SPEAKEASY.

THE PHONE CALL.

Perhaps I ought to come
See you sometime, pay a
Visit with some of the boys,
And maybe take you for a

Ride with that broad of yours
And silence you forever, Eddie
Says over the phone, breathing
Heavily into the speaker, his

Hand squeezing the phone tight.
You remember what happened
To Joey Spoonbill? Never found
Him did they. He just kind of

Disappeared out of the blue.
Goodbye, goodnight Joey.
Eddie pauses, holds the speaker
From his ear, puffs at his cigar,

Watches the smoke rise. You still
There, Billy? Still listening?  I ain’t
Sentimental about broads see, if
She’s about you when we call she

Goes too, get me? No use you
Moaning on, Billy. I can’t have
Guys doing me down or doing
The dirty. What? That ain’t any

Excuse, Billy, that’s just jackshit.
Eddie puffs on the cigar again,
Blows smoke at the speaker. You
Can hide, Billy, you can run, but

I’ll find you and when I do, I am
Going to…Are you there? Hey,
Billy don’t you hang upon me
You little pipsqueak…Come back

On the phone, do you hear me?
Eddie puts the phone down and
Stubs the cigar in the ashtray.
Carol puts her arms around his

Broad shoulders. Who was it, Eddie?
No one, Eddie says, I was just
Practicing my lines for my next
Scene in the lousy film tomorrow.