Ergo, the Ogre

Welcome to the daily Three Things Challenge.
Use your imagination and creativity using one, two or all three words that may or may not be related. There are no restrictions regarding length, style, or genre, though please keep it family friendly.

Tag your responses with 3TC, #threethingschallenge or TTC, and you can add Di’s logo if you wish.

Looking forward to reading your responses.

Your three words today are:
WORRY
CONCERN
CARING

---

Boxcar Billy hated to admit it, but he was worried about his long-time buddy Reno Ricky. He hadn’t seen him for months. This was unusual and worrisome. Usually, he ran into Reno Ricky every couple of weeks

Boxcar Billy shared his concern with mutual friends, but they had neither seen nor heard anything about Ricky.

What could’ve happened to that ol’ scamp? See? That’s the trouble with making friends in this kind of life. You start caring and worrying and then something happens, and it breaks your heart.

However, the Hobo Convention in Britt, IA was coming up and Ricky wouldn’t miss that for anything. He said it was the best opportunity a hobo had to “network.” Billy smiled and shook his head at the memory.

The Hobo Convention finally rolled around, and Boxcar Billy was on his way to Britt. He didn’t pray often but he made an exception for Reno Ricky. Billy made a deal with God that he’d swear off the booze if God would look out for Reno Ricky.

As such, Billy knew that if Ricky was alive, he’d be here.

So, Billy walked around the grounds, greeting old friends and looking for Ricky. The sun was pretty hot, so Billy walked over to a weeping willow tree and leaned up against it. As he twisted up cigarette, an almost well-dressed guy he’d never seen before came up to him.

“You Boxcar Billy?” The new guy asked.

“Maybe.” He struck a match on what was left of the bottom of his worn-out shoe. “Who’s askin’?”

The new guy reached in his pocket and pulled out a wrinkled but sealed envelope with Billy’s name on it. “This is for you.” He handed the envelope to Billy.

“What’s this?”

“Open it,” the new guy said. “It’s from Ricky.”

Billy stared at the envelope with his name written on it and his eyes began welling up with tears.

He looked up to speak to the new guy. but he was gone. Just seemed to vanish.

Billy shrugged and opened the envelope. Inside was a rumpled piece of paper:

Billy,

Won the lottery. Come to Reno. There’s a one-way ticket waiting for you at the Fort Dodge Airport.

Reno Ricky.

Billy closed his tear-filled eyes and thanked God.