Pick 3

Word list: Collar, kettle, prayer, boots, street lamp, newspaper, biscuit, mutter, scrape, hesitate, lean, shiver, press, glance, stiff, damp, pale, awkwardly, gently, suddenly, below.

***

Joe gently ruffed up the collar of his jacket and donned his prayer boots, damp from a scrape with the mailman earlier. He noticed he felt stiff and looked pale after this altercation, so decided a trip to church was due. He felt a shiver down his spine as he suddenly realized exactly what had and had not happened.

He was just leaning against a street lamp when he decided to stop the mailman on his route to see if he’d gotten any letters. Apparently the mailman thought he was being accosted, and awkwardly pushed Joe back against the metal lamp. Joe didn’t hesitate as he reacted quickly.
Then both men glanced around them, seeing that an audience appeared. It ended in an embarrassed expression on both their faces, and muttered apologies.

Joe offered the mailman a spot of tea, and put on the kettle with a tray of biscuits. The mailman was happy for the break from the rainy morning route. On the table below his teacup, Joe read the ironic newspaper headlines – “Thugs Are On The Street – Beware”. They both had a laugh.

***