There’s this guy, he’s been hangin’ around the bar recently. He musta heard about the place from someone ‘cause we ain’t exactly big on advertisin’ the joint. But he’s in almost every night. Young guy, early-twenties, well brought up. Preppy as fuck. No-one knew what to make of him when he first started showin’ up, but he stuck out like a dogs balls.

He’s a little quiet at first, he tried to talk to a few people, but I’ll give him this, he knew when to shut the fuck up. And slowly, over the course of a few weeks people started to accept him.

Anyway, he starts to try to get pally with some of my boys. And they saw him as some kinda novelty, they busted his balls, they joked with him, and they drank the drinks he was buyin’. He seemed to get some kind of kick out of bein’ with them, like he was some pretend gangster or somethin’. But like I said, he was buyin’ lots of drinks and they humoured him while this was all goin’ on.

One night the boys were celebrating. TJ and Mikey had just had a big score on somethin’ they’d been plannin’ for weeks, and it was a real big score. Mikey and I go back years, we grew up in the same neighbourhood so they’re good guys, they’d kicked up and when they did they insisted I joined them for the party. I was in my usual place, at the end of the bar and things had started to get a little loud as the party started building up a head of steam. I’d been talkin’ to Mikey, he was tellin’ me all the details from the job, the way he described the night-watchman’s face when he realised he’s pissed in his pants, oh man it was fuckin’ hilarious!

I noticed TJ had been collared by the preppy kid. The kid was lookin’ over at me, then back to TJ, talkin’ to him, and lookin’ real excited about somethin’. TJ just kept shakin’ his head, but the kid seemed to just keep goin’ and after a while I saw TJ throw his arms up, and they both walked over to the bar.

Now the boys know that you never talk ‘business’ with me when there’s a civilian who can hear. You just don’t fuckin’ do it. So as soon as they got to the bar our conversation stopped.

“Eggs, this is a guy I know, he wan’ed to meet you” TJ said, in a voice that also conveyed a silent apology.

“Mister Esposito, it’s a real pleasure to make your acquaintance sir. The name’s Chip, Chip Miller. I just want to say what a fantastic place you have here, it’s wonderful, just wonderful!”

Now on a different day, and under different circumstances I may have been less than happy to meet this guy. But this was a party, and Chip was a curiosity, so I went along with the game.

“The pleasure is all mine Chip Miller” I said with a smile, “and I’m glad you like the place, I heard you’ve become somethin’ of a fixture in here, are we going to have to add you to the inventory?”; I held my hand out for him to shake.

He grabbed my hand with both of his and began shaking it vigorously, pumping it up and down, up and down.

“Oh no Mister Esposito, hahaha, you don’t need to add me to an inventory!”

His laugh was nervous, but genuine, and he was still shaking my hand.

He looked down suddenly at my hand in his, he realised what he’d done, how long it had continued, gulped and released. Quickly he started patting the pockets in his sports jacket and pulled out a silver cigarette case. He opened it and held it up to me, “may I offer you a cigarette?”

I smiled and held up my left hand, showing him the cigarette burning in it.

“No thanks Chip Miller, I’m good”.

“A drink then. May I buy you a drink”.

Still smiling I pointed toward the glass next to me on the bar with a large measure of whiskey in it. “Later maybe, but thanks”.

I could see the look on TJs face, he was looking straight at me and waiting for me to silently dismiss them with a gesture. But I was in a good mood, I’d had a couple of drinks and this kid seemed harmless enough, so I simply smiled at TJ. Our entertainment had arrived.

can i join

Something I’ve learned in this life is that you find out everything you can about someone new as quickly as you can, and you give them as little back as you can. It’s somethin’ that keeps you in touch with liberty, and avoids certain occupational hazards that can present themselves. Chip Miller was an interesting guy. He was old money, or at least as old as money gets in this country. Way back in time his family had plantations, made a fuckin’ fortune in cotton. His great-grandfather or somethin’ had gotten out of that business and invested in real estate in New York. On paper they owned about half of the fucking city, or that’s how it sounded, and they also had interests in publishing, chemicals, they even had a bundle tied up in the movie business out in California. You could say he was very well connected, but not in the way you or I would think.

