear to hide her body. Shorts and a shirt was more or less the only thing admitted to if you do a search.

Goes beyond that, nightshirts were literally something to wear when you went to bed. They were not sexy things until early 1940's. Which means even with lingerie it wasn't really lingerie. Which is sort of wrong, not that it wasn't really lingerie, but that it wasn't lingerie even though called that. There were companies making things to wear that made a guy drool, it was something you didn't talk about. Mostly in no pictures since guys always talk about what he got his wife, girlfriend, chick he just met and fucked, to do.

**

Wake to the alarm and roll over to let Fred get it. Also just lie there since I don't want to get up, I am hungry and can't eat anything because I will be ill shortly. Which is against what I am supposed to be doing since I am knocked up. Fred turns the alarm off then rolls back to look down at me.

"Are you wanting nookie in bed?" Sigh and shake my head.

"I want to go back to sleep." Fred snorts and nods.

"Yeah, I'm not sure you can sleep through that, but then if you can go back to sleep give it a shot. Will come back at four if you are not up yet, Christmas shopping day today remember." Whimper because I had forgotten about that.

"Honestly I want to say put it off to next week." Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"We only have twelve days left. I've been thinking, why not buy those Christmas Calendars, get a piece of candy for every day before." Whimper again because now I am thinking of candy and got hungrier.

"Evil tease, now I want candy."

Fred snorts and leaves me alone so snuggle under the covers and curl up. Since Fred got up the bed isn't as warm as it was. Which is not a good thing since I am knocked up and don't want to get sick. Mostly because Mom got sick while she had me and I'm an only kid. Which is likely as silly as not wanting manacles because my folks died together.

Roll over with a sigh, I am hearing the sewing machine and the radio. Just blink up at the ceiling then the door is opening and there is Fred. He comes over and sits on the bed then pulls me closer to him.

"Feeling alright?" Ponder it then nod since I do feel alright.

"What time is it?"

"It's a little before four, I remembered you haven't taken a shower yet. Granted it's too cold to worry about but still better to take the shower. I mean warm water so you warm up." Nod and climb up Fred to give him a kiss.

"Figure out how much dough I have for a present for you, and Audrey. Any other gifts we are giving as a group."

"Speaking of which, when picking something for Audrey keep in mind she doesn't make as much as we do."

"She is making about half what I do as a waitress." Fred rolls his eyes.

"Yeah and she only has about half that for presents. She pays for her own things remember."

"So I should simply hand her a couple aces?" Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"No, just no jewelry or anything like that. Perhaps a pair of heeled shoes, she has been mentioning how she feels short lately."

"I'd rather be her height and no morning sickness."

Fred snorts and pulls me out of bed so swat him then head for the shower. It's not precisely warm out of bed. The heater is working but there is a draft so anywhere besides the sitting room you need clothes. Not sure why not there, except the furnace is under there. At least what Fred says so I suppose, I mean going near the furnace and you get hot.

Shower is pretty darn heavenly feeling, and then I don't feel terrible either so I can eat. Do feel at me to make sure I am all shaved. I am all shaved so go to the sink to brush my hair and realize one thing, my hair is down to my shoulders. So I will need to get that shower cap, which I would have needed before now but Fred took me to a salon so my hair stayed nice looking.

Out of the shower I am straight into the bedroom to get dressed and then stare in the closet. I'm unsure which suit to wear, mostly as a joke last week Kelly handed over a bunch of suits. They are in all of the colors we use at the store so the pink one was a shock to Fred. So look them all over and finally grab the red suit, and get the pink shirt.

Do wear a brassiere with it, after I realized I could in the suit I simply wore them with. Fred had grinned the first time I did in the suit. Hat perched on my head I exit the bedroom and head for the kitchen. I am hungry and not going to be unable to eat now. In the kitchen I am looking around at what we have and finally decide on having cereal, we bought that finally.

Also get joined in here, Audrey and Fred had come looking. Both sit at the table with me, though they do let me eat at least. When I finish the cereal Audrey gets the bowl and sets in the sink and runs the water some.

"I had figured on barbecue today." Smile and shrug since we still can.

"Me eating cereal doesn't mean we can't. Besides you are thinking about this wrong, I have to find a present for you. I think I am calling your calendar mine for the candy part too." Audrey is giggling hard now and Fred tosses his hands.

"Low blow, and I do like chocolate."

"Most fellas say they don't since it is for skirts. To think I got knocked up by a three letter man." Fred rolls his eyes and swats me.

"We are going now, and I will mention no more train sets. Unless there is a raised platform, no even then there isn't enough room as it is."

Would say something except Fred is pulling me up and to our bedroom so he can put me in my coat. Then out to the jalopy and we are off after breaking through the raised snow. Snow plows had been broken out finally so every jalopy has to burst out of the snow. Possible to dig a hole first but sort of dangerous to do that since you are standing on the street.

Not that anyone has died doing that so far, though it has been mentioned. Mostly in a don't do this article that they post every year once snow plows had been developed. Then we get to the store we are going first and this is sort of wrong.

