Concrete Evidence

Mallard Concrete A fictional story...

Concrete Evidence   by Sami S. Khalil

By and large, full of mettle, gutsy and by all appearances a go-getter fellow was “Mallard Concrete” owner. A telltale sign of “little man syndrome” comes to mind upon seeing him. It may not sound absurd to say that he was hated by the few in town for he sparked in them many concerns of the environment.

A said local artist, who had a small shop in downtown Northport, by the Kentuck festival’s building, was one among them, woefully outraged at the sight of concrete trucks going up and down Main Avenue. Northport, a small historic town, with many local charms, was dotted with boutiques, restaurants and art galleries. Clothing and local knitting was also plentiful. With all of that, it was going through disorienting changes with big money projects that will change its character. The locals wanted to keep it as is with no interest in bringing in or expanding big companies like this concrete plant. Of course, they could create jobs but history and aesthetics were more important. Those plants can cause many health issues along the way like the problem of silicosis and respiratory illnesses.

The debate was highly polarizing between both camps derived from the pros and cons or the two sides of the coin. Many residents petitioned the local council members to reject the expansion of the plant to no avail. The most vocal was this artist who would not budge an inch. But the nexus between big business and the political elite was strong. Politicians were getting so called “donations” which can be kickbacks in no dubious amazement. The mafia was also involved connected to the enforcement of the lucrative growth. Any one stands in the way has to be cut down to size.

The call from Mallard concrete owner to the mafia boss was not shocking given the mutual benefits of profit output both gained. It was natural and inevitable certain people had to be silenced. And the greater the silence, the better. One day, the artist went missing. There was no solid evidence to his whereabouts but signs of increasing brittleness of life was evident. No one can simply vanish or fade away easily especially if much-vaunted artist. The primary suspect was a criminal activity. The correlation between his fate and enemies was no jaw dropping. Clash of wills has metastasized into a murder. The stakes were high, impressively siphoning off chances of finding him alive. Even dogs were used around town along with search teams, who composed a vast network, to no avail.

His wife shared with investigators his last text that said: “Concrete” which was baffling. As time went on, his disappearance roiled the community with a longed-for cry for justice in their prevailing moods. One day, a wake-up call came from a driver who worked for Ballard Concrete wanting to talk to investigators. Obviously, his conscience woke him up many sleepless nights. It was unbearable. He confessed to the crime after asking for immunity from the death sentence giving chilling details. He was ordered to pour him in the foundation of the “Ambassador Hotel” after being dragged by a horse at Green Track racing by the two bosses orders then dumped in the mixer truck afterwards. The investigators sent a demolition team to find, uncover the slab containing his body.

The town was sorrowful, had a notable funeral honoring him. After arresting the two bosses for murder, they forced the plant to move outside the city limits. People won their case after all. Next day, the Northport Gazette stated in one article: Health and concrete don’t mix. Justice and cogent facts do mix. 

Reviews

[Pete]

you've certainly cemented another intriguing tale sami. some call it progress but is it really when it leads to dire straits and murder? the conflict of new development for profit versus encroaching on the landscape of traditional ways of life and things has been playing out everywhere for some time now. as time goes by, there are fewer and fewer untouched, pristine landscapes left, making them even more precious. i personally cringe every time a single healthy tree is cut down. the native indians had it right - taking only what they needed and living in harmony with nature rather than exploiting it for gain. couldn't help but think of jimmy hoffa possibly buried at the site of the old giants stadium as i read. we need good people to stand up and say enough is enough, no more ... :)

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! So true and well said dear poet and writer. I like also your reference to Jimmy Hoffa. Maybe you can write something in that regard. Million thank yous sir for this wise and worthy review.

[redzone]

Why is the “price” so high before right wins out over might??? It’s the capitalist system that creates these horrors and it will only be when we get rid of capitalism that we finally end them....

Loved the story Sami...

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! Thank you so much Redzone for this powerful review and response. Glad you have visited. Good to see you.