So there’s this kid, fucking drowning in money, who knows everyone else in the whole fuckin’ country who’s drownin’ in money, and he wants to hang out with the likes of me. Christ on the cross, I don’t know what I done to deserve this, but right now God is lookin’ down and sayin’ “Good boy Eggs, this one’s on the house”.

So I get a coupla guys I know to check him out, cops who….. well let’s just say are grateful for my donations to the Widows and Orphans fund. And it all checks out. The kid’s got more money than God and he’s bored, he’s lookin’ for interestin’ friends and he’s landed in my joint. I mean the first sign of any real business and this kid is gonna realise this life ain’t like the fuckin’ stories he’s been readin’ in them cheap books you can pick up at the news stand, and he’s gonna piss in his pants and start asking for his momma, but if he wants gangster friends, for now that’s just fine with me, he just don’t realise what it’s gonna cost him.

I let the kid hang out at the bar, made sure everyone made him feel welcome, got him real comfortable. Then after a while I saw him in the bar and I invited him up to my office. He sat down on the sofa and I opened a bottle of real nice Cognac and handed him a cigar. He seemed right at home so I got straight to the point.

“Listen, Chip. I need to ask you for somethin’, and you know I ain’t the sort of guy who asks for things unless he needs to”

Chip put his glass down on the mahogany table and looked serious.

“What is it Mister Esposito? If I can help, then I want to. It sounds real exciting!”.

“No no no, it’s nothing like that. See the thing is I do what I can to help the people in this neighbourhood. I do a lot through the church, the Saint Vincent De Paul, the orphanage - you know there’s a coupla kids from there I’m puttin’ through law school? Then there’s the gym, we got some good fighters comin’ through, kids who could make it big! It’s about bein’ a pillar of the community, showin’ that there are people who can help them with the troubles in their lives. Doin’ some good, ya know? But there’s so much need, there’s good people here, hard workin’ people, and I can only do so much. So here’s the thing, I want you to introduce me to some people who could help me. People with money who would be willin’ to give somethin’ back to the community….. all tax deductible of course”.

“Oh that’s easy! I know lots of people who would be happy to do something like that. I mean they’d probably want to have their name on a plaque or something, in fact that’s a certainty, but it would be my honour to introduce you to some of my other friends. I hope you don’t mind me saying this Mr Esposito, but I think they’d get a real kick out of meeting someone with your, erm, background”

I didn’t react to his final comment. I didn’t think it was meant to be insulting, maybe it was an attempt to break my balls, if it was someone like him should know better than to do that with someone like me, but I let it slide.

Chip sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. “Do you play golf? Or tennis?”

I’d never played either of them. But golf, that’s just hittin’ a ball with a stick right? How fuckin’ hard could that be? I’ve hit plenty of things with sticks, and most of the time they’ve been tryin’ to get away, golf would be a walk in the park compared to that. But I couldn’t say I’d never done either, so I bent the truth a little.

“It’s been a long time since I played golf, but I could give it a try again I suppose. What do you have in mind?”

“Well, we have founder’s membership at a country club in Purchase, that’s in Westchester County, the Old Oaks Country Club. It’s quite lovely, wonderful golf course, tennis, and a pool. The food is excellent too. That would be the perfect venue to introduce you to some of my friends, and perhaps they would be interested to help with your projects? And if you like it I could propose you for membership!”

This was starting to shape up.

I agreed to meet Chip at this country club of his at the weekend. We’d play golf at 9am then have lunch. I’d meet a couple of people playing golf then he’d introduce me around in the club house after the game. Some lunch, maybe a game of cards in the afternoon, or just some relaxation by the pool. It sounded like a great day. But for one thing. How the fuck do you play golf?

