Big Al

We sat at a round table. She was always quick with a comeback remark. That was okay with
me. I liked it. Her platinum hair reflected the soft light of the speakeasy. I opened my cigarette
case and offered it. She took a cigarette and put it to her lips. Flame from my lighter gave it life..
She blew smoke away, red fingernails keeping time on the table top to the music coming from
the combo at the front of the place. She spoke, a sudden flash of anger in her blue eyes.
"You’re a piece of work, Al. Why’d you bring me to this joint. It’s nothing but a dinge."
"Shut up and drink your whiskey. I’m going to meet a couple of guys here and you’re
nothing but window trimming."
" I like that! Nothing but smart words."
" Listen darling, this means a lot of money to me and I can’t have you blowing it. You look
smart and not another dame in here compares to you. That mink coat alone put me back a
bundle."
"Who are these guys,"
" Friends. Act nice and it wouldn’t hurt none if you showed your gams a little."
The combo was blackjack playing a beat that many were moving around the dance floor.
Musicians were from "Nawlans",brought in by Jake LaMotta, club’s owner. A disco-ball
revolved multi-color patterns on the four walls - if you looked at them any length of time you’d
get vertigo. The place was full of cigarette and cigar smoke- who cared? There was booze to
drink and Prohibition was keeping its ugly head outside the doors. Dirty, round wooden tables,
with nothing on them but shot glasses and ashtrays, filled the place. Tables were back from the
front area where the black foursome played saxophone, trumpet, licorice-stick, and base. Things
were jumping.
I lit one of my own cigarettes drawing smoke deep into my lungs. I watched as one of
LaMotta’s gorillas opened a side door to let a couple of guys come in. They were Casino’s
soldiers, the pair I’d been waiting for. They wore good looking suits with fedoras. I went over to
meet them. We shook hands. I spoke to the near one.
" Good looking cloth. Must have set you back a couple of C notes."
" They’re for slumming .. What’s on your mind?"
"Thanks for coming. I’ve got a table and we can talk there."
I led them over to where she sat with legs crossed showing a lot of skin.
"This is Jean. She’s with me."
They smiled at her and pulled up a couple of chairs to sit. They let their eyes rest on the
crossed legs for a few lingering moments. One spoke.
"My name’s Bob, this is Glen. Do you always drink your whiskey out of shot glass. I would
have thought Al would bring you to some place with a little more class."
Lifting her hand casually, she released the cigarette from her red lips"and gave the hard case
a fifty thousand dollar smile. "Class is where you find it. Don’t you think?"
I cut her off short. "Take a powder, baby. Make yourself more beautiful. Give us fifteen
minutes. Then come back. I don’t want these guys to lose their eyeballs just looking at you. We
got things to talk about and I need their attention."
She pouted lifting the shot glass she’d been using. She threw its whiskey down her throat.
"Whatever you say, Big Al. Nice meeting you Bob, Glen." She left.
"Some looker, Al. Where’d you find her?"
" At a five and ten cent store. Let’s get down to business. I’ve got a load of one hundred proof
whiskey at the Canadian border waiting for my word to roll. It can be Casino’s for twenty
thousand G’s. It’s prime stuff. You won’t find anything better.”"
The one called Glen spoke."Don’t you think that’s a little high?"
" Not for this stuff. Guaranteed to be the best. We’ll deliver right to your door - wherever you
want it. Ten thousand up front and ten thousand when it’s delivered."
"Where you staying?"
" The Regent."
"Wait there for a call. Casino will let you know if he’s interested."
They got up and left. I waited for Jean. She came and we left. I took her to her apartment and
dropped her off.

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