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Big Al 14
Contributed by
ramfire
on
Sunday, 24th June 2007 @ 11:43:14 AM in AEST
Topic:
Lifepoems
|
I picked Jean Harlew up at her apartment and we drove to the hockey game. Because it was cold and windy she wore a long coat of dark gray wool that carried silver fox at the collar and around the cuffs. Her bobbed platinum hair was gorgeous. She was a knockout and I was a sucker for her.
This being October, the Blackhawks continued playing at the Chicago Coliseum, an old relic from the Civil War era used then in Richmond as a prison for captured union soldiers. It was later moved stone by stone and reconstructed at 16th and Wabash in Chicago. This year a new stadium was being built on West Madison Street, but the Blackhawks wouldn’t play there until December of next year. I didn’t think a new stadium would help for they were a lousy team and needed better players. Their record of winning was the worst in the league and odds against their winning tonight were three to one. My fifteen grand would bring me back a bundle if they won.
She cuddled up close to me as I drove, stroking my right arm affectionately.
“ Daddy, my fingers are crossed and I’m wishing with all my might the Blackhawks win.”
“ You little vixen. I know what’s on your mind.”
“ What’s that daddykins?”
“ A diamond tennis bracelet.”
“ Your are so smart. I want one with a lot of big diamonds. I want everyone I know that I have a rich sugar daddy that loves me. I want everyone to be jealous because they don’t have a daddy like you.”
I laughed at her brazenness, at her honesty, at her simple greedy heart. All this was so appealing because it represented the world in which we lived, the world in which I did business.
“ Don’t be winking at anyone when you’re with me.”
“ You’re crazy. I never wink at anyone when I’m with you.”
“ That’s Jake with me. Keep it that way. You’re my girl and never forget it.”
She snuggled closer putting her head on my shoulder. “ I’m your little vixen and can’t help it. That’s the kind of hairpin I am.”
I gave her a kiss. She drew away almost in fright. “ Keep your eyes on the road I don’t want to die.”
I avoided a near oncoming car. Some words came from my mouth without thinking.
“ When you die, we go out together, whether it be a car crash, bullet, or whatever.”
“You talk crazy. I don’t like it.”
“ Like it or not, that’s the way it is. I’ve got you under my skin and, baby, there’s no cure for it. You’ve got your claws deep within me. Why do you think I buy you so many things? I’m no good and you’re no good, but it doesn’t matter to me when you’re at my side.”
She thought that over for a while on her side of the car seat then asked a catish question.
“ What about Gloria DuPrey?”
“ What about her? She means nothing to me, a flat zero. She’s a liar and is playing some kind of angle.”
“ I don’t get yah. How’s she a liar? What kind of angle”?”
“ She told us that her father left her large inheritance and the house. I did some checking around and found out she’s just in from New York city and her father was a bail bondsman, no inheritance. I don’t know how she got the house, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is she lied. She gives me the heebie-jeebies. This afternoon when you weren’t there, she came to the office with a thousand dollar check for down payment on the ant5iques. While there, she asked me to have supper with her at the Yacht Club. I told her I already had a date and couldn’t go. I want to find out why she asked me out, other than liking my gray temples and finding me exciting.”
“ She told you those things?”
“ Yes, I was flattered. I told her I’d call her tomorrow around seven and we’d go to the
Yacht Club then. I want to know about her. If you don’t want me to call her, I won’t, Angel Face.”
She st there thinking and finally said,” I don’t like it. She’s a Sheba who might rob me of my daddy.”
“ I won’t call her. By the way, I’ve hired a snoop to find out who’s asking questions and trailing me. His name is Dooling, but we call him Danny Boy because he’s always humming that song. He’s out of Cicero. I have to know what’s coming down the pike and Danny Boy can help me.”
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Sheeeesch. Never a dull moment around you. Go ahead and see the Bee’s Knees if it’ll make you happy, but remember to keep your baby blues where they belong.”
I pulled the breezer into the parking lot and we went into the Coliseum. The Blackhawks won and that was that.
Eddie called the next day. Got your money, Big Al. What’s to do with it?”
“ Skim off a thousand for yourself and put the rest in the briefcase. Take it to the same bus station as before and give it a locker. Mail the key to me.”
“ Always good to do business with you, Big Al. How lucky can a guy get?” He hung up.
Latter in the day I took Jean to Tiffany’s on North Michigan Avenue to by her the tennis bracelet I’d promised if the Blackhawks won. We looked at several, but I didn’t see any that I wanted to buy. The jeweler went to the back room safe and came out with a black velvet lined open case with a diamond bracelet resting in it.
“This bracelet was designed in Italy and has 195 baguette and 270 round brilliant cut diamond of F color, VS2 clarity and excellent brilliance. It weighs 13.79 carats total. The dazzling baguette and round diamonds are set in 18 k white gold for a free flowing design of movement and life. It is 6.75 inches in length and approximately 5 inches wide. Perhaps this is something the lady might like.”
I gave him a question. “ How much is it?”
“ Fifteen thousand and three hundred dollars.”
I turned to Jean and asked, “ Do you like it?”
“ Oh yes, daddy. It’s beautiful. Can I try it on?”
I turned to the jeweler for the answer to that. He hesitated then reluctantly nodded his head yes. He gently removed the bracelet from the black lined leather case and carefully placed it around Joan’s right wrist clasping it closed. He gave us a big smile. “The bracelet looks like it were made for her wrist.”
“ I’ll write a check and when it clears give me a call. I’ll come pick it up.”
“ That’s fine.”
I wrote my office phone number on a note pad he handed me. The check I wrote was drawn on the First National Bank of Chicago. He accepted both then gently removed the bracelet from Jean’s wrist laying it carefully back in the black velvet lined leather fillagree case. He took it away to the office safe.
Without embarrassment Jean lifted her lips to mine giving me a kiss. When she let go I could see dancing movement in her blue eyes. “ Daddy, it’s so beautiful. I’ll wear it every place I go. I’ll never take it off.”
“ I don’t think so. You’ll wear it only on special occasions like when we go to Benny’s. Until then I’ll keep it in my safe. Too much showing would tend to cheapen it.”
I thought for a moment she was going to cry, but no, better judgement got the best of her and she simply gave a slight smile then pouting lips. “ You know I”m going to have to see it every day.”
I gave her pouting lips an answer. “ We can do that if you’re a good girl and don’t give me any trouble.”
“ Daddy, the bracelet’s the cat’s meow. It’s the berries. I’ll always be good for you, daddy, and never give you any trouble.”
We left Tiffany’s tooling the breezer back to the office.
Copyright ©
ramfire
... [
2007-06-24 11:43:14]
(Date/Time posted on
site)
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