Free Run into Trouble by Alan Cook

touristy buildings.
A horde of shorts-clad tourists competed with them for sidewalk
space, often slowing them down.
    “I’m glad you’re feeling better, but don’t
push it. The note said we had to finish the race. My mum was rather
shocked when I called her, by the way. She wanted to know how I
found out where she was.”
    “She always struck me as being very
independent.”
    “Too independent. I’m trying to talk her
into coming to the U.S. and living close to me so I can keep an eye
on her, but she won’t hear of it. She says she would miss her
friends too much.”
    Drake looked behind him. “I wonder how Aki
and Mike are doing. I haven’t seen them since we got off the
beach.”
    “They’ll be okay. Aki said the doctor didn’t
think the cut was too bad. He just told him to stay off his feet
for a few days.”
    “Which of course he isn’t going to do.”
    “When did runners ever pay attention to what
doctors say?”
    “At least we’re not in last place today.
There’s someone in worse shape than I am. I’ll be happy when we’re
not in last place overall.”
    “As I said, don’t rush it.” Melody put a
hand on his shoulder. “I feel your competitive fire returning,
which isn’t a bad thing. I’m glad to see the old Drake. However,
you’ve got to last a few hundred more miles. There’ll be
opportunities. In a race this long, things are bound to
happen.”
    “Like stepping on rocks. And getting
rear-ended.”
    “I keep seeing signs about the Festival of
Arts and “Pageant of the Masters.” What’s that about?”
    “The Festival of Arts is an art festival.
Ouch.”
    Drake recoiled as Melody punched him in the
shoulder.
    “Well, what did you want me to say? If
you’re going to hit me, I won’t tell you about the ‘Pageant of the
Masters.’”
    “This sounds like something out of Queen
Elizabeth’s time. The first Queen Elizabeth. Prithee, kind
sir, tell me about the ‘Pageant of the Masters.’”
    “I went once. The folks who live here dress
up like the people in paintings and sculptures and assume the same
poses. They build sets for the backgrounds, and when you add the
people and light it properly, you get a tableau that looks like the
real thing. The models become the people in the paintings. It’s
amazing how they do it, and they’ve been doing it forever.”
    “That’s brilliant. I’d love to see it.”
    “Well, since it’s going on right now, maybe
we can talk Freddy into taking us.”
    “Or steal the car and go ourselves. We have
tomorrow off, so we don’t have to worry about going to bed
early.”
    “If it isn’t sold out. It’s very
popular.”
    “Do they depict nude paintings like ‘The
Naked Maja’?”
    “Sometimes, although if there are any men in
them, they wear loincloths.”
    “That’s all right. I’ve seen enough naked
men on the beach. What about the women?”
    Drake’s smile told her all she needed to
know.
    ***
    “May I say how beautiful you look
tonight?”
    “Thank you.” Melody smiled at Fred.
    “You know, it was my idea to invite you to
participate in Running California. I’m certainly glad I did. You’ve
been a breath of fresh air.”
    Drake reflected that this was the first time
Melody had worn a skirt since Running California had started and
wondered whether that had prompted Fred’s attention to her. It was
a short skirt—Mary Quant had introduced her minis into the States a
couple of years back—but more of Melody’s legs had been visible
below the shorts she had been wearing every day. Somehow the skirt
made her look more appealing, more feminine. In addition, she was
wearing her sandy hair down without the ponytail. He began to rue
the agreement between Melody and himself that they would sit on
either side of the round and rolly Fred.
    Melody, who was expert at manipulating men,
made it sound to Fred as if they were trying to get to know him
better. Which was certainly true, as far as it went. Fred had
surprised the runners by