Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Once again I am faced with a problem. We all know what that means. Yes a trip to see Screw.

 

When I walk into Screw's office his first words are, ''What now?''

 

''A big prob Screw and I am not sure you know the answer.''

 

''Kid I always know the answer, but I have a problem myself.''

 

''What problem could you have?''

 

''Cleveland wants me to retire and I don't wanna.''

 

''Kinda like my prob, I wanna retire and am sure the Cianciola's don't want me to.''

 

''Don't tell me kid, you are mixed up with a split tail ain't ya.''

 

''Yeah, but she deserves better than me. If I go legit we can get married.''

 

''I'll tell you how to solve your prob kid. Go to Jimmy and point to that pinky ring of his. Then look him in the eye and tell him he owes you. He is a straight shooter and honors his debts. Watch Freddie though he is a crook.''

 

''Thanks Screw, now I will give you some advice. Go to Florida I hear it does wonders for your health.''

 

''Nah I never learned to play cow pasture pool. Besides it never snows there.''

 

Back in my office and as scared as a long tailed cat in a room full of rockers. I try to get up enough nerve to face Jim. The door opens and there stands Little Jim and Freddie.

 

They come in and Fred begins the conversation.

 

''Tired of living are you Ken?''

 

Jim says, ''That is not how we agreed to handle this.'' Turning to me he says, ''I got a call from Screw. He wants to call in some chits. Why would you go to him? You got the biggest marker their is.'' As he is speaking he plays with his pinky ring.

 

''Bull s**t, He swore the oath he knows their is only one way out. Either now or when he is old. Jim you are getting soft. Let him decide.''

 

With that he points a gun at me, and my life flashed in front of  my eyes.. ''Which is it Ken , now or later.''

 

Jim pushs the gun away. ''You have to leave like you came. The only thing you get to take with you is your life.''

 

It has been over a year and Faith is going to have my first born. Strange thing happened last month. We got a call from a real estate agent. It seemed a client of hers had a house on an acre of ground. It was a nine room brick in North College Hill, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. I told her no thanks we could not afford it. I did not even ask how much it cost. I knew we could not afford it.

 

Faith called her and went to look at it. When I came home from work she said she wanted it. How do you look into the eyes of the woman you love and say no. Then she told me the price. I asked her to repeat it. ''You heard right $10,000 and we can pay only $100 a month. Frank G-D wants us to have this house.''

 

She could beleive what she wanted. If I told her what I knew to be true she would not take the house.

 

This morning as I ate breakfast I saw a story in the paper. It said notorious gangster ''Screw'' Andrews  found dead face down in the snow in the parking lot at St. Luke Hospital in Ft. Thomas, Ky. It appears he fell from a sixth story window.

 

That is not the way I heard it.

 

 The story that circulates to this day is that three large men in suits showed up at the sixth-floor nurses' station that night and told the nurses on duty that it was time for them to take their break, which they were convinced to do.

 

By the time the nurses returned to their station, the three men were gone and Screw'scrushed body was lying twisted on the pavement below.

 

Screw should have taken my advice and went to Florida. I wonder if his life passed before his eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[EverEmma]

Very interesting. You write very well.