That’s no suspender belt!

It’s been an exciting week for the residents of Huckleberry Close. My friend and mechanic Sylvester has been hosting his brother an unemployed cheesemonger from Uvalde in Texas. Diego is a volunteer police officer, which is like a real police officer but not quite.

“Diego,” I said, after serving an enormous breakfast, “do they give you a gun?”

“Oh, no. We’re not allowed to carry guns. Volunteer peace officers don’t get to do that. But we can operate the siren in the police car,” he told me.

“I expect that’s something,” I said.

“And we get this waist coat thing,” he said. “I’ll show you,” and then went out to his car and brought in a piece of equipment that looked very military with pouches and belt straps.

As luck would have it Sylvester and Diego had to hurry off shortly after this and it was only later that I saw the utility vest lying on my couch. On a whim I tried it on, and at that very moment I got a call from Rainbow, who as you know has become a full time student training to be a counselor. She was in a panic about having to get to an interview and her moped had broken down.

“Oh, Fiona! You have to help me!” she said.