Film Noir

Film Noir By the lamppost at night with the pale moon shining bright but obscured by the fog I saw her in the harbor standing where my boat lay moored but she knew that her azure eyes beckoned me to come smoke from a cigarette in her hand trailing upward and blending with the mist and a gold braid around her wrist I remembered my gift I stood there transfixed if for only a moment then I walked to her slowly and tipped my fedora and the little joke we shared in love I asked,”Where have been all my life? Waiting for you, she said I laughed at her resentfully and sighed You left me here from this place without a note, without a trace I scoured old haunts, you weren’t there you left as if you didn’t care Remember our walks along the shore your favorite drink, our special place in a cafe by the window where the sun would shine on your hair and leaving a golden glint as it did on my boat when it was in full sail Then one day you went away our love became a mystery that was never solved now you’re here and I ask you, why? There was a war she said I lost this guy and you came along to fill the void and share my grief I loved you, Jake ,your silly hat the way you tipped it, the boat ,the cat who begged for fish after every catch she paused and lit another smoke Then one day, he showed up, his name was Clive the guy I mentioned had survived and left his tags with a guy who died and he became an MIA he was hiding out in Mandalay involved in something, he wouldn’t say but he wanted me there, he promised me fame I was a singer you know and all the dough that I could want or I could take I just had to know how to play the game but I thought of you, Jake and what we had and I told him ,No He got mean, Jake and threatened to expose me for what I really was and I couldn’t bear for you to hear my sordid past, my constant fear We’re both alike you and me, he said we’ll take what the world has to give or grab it by the throat or I’ll expose you if you don’t As time went by it didn’t take long to see he was singing a different song his lies, his schemes, his other dolls I lost my respect and I didn’t care I had to get out, I needed a plan to rid myself of this rotten man There was this guy, Buck who ran the bar, he pitied my plight that I was in, he hated Clive as much as I I told him I watched Clive at the end of each night the cash he hid in a special place no doubt to leave in a hurry when things got hot he would check to see how much was stashed if it was worth the dare, we would split down the middle and make our departure as soon as we could I knew a Burmese captain of a scow who asked no questions for a fee he’d have some cabins for you and me Just before closing, I feigned getting ill and called for Clive to aid me somehow to stay awhile and give me a pill and while he was there, Buck went to that spot took the cash and lit out that night to wait for me at a pre destined place My bag was packed in another room I told Clive I would rest and join him soon but as soon as he left I slipped out to the back grabbed a bag and headed for freedom away from that man thinking of you and to make things right She paused for a moment and put out her smoke and I thought I saw a drop of blood form on the corner of her mouth she quickly wiped her hand across her face and continued her story at a slower pace I arrived at the pier where the scow lay docked took one look behind me and looked at the clock on the building we were to meet I checked my watch and matched the time I saw a jeep and he saw me two grips in his hand and a smile on his face he said, I got the dough , I’ll leave the jeep it’s the least I can do for that miserable creep I said ,there’s no time to waste, just show me the dough we’ll split it up now and get ready to go he said, Oh, I’m ready but the plans have changed I’ll leave you enough to change your luck this one’s for you and this one’s for Buck I suspected as much and I scoured as he grinned but his mouth formed an O as he looked down below a knife in his stomach pulsed blood from his guts too late I saw his gun come up as he fell I felt a pain in my side and clutched at my coat I picked up my bags and summoned the strength to get onto the boat I said to the captain, there’s double the price if we get away soon just pick up some steam and head for Rangoon he patched me up as good as he could with the aid of rum and smoldering wood to cauterize the wound for awhile I knew it was wrong to take his life but I was prepared to kill him to end all this strife as a precautionI took the knife that we cut bait with a long time ago the knife stirred up memories that you and I had that pressed my decision to leave that cad the wound didn’t heal, the lead stayed inside I was resigned to my fate to see you once more before it’s too late…and here you are She collapsed in my arms and I held her tight with tears in my eyes , her audible sighs gasping for breath and leaning toward death And before she expired her hand on my face, she said Where have you been all my life? waiting for you, I cried, waiting for you A tribute to the black and white movies prevalent in the late 30’s and early 40’s Sponsored by Silent One September 29, 2017