I made some calls, there were a couple of guys I thought might like to do somethin’ like that. The third call I made was to Mikey, I remembered him tellin’ me once how he used to caddy at one of these places when he was a kid and how some of the bored wifes who played tennis while their husbands we on the golf course used to give him a little bonus from time to time, Mikey always was a handsome bastard. So I told Mikey I needed to learn to play golf well enough not to look like a complete ciuco by the weekend. Man he laughed so much I thought he was gonna die!

“Eggs, what the fuck kind of crazy-ass scheme are you pullin’ here? Hahahahaha, you think you can learn this in an hour or somethin’? Golf is a skilful game, it could be considered an art, it takes years to get good!”

“Come on Mikey, it’s hittin’ a fucking ball with a stick, how hard can it be? I don’t wanna be able to set any records here, I just wanna….. I just don’t wanna look like a fool OK?”

We got through his initial resistance and set a time to meet. He’d show me how to hold the bat, no, that’s not right….. the club, he’d show me how to swing it, and he’d tell me how the game is played. He wasn’t optimistic but it would be funny anyway, so what the hell?

And you know what? I wasn’t half bad. Now that means I wasn’t half good either, but it would do. And Mikey let me have a loan of his bats. So I was all set.

I drove myself up there. I knew this was a swanky place and I was tryin’ to do the ‘respectable entrepreneur’ routine, so gettin’ one of my guys to do the drivin’.... well that would likely as not get me off to a bad start. And I had to be careful how I carried myself. I had to watch my Ps and Qs. Not so much that I looked like I was tryin’, but enough to look at least half respectable.

The kid Chip was waiting for me when I arrived. He looked real nervous, like he was havin’ second thoughts. Turned out we’d be playin’ with his father and some business associate of his and I got the feelin’ when we met that Mister Miller took an instant dislike to me.

The introductions were made and the reception was frosty. Not rude, perhaps a little discourteous, definitely curt. 

When he asked me what my handicap was I didn’t understand that was a golf thing;I thought he was insulting me, so my response of “What? Handicap? No, I ain’t handicapped” confused us all. It didn’t take long to sort that out though.

But by the third hole I think I’d won ‘em over a little. I was charming, I was polite, I was self-deprecatin’, and these old money bastards like to think they’re above everyone else, so he loved all that. He even tried to pull one over on me, on the tee for the tenth hole he said

“How about we make this more interesting? Perhaps a wager on each hole for the rest of the game?”

I was playing like the novice I was, I knew that, he knew that, and he knew he’d win every bet. So I told him, real nice, that I only bet when I think I’m gonna win, and I didn’t think I was gonna win anything here, so how about a rain check until I get the hang of this game a little better? He bought it. I could tell he wanted to add to his feeling of superiority by having me hand over some cash to him after he’d beaten me, and I’d been about as humble as I could stomach for one mornin’.

After the golf, which Chip and I lost by the way, we went to have lunch. The food was as good as Chip had said it was, and the company was as insufferable as I expected it to be. I was a fish out of water in this place, trying to play it cool, the unflappable businessman. That’s not to say I was nervous, it just felt like everyone was lookin’ at me, and I don’t like people lookin’ at me.

The guy who we’d been playin’ golf with took a real interest in me at lunch. We’d been joined by Chip’s Mom and this guy’s wife who had been playin’ tennis, and I wondered if either of them knew Mikey. There was perhaps a bit of an Italian look to Chip, I started laughing at the thought and quickly made an excuse to say I was just thinking about how bad my golf game was and what must they have thought of me. I got away with it.

“Esposito. That’s an Italian name isn’t it?”

“Yes it is, I came here with my family when I was eight years old”.

“And you say you have an import business?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And business is good?”

“I can’t complain, it could be better, but it could be a lot worse”.

At that point a guy I recognised walked towards our table. You know that expression someone has when they think they recognise you but they ain’t sure? Well he had that expression. And when he was about six feet away his expression changed quickly when he realised he did know me. The guy was a judge, and he knew me because, well let’s just say he and I have done business together when some friends of mine have been in his court room. I gotta give the guy his dues, he pretended like everything was normal. He kept walking and he put his hand on my shoulder saying “Mister Esposito, I didn’t know you were a member here!”