[redzone]

and good to read you again Sami.... you haave a strong and clear voice...

[Sami Khalil]

Yes siiiirrrr. Thank you kindly my friend.

[YouoweYoupay]

They murdered him to shut him up! The starting steps of the story seemed too general at first and I wondered where it was going. (I dislike politics). However, what caught me like fish bait were the opening lines about the character I was supposed to care about. I liked these lines:
"It may not sound absurd to say that he was hated by the few in town for he sparked in them many concerns of the environment."

Also, the sound of justice and immovable courage was bigger than the genre I tend to stay away from. And I LOVE the last text the wife shared. It's chilling indeed! The flow of the tale you spun is familiar (big money swallowing -like whales- the well-being of the small, ordinary citizen.) However, the way you told it in your own unique style and refreshing set of emotions makes all the difference. I'm glad I read this short story. Thank you for sharing.

Never stop writing!
~Aysha.

[Sami Khalil]

Hi Aysha. I'm honored by your visit and thrilled that you liked this short story with its underlying message. I can tell you are a star in your own right. I do like your style in writing.

[Einstein Noodle]

hmmmmmmm seems you have had your say ... plainly stated tale .. many parallels in the real world .. your artists town reminds me of Taos NM ... where i lived briefly in the 60s ... a very small, artsy, and poor place to live .. but so very earthy and culturally colorful .. it wasn't industry that degraded Taos' simplicity of life .. but big money Hollywood actually .. buying and buying and driving up real estate prices until families who lived in their adobe for generations could not afford the taxes .. crazy huh!? i took my children to visit in the early 90s .. the Sunflower Leather Shop (where i worked) was still there .. as well as the apartment i lived in above .. but both were art galleries with very expensive art hanging everywhere .. i could still smell the pinon burning ...but the romance was gone ;) there is evil in the world isn't there Sami .. in many guises ..sad to say ... no one is safe from it .. not really :(
E.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! So true and well said sir Einstein. I love your story and I hope you can pen it down. Very fitting with this one. Look at all the concrete jungles that we have. No wonder you love the beautiful mountains of Arkansas. Enjoy them while you can sir till the big changes come. Thank you so much for all.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Interesting story weaving the local politics with the wider influences and powers at play in times when many worry about the environment. You give this the 'small Town' treatment but the expansion to involve the mafia suggests corruption and greed are everywhere. Traditional mafia execution and disposal. There are countless bodies in foundations of buildings in the USA and Italy in particular.

[Sami Khalil]

Whoa! So true and well said sir John. Many crimes are committed in the name of power and great that went unanswered and covered. If you notice in this story too I played with the title as concrete too which I thought it will be fitting with the concrete co. Big business indeed and second only to water needed for humanity. The question arises how do we balance our needs with protecting the environment and beautiful historic towns? Thank you so much for your visit and input. Watch out from the dust of those big mixers.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I guess the answer is to switch our priority from growth in markets and expansion in commerce to caring for one another and this planet.

[Sami Khalil]

I love it. We can strike a balance without going to extremes. Like moving the plant away from the town or towns and so forth. Gracie millee.

[barleygirl]

As I read the first half of this story, I was rather immersed in how your story seemingly reflects our current times with those who want to slow down progress & take care of the planet, up against those who say everything will even out later, without meddling, be it climate change or pandemic. But when your story moves into the who-done-it stages, all political pondering stopped becuz your storytelling is riveting. I especially loved the method of disposing of the artist. Murder happens so frequently in writing, it's hard to come up with a method of killing that's so fandangled, it's quite different & almost laughable in its extremes! This is one of your best stories. You really got everything balanced between expository & action, with nothing bogging down the fast clip of your narrative (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Sami Khalil]

Whoa Margie. An honor indeed coming from a mighty poet and writer. It encourages me tremendously to strive more. Your words of wisdom too are so right on. Thank you so much and may you be blessed.