Arlen Wardell was a bit slow. He made his way in life by taking little things from his neighbors. A broom, hose, a pair of socks, just about anything, wound up for sale in his "Treasury Yard." Sooner or later whatever went missing needed finding and everyone knew exactly where to look. Arlen didn't bargain too hard and after a little bit of money changed hands, everybody got what they needed and life went back to normal. Most of the town didn't mind, everybody knew Arlen was useless for just about anything and after all, he needed a roof over his head and something to eat.
It was partly their fault, the way he was. Arlen's father was a man so full of hate and anger, there was a black cloud hanging low over the whole town. For the first six years of Arlen's life, that black cloud swallowed him up and those who weren't afraid to get involved just didn't want to.
Eventually that black cloud lifted, Arlen made his Treasury Yard and life went back to normal.
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