“Judge Spencer. It’s nice to see you. No, I’m not a member, just a guest for today, but it’s a nice place, maybe I should apply to join?”

“Well, if you need anyone to second your application I’d be more than happy……. Oh, I’m so sorry, I don’t want to intrude on your lunch, you know where to find me if you need a signature on your membership forms. Ladies, Gentlemen”.

He smiled at everyone seated at the table then turned quickly and walked away, his face looked a little pale.

Mrs Miller was intrigued that I should know the judge.

“You know Judge Spencer?”

“Yes, he’s a customer. I have delis as well as the import business, and the Judge’s wife loves good salami and olives”.

“Doesn’t everyone love some good Salami Mr Esposito?”

She started laughing at her own joke, her husband didn’t seem amused by the innuendo, and I looked at Chip again, thinking about Mikey.

“Please excuse my wife Mr Esposito” Miller said with a face like thunder, “sometimes her sense of humour extends beyond the bounds of good taste”. This last part was spoken very pointedly to his wife, who quickly stopped laughing and took a sip of her drink.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean Mister Miller, good salami should be savoured and enjoyed at every opportunity” I said with a straight face while Mrs Miller snorted into her glass.

I looked straight at Miller and diffused the situation by saying, “businesses like mine depend on it”.

Our fellow golfer, Jackson, then changed the subject back to me.

“So, an immigrant? I’m guessing you didn’t speak much English when you arrived?”

“That’s right, barely a word”

“And yet you’ve managed to set up an import business as well as a string of delicatessens? Well that sounds like the American dream, a real success story. It’s impressive, our readers would love to read all about you and how you’ve come to have such success”.

Jackson was the editor of one of Miller’s magazines.

“Oh, I don’t think they’d be interested in me, and if you want to write something wouldn’t it be more interesting to write about what people like me are doing to help the poor in our neighbourhoods?”

“We could do a two-part piece, maybe even three or four part. Immigrant boy, not a penny to his name, pulls himself up by the bootstraps, fights against the odds to make something of himself, then gives back to the community. It would be inspirational, we could make you a folk hero Mister Esposito”.

“Please, call me Benedict. And no, I don’t think so. I’m a private person, I like it better that way”.

“As you wish, but please don’t be offended if I try to persuade you again. I think you have a fascinating story, and I can’t resist a fascinating story”.

This was goin’ great. I was gonna have to play a long game here, but with a little time I would get to know more and more about these people. I’d gain their trust, I’d find their weaknesses and then I’d exploit them. Looking around the room I made some quick judgments about the people.

Guy eating lunch with his prim looking family, he’s a sexual deviant, blackmail for him.

Woman walking to the table with her husband, wearing far too much jewellery for the middle of the day, robbery, maybe kidnap and ransom, maybe both.

Miller, greedy bastard, ready to swindle anyone and not give a fuck about them. You know what, I shouldn’t criticise that too much. But there's an angle on him too, maybe a big con, a pump and dump on some shares in a shell company, yeah, he could be a big score. Chip really didn’t know what he’d done.

The lunch ended, not a moment too soon, if I’d had to take one more minute trapped at a table with these over-privileged fucks I’da pucked. Honest to God these people wouldn’t know a hard days work if it came along and refilled their martini glass.

I like to end a meal with coffee, I drink too much of the stuff but at the end of a meal there’s nothing better than coffee and a cigar….. I mean, maybe coffee a cigar and a brandy on the side, but you know, prohibition. The brandy could wait until later. So as we left the table I mentioned coffee to Chip and he suggested we take it on the veranda where there was a good view of the pool and some of the gardens. This was Chip’s world and I was getting sick of it, which meant I was getting sick of him, but I decided to stick it out for a while, and I was glad I did.

