The Walking Sticks

Johnny feels guilt for not coming forward sooner with Jo’s account of a stranger appearing in and vanishing from their backyard.  He resolves to write down their experience to be shared with the police, the parish, and the internet.

Following his divorce from Mavis and his marriage to Jo, Johnny receives a letter from the United Kingdom addressed to his ex-wife.  He sets the letter aside for Mavis without opening it.  

Johnny and Jo receive a shipping crate containing a cabinet filled with twenty-two walking sticks.  Jo takes one of the canes – a wooden shaft topped with a silver dog’s head – for closer inspection.  

Recalling the letter from England, Johnny learns that the furniture belonged to an estate of which Mavis was a beneficiary.  He locks the dresser and disclaims the calamity to follow.  

Johnny worries about being sentenced to prison and regrets not involving the authorities sooner.