"Oh, I live on Rodeo drive." Leonard said, taking hold of the dog's collar. The dog's tail went between it's legs and its ears fell back as Leonard gently grabbed a hold of Rex's collar. It's hind quarters sagged to the floor and it let out a whimper.

"It's just across on the other side of the development. A bunch of kids over there are trying to find out what's been going on over here on Main Street. I was going to check out after my chores were done, but then, yeah, Rex got loose. Yeah."

"So I guess I came over earlier than I thought I would. Do you live here? Like, on Main Street? Like, on this side of the development."

"Yeah. We both do. I told you that already. That's Shawn. The kid I told you about."

"Oh. You're that Shawn." Leonard said. "Yeah. Your that Shawn. Oh, Ok. I think I, I think I know what you were saying Penelope. Yeah, he does look like a movie or like a person who would be in a movie." The small boy gave Shawn an 'up and down' look as if trying to take Shawn's presence in and then trying to match Shawn's appearance with any preconceived notions that he might have had.

"Shawn are you a person that would be in a movie? Is that right? You're that Shawn?"

Shawn gave Leonard his best dose of humility - he'd had to talk about his acting almost every time he introduced himself, and he always tried not to come off too big-headed about it. No one liked a bragger. "I've been in some movies, yeah. Mostly little ones, though."

“Haven’t seen ‘em” Penelope said in a loud bark.

“Oh. I’m not sure I mean, what are they called?”

Shawn scratched his head as he thought about his 'career'. "Umm, well there was a whole bunch, but a lot of them I'm not allowed to watch, 'cause they had parts in them for grownups only." He'd been in a bunch of low budget horror and action movies that his parents had refused to let him see, usually in roles as 'bystander kid' or 'leading lady's son' where he was only allowed to see his own part in the script. On one memorable occasion, he'd been made up to look like he'd been eaten by a dracula, though. "I was in Kid Knight if you've ever heard of it?"

“Nope!”  Penelope yelled.

Leonard was more circumspect about his answer

“Am I?… I don’t know… Maybe not.”

Shawn felt a little sad about that, but at the same time, it took a bit of the pressure off. "See, it's not that big a deal." He kept his humble tone, as if to say 'see, I'm just a kid, not some movie star'.

“ i’ll tell you what. Yes you are in movies or if you are at in movies, you are OK with me. You know why? Because you said my dog. You saved him in a real big beating. stupid dog.”

Leonard gave Rex a little kick. The dog didn’t seem to notice, Just moved it’s paw a bit.

The wind blew and Shawn felt his hair plaster against his face a bit.

“I bet Rex is good at breaking stuff. I like to break stuff. Penelope said, clearly getting a little bored and showing her impatience through provocative statements.

"I think your dog's cool." Shawn felt like he was making a friend, which was a welcome relief from all the time he'd spent cooped up with Mr. Clayton. "So what're you guys doing out here? You said you wanted to see what's going on?"

"said! HuH! I said 'said my dog' instead of 'saved my dog.' I'm so Stupid!" Leonard said, ignoring Shawn for a second.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." Leonard said and hit smack his own forehead with an open palm.

"Yeah, what's going on. Like, what happened to all of the kids. Yeah."

Shawn wasn't sure if Leonard was talking about the way a bunch of kids had died, or just the unusual stuff that had been happening to kids lately (some of which was arguably his fault). "Which stuff happening is that?"

"He means what happened to all of the kids." Penelope said. "What did happen to all of the kids on this street Shawn?" Penelope asked. And then she waited a second. It seemed like an eternity. Of course Shawn knew that Penelope knew what had happened to them.

Shawn shrugged, trying not to rise to Penelope's bait. "I dunno. It's all really weird, and everyone thinks it's something different. Seems like it'd be dangerous to go looking for it."

"Hahahaha." Penelope laughed. "Just kidding." Penelope taunted. "I know that we both know that no one knows. It's just I'm the only one that goes from this way on Main Street to Rodeo drive. At least I think I'm the only one. So, I'm just joshing you."

She turned to Leonard. "That means I'm joking around with him."

Then she sighed.

"I'm actually bored. That's why I'm doing it. That's what Dad says in the Diner, you know? When I get in trouble for having the giggles. Or like, the 'sillyness.'"

Shawn laughed along with Penelope, like they were sharing a joke. "It's probably not something we can figure out, anyway. Why don't we just play?"

"Ok. Ok." Leonard said, warming to the distraction of abandoning the whole reason why he came over here in the first place.

"But....I can't until I bring the dog back. Ughhh. I'll be right back OK?"

Shawn gave him his most cheerful smile. "Want me to come with you? When you bring back the dog?"

"Yeah, Yeah!" Leonard said. "Geez I should have thought of asking you. Man that was dumb of me. Hu-huh." Leonard said.

Penelope gave a sigh.

"See you guys later." She said, getting on top of her bike, and kicking the kick stand like it was a motorcycle.

"Aww, you're not dumb." Shawn gave Penelope a friendly wave good-bye, happy she hadn't made their meeting as horrible as it could have been given the last time they'd seen one another. He turned back to Leonard. "So, where do you live?"

OOC: Shawn Joins Thread

Shawn: New Friends Have Secrets