We took a seat outside and ordered the coffee and cigar, Chip was sticking with his cigarette. We were right next to the main walk-way in and out of the building which meant plenty of people stopped to talk to Chip, and he introduced me, small talk mostly but that’s how it all starts. The waiter comes out with our coffee, in a silver coffee pot of course and those dainty little cups, he sets it down on the table and clips then end from my cigar before handing it to me. I rolled the cigar in my fingers and held it briefly to my nose, it was moist enough so I placed it in my mouth and started searching in my pockets for a lighter.

“Allow me” says the waiter, stepping in front of me before stooping down a little with a lighter he had quickly produced from a pocket in his white jacket. He held the flame just below the cigar and I inhaled to get the thing burning. He stepped aside to pour the coffee leaving me looking straight at the pool.

As the smoke floated away it was like I saw a vision. I was looking towards the pool and what did I see but Aphro-fucking-dite herself emerging from the water!

You know how it is with our way of life, broads are there when you want one, and I’ve always been pretty cool around them, easy come, easy go. But she was somethin’ special. Tall, slim, elegant, just rising from the water as if she was being lifted by angels, I swear to God I could almost hear them singing.

I very nearly lost my cool. I could feel the cigar starting to hang from my mouth and I became aware I was staring. I snapped out of it when I heard Chip’s voice, he was laughing.

“I see you’ve noticed Joy, beautiful isn’t she?”

Beautiful didn’t even come close.

***

At that moment my immediate agenda changed. Yeah I was there to work out who I could roll and how, but I had never seen anyone or anything as breathtakingly beautiful as Joy. These people would still have money tomorrow, next week, next month, whatever, but I would never have the moment of my first vision of Joy again, and I was there to meet people, I had to meet her, and Chip could introduce us.

So we walked over and Chip introduced us, it was the first time I heard her voice. I’d never felt this weak with a woman before, hell I’d never felt this weak with anyone before, but her voice just added to the allure, it was soft and silky, it washed over you leaving you feeling warm and comfortable, it was soothing and sexy at the same time and I was entranced by her.

She sat patting dry her hair with a white towel and asked if we’d like to have our coffee moved to sit with her. I’d forgotten about the coffee, I’d forgotten about everything. But it was moved and we were talking easily, she was an absolute delight. After only a few minutes one of the staff came with a message for Chip, his parents were leaving so he made his apologies and left me with the Goddess Joy. To think only a few minutes earlier I was ready to blow this popsicle stand!

Joy and I were getting on great, she was friendly but was also playing very hard to get. I liked that. I had started to relax as much as I dared and started to work the old Eggs charm. It didn’t matter that I was wearing plus fours and a sweater while she was sitting next to the pool in a bathing costume, I was usually conscious of what I wore, the right thing for the right occasion, but none of that mattered to me now.

I don’t know how much time went by, I was lost in the moment, but that moment was interrupted by this young guy who walked over and said:

“Joy, what are you doing talking to this….. man” I didn’t like the pause, I didn’t like the way he said “man” like it was an insult, and I sure as hell didn’t like him interrupting us.

“I’ll talk to whomever I choose thank you” was her curt reply to this asshole.

I stood up, I took this guy by the arm and gently turned him away before leaning over to whisper in his ear. He took a step back and looked at me, he could see I was serious and he walked away quickly without another word.

“Who was that?” I asked Joy while retaking my seat.

“That’s Roger”, she said his name as if it were poison, “he’s been coming on to me for years, he’s a nasty piece of work and I always turn him down but he gets jealous when he sees me talking to anyone else”

“And you two were never a thing?”

“Me and Roger? God no, not if he was the last man alive!” Her voice changed from incredulity to curiosity, “so what did you just say to him?”

“Oh not much, I suggested that it would be better for his health and the prospects of any offspring he may hope to have that he should leave now”

“You threatened to cut his balls off?”

I closed my lips tightly and bobbed my head from side to side “yeah, that’s a pretty good summary”

She laughed so loud the people around us turned to look so she quickly put her hand in front of her mouth, her eyes were sparkling.

