27/03/2009

HALF THREE IN THE DAMN MORNING!


It’s half three in the damn morning and I’m going for a walk. Not too far, just down the street. I need to clear my head and my usual rhythm wasn’t working. I thought about having a couple of fingers of Jack to help me sleep and decided that it wasn’t a funny diet or the lack of morals in today’s society. Damn room was the problem. I’d been here what felt like years working this damn soul-sucking job for this damn broad.


So I bottled my courage like a good fellow, grabbed my lid and stepped out into the damn world. It was chilly but I knew it wasn’t just the weather, this city has a way of getting under your skin and it had gotten through to my damn bones.

I figured I’d walk to the park round the block, figured maybe some green grass and trees might clear my head. The streetlights cast a glow like everything was covered in yellow grease. Maybe it was, by this stage I’d drunk three mouthfuls of fire and I was breathing heavy. I couldn’t stop thinking about that damn dame. Not that fire breathing number that hired me for the job that I was ducking, nah it was my old twist who I had seen during the week with her new squeeze. That damn dame.

Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice him or maybe its cause when you’re on your fourth bullet in as many minutes you don’t see too clearly. “Gotta light pal?” he asked. “Yeah, gotta smoke?” I replied, in no mood to be talking to some bum when I was trying so hard to drink myself unconscious. “As a matter of fact I does” he said and pulled out a pack of Gitanes offering me one. I shrugged and took one. I lit up drawing the hot smoke down in one deep breath. I lit his and he sucked it hard like a lollypop, he took it out of his mouth and looked at it like it was a piece of damn art. “I always appreciate the finer things in life.” I nodded taking a drag. This whale sure looked like he did. Good shoes, sharp suit and the rings on his fingers weren’t from no colleges I know, that’s for damn sure.

“Nice night for a stroll” he said looking out down the quiet road, like he was waiting for something. “Yeah sure, I guess.” I said wanting to take my smoke and get away from this lonely old rummy. “You uh, havin’ trouble with your lady friend?” he asked grinning. “I mean why does a feller go for a walk at half three in the darn morning” he spread his fat fingers out and smiled showing teeth too white. This chuck don’t have chompers bad enough to be trusted. “I got ninety-nine problems and a damn dame ain’t one.” I said taking a shot from my buddy Jack. He laughed a wheezy laugh. “You ain’t a bad kid, here gimme that bottle.” He pointed a fat finger at me. “Lets me guess, you got problems with you job amiright?” I took my flask back and wiped the neck. “Yeah” He put his arm around my shoulder and we started walking. “Ya gotta unnerstand the financial mess our economy is in at the moment, ya see your too young to remember but when I got inta this game the streets was paved with gold” he made a sweeping gesture staring grandly down the sleeve of his white suit. “We had the world for the taking, they called it a revolution, for the first time in our history we was on toppa the world! Oh we had it all; Booze, Broads, the best smokes, the finest food. But recently we been muscled out. Oh don’t get me wrong other crews got it bad too, but we were so close to bein’ on da top, real contenders!”

I nodded not knowing what this kook was gabbing about but I kept mum figuring I’d at least get another damn smoke out of this daffy bird. “We had da world on a platter and the big guy, the number one boss in town blew it, I mean it was so sweet and he ruined it for everyone!” He shook his head. “And who’s called in to clean up his mess?!” He pounded his chest “ME!”

Somewhere a dog started barking and some schmuck shouted to shut up. “Do you know who y’er talkin’ to? I’m the boss of this town!” For a second I thought this fat guy was gonna pull a Rosco on the guy, luckily the guy shut up. “Yeah I know what your thinkin’ kid, things are sore all over. But you see I know something you don’t. You see I was waiting for a guy like you. Lost, hopeless, whatever you wanna call it. But you see I been waiting for you kid. Cos you’re the guy gonna make it right. I’m a good judge of people kid. I’m gonna give you a chance to help me fix this mess we’re in, cos I ain’t ashamed to say I can’t do this alone. So’s are you with me”

What could I damn well say? This guy was crazy, convinced he could fix the world’s problems at a snap. But hey, I been in deep water before and if the guy is talking about making some green then I’d be a schnook to turn him down. Besides he didn’t seem too bad. A little dumb sure, but what option did I have? “Sure thing mister, I’ll give you a shot but I don’t come cheap!” He smiled when I said this, his chops stretching till I thought his face would bust. “I knew you was the right kid for the job. You got the right attitude.”

He put his arm around me and offered me another smoke “So what do I call you?” I said putting in my mouth. “People call me Mr. C” We walked down the damn street to a bright sunrise. Welcome to the wonderful world a politics kid!”

by Paul Power

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

it sounds like someone read too many anne rice novels and hasn't had enough cocaine. I think you know how to solve your problems.

Lono said...
This comment has been removed by the author.