"Fred this is Penney."

"I know, I figured on checking out watches for you." Audrey pokes at Fred.

"Not supposed to be saying that. The present is a surprise on Christmas Day." Fred tosses his hands and leads the way to Penney.

Audrey and I follow along then inside to a lot of people. This is the ground floor so the only things to find are perfumes and such. Do look around some, I need to get Audrey something. Luckily Audrey went for the elevator with Fred so I am sort of left alone down here. Wish I was actually left alone, there's something like twenty people here in this relatively speaking small area.

Luck into finding the best thing, a rather nice smelling perfume. So I pick that out and over to a clerk who looks like she is in the middle of morning sickness.

"Are you feeling alright?" She sighs and smiles at me.

"I'm doing alright, just thought of the mess we are cleaning up once we close. Is this a gift or simply buying so you have a good one?" Snort and shake my head since that is rather silly as questions go.

"Gift for our nanny. I'm afraid to ask how many buy perfumes so they have a good one to wear after Christmas."

She is giggling as she takes the perfume and fits in a box, rather nicely decorated box, golden with ruffles. There is even ribbon to tie it up with and a name tag. That she leaves blank for me to fill out later so that is rather nice. Pay for it and I am a little surprised that there was a charge for gift wrapping, mostly because it went in a box.

That is then dropped in a paper bag with the handy straps so I am given that and over to the elevator fella. Have him chuckling since I am asking him on good things to get a fella. Bunch of fellas get on with so I get them all to laugh. I simply ask if a fella would like a stuffed animal. Then I am off at Men's Wear and there are no fellas to see it's all skirts.

Do luck into a clerk that I mostly get by grabbing his hand. He had been moving rather fast to get to a counter. I suppose so he doesn't have to show skirts around or answer questions on if this is nice.

"If you could point me to where the fella watches are I'll leave you be." He snorts and puts my arm through his.

"I was heading there already so I will escort you."

I am giggling now and over to the counter where he gets behind it and sighs first thing. Then he is showing me the wrist watches first. I'm unsure on that, they look nice but Fred tends to have the vest on too.

"I'm not sure, he wears the vest most of the time, I think one of his suits the vest didn't come with or was stained." Fella frowns for a moment then grins.

"Ah I see, perhaps he would like a pocket watch." I am nodding then get lead the two steps to those.

"Are these gold?"

"Some, we actually have more that are brass, means he would carry around a cloth to wipe at the watch. Alternately every night, though usually it depends on things like if it is taken into the rain and how often the watch is looked at during the day."

I'm unsure on this now so feel around and find the envelope Fred gave me. Pull that out and open up to find two sawbucks. Clerk is grinning when I pull that out of the envelope.

"If you have that much I will point you to these four watches here. This first one is the best of them, opens up to allow pictures fitted, so one for you and then kids if you end up blessed. The other three are not as fancy but all are gold so no cleaning needed unless it is dropped in something besides the house."

I am looking over the watches he pointed out and all are fancy. The one he pointed out first though is the best of them. The face of the watch isn't just a blank piece of metal, it is etched in a design and partly blank so it is quite nice looking. Ask to see it so it is taken out and he opens to show inside.

The face of the clock is rather nice with roman numerals. He holds it closer to where I am leaning so I can see smaller regular numbers underneath that. It is not wound up so I can't tell if it is a good sound though the fella assures on these being quiet. There is even a chain to fit to it, these are in different lengths so that is rather interesting.

Only two lengths but still rather interesting. One hooks to the vest and goes all the way across to sit in the opposite pocket. This one has a weight at the other end though the weight can come off and be the wallet or money clip, mostly worn by those who want to look wealthy or want to look important. Giggle over that and pick the shorter length chain so it is simply clipped to the vest.

Make the clerk laugh when I am paying for it. Watch and chain combined price is almost fifteen aces. So I am saying he is expensive and better be giving me a good seeing to whenever I am wanting. When he is handing over the watch and chain in a nice box he winks and assures on being able to do that, right now if I want, so I am heading for the elevator giggling.

Laugh when I get on the elevator, Fred is there and he is holding a bag. Fred simply grins and puts his arm around me. On down we go and get off on the furniture floor. Leaves me a little confused, especially when we go right on over to the clerk in the back.

"Do hope you are not looking for presents." The clerk says first getting me to giggle.

"Already handled that part, this is more seeing if you have cribs." Clerk has big eyes and looks at me so nod and shrug.

"I'm still going through morning sickness."

"Early for picking one out but then the crib is simply a bed anyway. We have floor models over there though the best crib we sell is in the catalog."

Said catalog is opened and she is showing us the cribs available. All of them are pictured in there and the price for them is higher than I would have figured. But then you buy one crib and use that for all of your kids. Which the clerk is talking about since the cribs are close to the same price as a jalopy.

Not though if you buy the ones that are being sold in the newspaper they would be about the same. Course now that we sort of have one picked out, it is time to talk where it goes.

"Fred there is one thing before we do the ordering and paying for this, where does it go?" Clerk snorts and shakes her head.