“You’re a useful man to have around Mr Benedict”

“Well I could be around a little more if you like, how about we hit the town tonight?”

The hard to get act came back on as quickly as Roger had yanked it away.

“I’ll go out with you tonight Mr Benedict, but only if you can take me to the Opera”

“The Opera? Really?”

“Really. The Met have a performance of La traviata tonight. Tickets are impossible to get. If you can get tickets to that then I’ll know you really are a useful man to have around”.

“But I don’t know anything about opera, how do you know I’ll like it?”

“Well, firstly this one’s in Italian, so you’ll understand it. And secondly I want to see it and I don’t really care whether you’ll enjoy it. But if you don’t there may be very little chance of us becoming friends”.

“OK, well we know where we both stand don’t we?” I said with a smile. “What time does the show begin?”

“8pm, you can pick me up at seven” I was already standing and trying to figure out where I’d seen a phone, “and Mister Benedict….”, I turned and her eyes fell to my plus fours, “you might want to change”.

I nodded and laughed, “yeah, this isn’t my best look”.

I had some calls to make and some favours to call in

This was a time to make use of the fact I was ‘connected’. I made one call and was told I’d have an answer in half an hour. Suddenly I remembered Mikey’s golf bats…. fuck I did it again, clubs, Mikey’s golf clubs. So I went back round to where I’d left them, just outside the mens changing room. They weren’t there. Fuck, fuck, fuck, I always return what I borrow from a friend, always, where the hell were they? I started looking around, trying to think if I’d moved them somewhere else, as I started to get angry with myself a small man in country club uniform walked towards me.

“Mr Esposito?”

“Yes”

“If you’re looking for your clubs I had one of the valets place them in your automobile, I hope that’s satisfactory sir?”

Shit, the service here was amazing, maybe I would join after all, get a few of my associates to join too, we’d tear this fucking place up, it would be a scream!

“Uh, yeah, yeah, that’s great….. Thanks”

He stood there, just looking at me, his expression neutral.

“Oh, yeah, sorry”, I folded a dollar bill and handed it to him

“My pleasure Mr Esposito, anything else I can do for you?”

“No...no, that’s great, thanks for your help. Well done”

Well done? What the fuck? This woman has really got in your head Eggs. Time to snap out of it.

I went back to the phone and waited. The whole golf bat thing had taken about 15 minutes, I waited for another 10 minutes, just standing there smiling at the people who walked past looking me up and down. It had been 25 minutes, I was done waiting, I was about to ask for another call to be connected when the receptionist informed me I had a call. I snatched up the handset and placed the speaker to my ear.

“What’s the news? Did you get them?”. There was only one person who’d be calling me here.

“Yeah, I got ‘em, you remember that guy from the thing? Well when I called him he remembered he owed you a favour, he’s got a box, says it’s all yours tonight, you could bring another coupla people too if you want”

I exhaled. I hadn’t realised I was holding my breath since I’d last spoken. The relief was incredible.

“You done good Charlie, thanks, tickets at the door?”

“They’ll be there waitin’ for ya”.

I hung up. Bring another couple of people? No way, I wanted her all to myself more than I’d wanted anything before.

“Can you reconnect me to that number sweetheart?” I called over to the receptionist.

“One moment please sir”, I waited, she looked at me and nodded “connecting that call now sir, please pick up the instrument”

“Charlie? Yeah, it’s me again, listen, I need you to organise dinner for me after the show. That place in Little Italy that I like, with the private room at the back, I want the room……. I don’t know what time it finishes, say we’ll be there at 10.30, and tell ‘em if there’s anything not available from the menu they need to get it by 10.30 capiche? I’ll take good care of them if they do this for me. Yeah, OK, thanks Charlie”

I drove home, I washed and had my second shave of the day. I put on my best tux and stood tying and retying my bow-tie for about half an hour until Bruno told me he’s had the car waiting out front for about 10 minutes.

