CELIA'S HOOD 1929

A WOMAN AND HER MYSTERY MAN IN 1929

He looked at me and I looked at him and he lit my cigarette and that was how it all began him there sitting gazing at me and me sitting there gazing at him the cigarette smoke rising upwards like prayers Mother would have said she was always on about prayers saw signs all kinds of things or for causes she thought worth a prayer say a prayer for that woman with the three children she'd say bet she could do with help so pray for her Celia pray I prayed as much as I knew how as a kid but then one day I stopped and gave over praying and if she asked me I'd say I would but never did yes that was how it began him sitting there in that smart suit and greased back hair and those eyes I could have swam in those dark eyes so liquidy were they you look a hundred dollars he said that first time and I guess I felt a hundred dollars not that I had a hundred dollars in my life but I felt it once he said I looked it I like your hat he said black is my favourite colour is black a colour? I said of course it is he said don't listen to those smart guys those big brain guys who know nothing about life you know what I mean? He said of course I said and so black was a colour and his favourite colour and my hat was black and I bought it uptown in some shop where it costs you just to look but I liked the hat so bought it but it was expensive so I never told my mother or she'd have gone on about the money he ordered us drinks and looked at me as if I were some painting he liked what you do for a living? He asked I dance and sing I said dance and sing huh well that's good where you dance and sing? He said around the clubs sometimes with a small combo now and then with a big band I said ever sing at The Flamingo? He said not so far I said give me your name and I'll see you get a spot there he said Celia Foster I said he nodded and smiled a thin smile as if he had his own sort of smile where you live? He said I told him where I lived it was a small joint down town but it suited me as I shared with another girl who was dancer too and if she wanted to bring some Schmuck back for awhile I'd go out or stay at Mother's you got a feller? He said no not so far I said he gazed at me as if he were wondering why a girl like me had no one how comes you haven't a guy? he said eyeing me deeply not found one I like so far I said I mean there have been creeps who wanted to go out with me but I didn't fancy them and so declined any offers to go out he sipped his drink and I sipped mine taking a drag on the cigarette in between what you doing tonight? He said I sing at nine at the 59 club I said I know the joint he said sitting back in the seat I go there sometimes on business you like it there? He added yes it's ok I said pays me all right he nodded and gazed his hands if you have any trouble let me know and I'll sort it he said and I said ok and that was it I sang at the 59 that night and he was there sitting at a table with two other men they were talking not about me but about business I guess now and then as I sang I noticed he looked over at me and smiled his thin smile weeks later we met in a diner uptown he was alone and so was I he came to my table and said can I join you? Sure I said why not he sat opposite me and ordered when the waitress came over how's it going? he said it's ok I said get that singing date at The Flamingo? He asked yes I did thank you I said eyeing him he'll take care of you I told him to he said I wondered why the proprietor was so polite to me when I went there to sing how are you? I asked business is good he said had trouble with a rival but it is sorted now he lit a cigar and offered me a cigarette and lit it for me what business are you in? I asked best you don't know he said what you don't know can't hurt you I nodded and looked at him we gazed at each other then he looked out of the window where we were sitting it was getting dark and the lights were on the one in the street he looked back at me I would like to take you out for a night show you the sights meet a few friends take in a show he said that'd be good I said feeling slightly unnerved and not sure about turning him down as I had others good what night are you free? he asked I am free on Thursday I said Thursday it is then I'll pick you up at eight he said the diner was busy and packed and people were talking and laughing I sipped my drink he was about to say something when a car pulled outside and all of a sudden a gun appeared and flashes of light and noise came towards the window and he went to move but he never made it a number of bullets got him and I screamed and fell sideways and he fell down on the seat and I saw him under the table top staring at me and blood seeping from his mouth but he still had that thin smile and that stayed with me in my nightly dreams for quite awhile.