* * *
he set the meeting late spoke
innocuously of safety in numbers
they
were four
and he was he
Far ta one odds ta dem Nah shabby
he gamed they saw him a long shot
likely realising few would back his
horse
though if he had worked it out right
took out the strongest two
first
the
other two cheapy facilitators hanger-ons
taken by surprise
might
be like plucking ripe cherries fresh from a limb
if
he worked fast and deliberate
hed seat the big two at the front
door
theyd impede the other twos
escape
he choreographed it
practiced
danced spun
it turned it and dipped it till its hair swept the floor
until it showed up in his dreams
when you dream what it is youre
doing in real time
youre ready
Fadder went along with his part
in the play
he was irritated latently bemused that he refused to confide in him -- him a priest
-- his intentions
Ey woudnt wan ya ta be fingered
for yer innocuous -- big ward huh Da
-- part in dis play
itsa passion play ifn ya
like Da
Ya
don mind Fadder I call ya Da Do ya
he had a shabby apartment and a shabby water closet in it
the toilet was ironstained
Ey sweer its cleen it only looks dirty
It looked dirty when ey let it
Dou itsa stout mate an wen yar up an don stouter
Whaddasay
Ah fort-tified Ey hope ta tell ya Da ey
do
he heard them coming up the
stairs
heavy lads
the stairs groaned and bitched plenty
he always took them two or three at a time trading off on the treads figuring theyd last longer
landlord was a cheap motherfucker
so he spoiled them
these four obviously were working them one tired tread at a
time
the crying was pitiful
with any luck they could wipe
their tears away relax not think of them
again
steps couldnt be
interrogated
no one
in their right mind would think of that
anymore than anyone would think of using a door buzzer
his cheapskate landlord a droll stereotype hed agree hawked its benefit
Pleasant sound huh?
he answered by rapping sharply at
the door
Souns empty Ey ned a secure door
man Itsa a shithole neighborhood A
shithole
You moving expensive stuff
inside he tried arguing
Lemme tink Ah
Yea Me
Ya can disconnect da bell save on
electricity fer everone who dat tinkin a leanin on it
An den
oer time yall save up da money ya
spent on my reel dar
A solid bloke eh Stout
Ey suspect like da dar ta yer home in da buildin Stout too eh
Yea Eyll take one like yers
Deel
Nawont
even go inside
Take
har sight unseen
Eym a trustin sonofabitch
Nareally
Ey know whar ya live
his smile verged on a leer
Dat tears it he thought
Da oafs rang da damn darbell
Da mans losin money Lardie
opening the door the bigger men
stond side by side and the light in the hall light behind them eclipsed their
heads
and shoulders
he was blind to their faces
Ah boys Expectin ya
Com in
the two slackers slipped in
behind them on their shadows like snails from the obliterated light his
overhead ceiling fixture cast
Itsa a shithole of a neighborhood
eh Sorry
An ya see as wee agreed its ya
four an me
they didnt answer in words mumbled
nodded
Fine den
Gents A seat
the big ones followed his
extended hands to the larger chairs on the wall near the front door three smaller chairs
were deeper into the
room far too small for their sumptuous
asses
comfort should never be underestimated
he he wouldnt sit with his back
to a door even if it meant sitting on an inverted three-legged stool
the conversation went as he
thought it might
he could be counted on as a
procurer
he
convinced them he knew who wouldnt be missed
wouldnt attract attention
convinced them they were ample readily
available blood
Don tell me ya cant heer it surgin from whar ya sittin
Warm blue pipin
hot in der veins
Certainly boys ya can smell it
they grunted
appetites shouldnt be
underestimated either
they were sidetracked
he thought
he heard their bellies gurgle
the idiots beside him
rocked in glee hadnt they said
Didnt we say they said
he stood
Gents please excuse me nature begs
Breathe dep Enjoy da whiffs in da
air Delicious eh
Eyll not steer ya wrong Gawds ward
Ha Humor nah
he went past the edge of the
kitchen table at his back into the bathroom slightly closing the door so not to
arouse any suspicion
in the chipped and tarnished sink
sat a swollen red rubber hot water bladder he dipped into the holy toilet water
Fadder blessed earlier
it was worth the coin he donated
to the Church
Fadder said he was munificent
Hmm Da Eym
gonna hafta look dat won up
Don tell me
Ey
like strange wards an wha dey mean
Itsa how won lerns How ey lern
the iron-ruined toilet and red
hot water bottle were incongruous
unseemly odd
heads stuck on pikes so you
couldnt look away or not notice
Namatter
he neer woud ave tought dis up hisself an he weer damn certain dey coudnt peer
inta his dreams
When yer dreams weave wha dey
do dey ave ya dead ta rights
Ya don
question dem
Dey
occur far a purpose
Ya
buy inta dem wholesale lock stock an
barrel
Dey wont leed ya astray
Deyve got as much skin in da game as ya an cling ta liefe tenaciously
as ya ta yer own
he thought Wees der fackin meal ticket An ya don ever play fast an loose wid yar meal
ticket Na do ya
the toilet chirped like an
untuned canary
he relieved himself heavily noisily
thinking if they could smell blood in peoples veins theyd have a noseful
of his urines scent
the knob of the hot water spigot
squeaked
the drain gurgled
the soap lathered
the drain gurgled as he rinsed
his hands
the spigot squeaked again as he
turned it off
the cheap hand towel sounded rough
* * *
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