We drove to Joy’s building. It was in a decent street, near the park. Bruno had picked up some flowers earlier, roses, I wasn’t sure if it would be too much but I thought “hell with it” and grabbed them as I got out of the car and walked to the elevator. I knocked in the door and when it opened I nearly hit the floor. When Joy dressed up she was a vision of beauty, a black cocktail dress, a simple gold necklace and a perfume I had never smelled before but wanted to smell forever. I smiled and handed her the flowers.

“Oh, how sweet, I adore white roses. But we’ll be late if I arrange them now”.

“Well we don’t want to be late for my first opera” I replied, “let’s go, my driver is waiting for us outside”.

“Your driver? Mr Benedict you are full of surprises”, she placed the roses on a table just inside the door and walked out into the hallway. As she turned to lock the door I stepped back, she looked as good from behind as she did from the front, her blonde hair was cut in a long bob resting on the black shawl she had on her shoulders, her dress was perfectly fitted and the seams in her stockings were perfectly straight. She was immaculate from head to toe.

We went to the opera, and I have to say it made me feel quite emotional. I’m a hard man, I live a hard life, but this brought something out in me I’ve never felt before. We went for dinner and she told me about her passion for the arts, for painting, for ballet, for opera, this was a world away from what I knew and I was captivated. She had gained a pupil and I had gained a teacher.

The rest? Well that’s how I met Mrs Esposito and how I became the luckiest guy in the world. She still calls me ‘Mr Benedict’ from time to time, usually when she wants something.

I joined the country club, and I got pretty good at golf. The other members there seem to get a bit ticked off when I call the clubs bats, but that’s their problem, I just can’t get clubs to stick in my head. And I got a couple of my boys to make sure all the caddies knew if they so much as looked at Joy in a way I didn’t like I’d be driving their balls off the tee in my next round.

I got numerous donations for my charitable work, all of the funds came to my organisation so naturally we took an administration fee, that’s easy to do when you tell the rich that things will cost 20% more than the real sum. And chip was right, they did all want fucking plaques that said “This school library was donated by Wilberforce Spencer III for the benefit of the community and the betterment of it’s children” or some similar bullshit. And they were all there when the ribbons were cut and the flashbulbs went off and their picture was in the paper for everyone to see what a wonderful citizen they were. And it was all tax deductible for them. And as soon as the cameras stopped flashing they got back in their big automobiles and drove away as fast as they could. I fucking hate those people, but they have their uses.

The guy eating lunch with the prim looking family, remember him? Well I was right about him too. Fuck I didn’t know people could get off on some of the things he got off on, but he paid well for that information not to get out I heard, a man in his position would, not that anyone would have wanted to print those pictures, I could hardly bring myself to look at them! I did hear that he wasn’t sure he would be able to pay for his daughters to go to college, but he still buys a new car every year so fuck him and fuck them. Don’t tell me a Congressman can’t afford to be taxed a little, and besides, when he starts doing what he’s told he’ll get a tax break, it’s just a matter of time.

And Chip? Well, we don’t see him at the speakeasy no more, seems like his father lost a lot of money betting on the stock market, turns out the company he’d bought heavily in to had been cooking the books for years and it went bust just six months after he invested. Funny thing is I sold my stock in that company for a great price just as he bought in to it, ain’t that a coincidence? I still see them at the country club from time to time, and I always buy Chip and Mrs Miller a drink. His father tried to have me barred from the place but the day after he put his complaint in to the membership committee he had a terrible accident and now has difficulty walking, so without anyone else to substantiate his complaint the committee threw it out. I don’t know why he still goes to the club, he just sits there looking angry most of the time. I’ve never offered to buy him a drink.

Oh yeah, and Roger. That’s a mystery. He was coming on to Joy like crazy again after she and I met, and he seemed to take a bravery pill when I told him to back the fuck off, got all in my face and came out with this “Or what?” kind of shit. I didn’t want to create a scene at the club with my membership application pending so Joy and I simply got in the car and drove away. That’s the last time I saw him; seems like it was the last time anyone saw him.