Between Meals

From the unexpected emergence of a manhole cover atop a desolate tank car, two vagabond souls, Paul and his young companion "Sunshine Sammy," announce their presence in a sleepy town, their pockets as empty as their stomachs. Driven by an urgent, primal hunger and a distinct lack of legal tender, they quickly hatch a scheme for sustenance. Their eyes land on a particularly inviting restaurant, where a seemingly kindly old gentleman offers a beacon of hope. They weave a pitiful tale, which the benevolent stranger seemingly embraces, ushering them into the eatery and instructing them to indulge without limit. He excuses himself momentarily, promising a swift return, a promise that, predictably, goes unfulfilled. The subsequent arrival of the restaurant's proprietor shatters their brief culinary bliss with the revelation that their benefactor is an escapee from a local asylum. This unwelcome truth plunges the now-sated duo into a frantic scramble for restitution, culminating in a chaotic, town-wide chase as they attempt to evade both the restaurateur's wrath and the pursuing authorities, ultimately disappearing as swiftly as they arrived.