"The walls come off so you then simply lug it where it is needed. I will mention that once your child is standing up and trying to walk you want them in a regular bed." Sigh since I don't remember that far back.

"I will ask our neighbor on that part, she is a grandmother and we will be beating our neighbors off with a stick as soon as I give birth." Clerk is giggling with me though Fred is shaking his head.

"No we won't, they will be helping Audrey out since she doesn't have kids of her own yet." Clerk rolls her eyes with me.

"Fred we don't want them coming over that often, though I am sure they wouldn't anyway." Fred sighs and tosses his hands.

"So why the question on where the crib goes, it goes in the bedroom."

"I don't know if the fellas who drop it off would take it up there." Clerk is nodding.

"They will take it up to the bedroom you specify and set it up for you. Part of the service, there is a charge but that is because we do set up your purchase."

"So if we bought a new stove they would take out the old and put in the new?" She is nodding.

"We like to take out the old stoves, partly because you bought one from us, mostly in we send the old stove to the factory where it is taken apart and melted to be made into a new."

"That stove was bought new the year before I went to the war." Roll my eyes and kick Fred.

"I wasn't thinking of getting a new stove, just surprised that they would install things we buy." Clerk grins and winks.

"I will mention that any stove that is more than a decade old would be outperformed by our new designs."

"The stove we have is sitting upstairs." Clerk and I are giggling hard, I shouldn't be surprised Fred fell for that but I am.

"Would you like to purchase a crib now or come back later on when you are showing knocked up?" I'm unsure on that so look at Fred who sighs.

"I would like to now, but then you are delivering train sets often so I am unsure on you being able to manage to deliver this month." Clerk grins and shakes her head.

"We planned ahead, have a second team and truck. Besides it is a little amazing how many are wanting a deliver on Christmas Eve or Day. Us clerks got shown how to do it and we get a goodly bonus if we go and deliver some of the sets."

"Sort of let down, we had to set up our own sets when we bought here." Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"I liked setting them up, three sets so it was some adjustments." Sigh and nod, I had to go find a lost boy.

"Next time we get train sets I am setting them up and you go on the search for a lost boy." Clerk's jaw has dropped.

"You went and found a lost boy?" I am nodding, there was an article on it but it didn't say much, which is better than the normal articles.

"Boy was going to school and never made it the day we got the trains we bought here. This was back in October."

"I remember the article on that, and then you were the second train sets bought from us."

"So we came in the day you first started selling them?" Clerk shakes her head.

"Day after, honest in October we had all of twenty train sets bought so we are all wondering on if we will do alright with those. According to the manager we have sold two hundred so far this month and twelve days before Christmas."

"I hope you are not delivering all of those on Christmas." She is nodding.

"I know the feeling, so you haven't said buy now or come back later?" Fred sighs and pulls out his wallet, so I add in what I have left in dough.

"I have enough and then we still have some dough left besides for bills." Take the dough back and the clerk is giggling.

So we are paying for a crib and giving our address. Crib will be delivered tomorrow and the clerk mentions that we should cover with a sheet until it is needed. Sounds like a good idea to me then we are heading for the elevator, we have finished with Penney. Down to first floor we go, I begged the elevator fella to take us down, which he was doing so he takes us down chuckling.

Ground floor we don't find Audrey so Fred is talking about going to find her again. I don't want to do that so I will go sit with cigar fella. Though that does bring to mind one thing so grab Fred's arm.

"Fred do you want to smoke cigars?" Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"Ciggy is good enough, Dad smoked a pipe which smelled better. Never had a desire for a cigar, one of those things the wealthy have."

"Woolworth has cigars." Fred rolls his eyes.

"Nickel cigars are not very good."

Frown and let Fred go, then I am heading for cigar fella. He has big eyes when I go in his office, makes me curious so go around his desk and look. Pants are done up and no skirts down there so go sit and then wait for him to remember to smoke his cigar.

"What brings you in here this time?"

"We lost our nanny so Fred is going to go find her and I felt like sitting. You will be happy with us, we bought a crib and I got a gold watch for Fred."

"Congratulations are in order I suppose, not that you look expanded."

"Still going through morning sickness. I managed to sleep through it today so that is definitely better."

"Definitely, I was swat every day when we went through that. Which watch did you buy?"

"I got the really nice pocket watch, short chain since Fred isn't about looking wealthy or important." Cigar fella is nodding and grins.

"That is a good watch, quiet but then it also quivers in your pocket a teensy. Hard to feel but if you forget to wind it you notice when it stops."

"Clerk said two places for a picture."

"Yeah, I have one of my wife and then a group photo of our kids. Old picture since they have all moved out and are having their own kids." I am nodding and then one thing strikes me.

"Suppose we should buy a camera, and then should we set up a dark room or simply find a company that does it?" Cigar fella is frowning now.

"Honestly I'm not sure, there are two shops that have a dark room so they can develop film. If you don't go to those there are envelopes you can get to send your rolls of film to a company that does it for you. We went to the shops and had them develop the film for us, though the pictures I have in my watch were taken by a photographer."