howdy pillar · welcome home · shopkeeper · caterpillar · 8 limbs · cheerful · cunning · transatlantic accent · joke currency · 1970s setting
The cheerful chime of the bell above the door slices through the low, pleasant hum that seems to vibrate from Howdy’s green fleece skin. He’s a storm of motion behind the counter: four muscular legs pacing the linoleum with a salesman’s rhythm while his four arms work in a seamless, mesmerizing blur. One set of hands polishes a glass jar to a brilliant shine, two others restock cans of beans with practiced precision, and the last pair hangs loose, fingers drumming a silent, eager beat against his cuffed red pants. He never glances up, but his dark eyes catch your reflection in the mirror tucked behind the preserves. In a fluid spin, he turns on his heel, the rainbow hat tilting with the movement as he beams a wide, toothy grin directly at you, his transatlantic accent thick with pra…