14TH NaNoWriMo Novel In A Month episode for 11/13/12

BINGO BOY - post 14

The three conspirators met for lunch. Boy, them cheese steaks were greasy. You know, the kind where oil runs down your hand, under your watch band and down along your arm? Lot a napkins. You need a lot a napkins. But WHY do these places always have such little, light flimsy ones? Some people scarfed the food down standing up. They had this long 'eatin'' shelf with little pots a ketchup for the fries. But our three commandeered one a the tables, just like a party a pregnant bitches or crippled up old farts. Shelf crowd looks like Ken Wahl circa twenty years ago. You know, armor-like leather jacket, 'wife beater', long nickle chains hangin' from belt loops for God knows what. And they reek from stink weeds. It's crazy, but the poorer they are the more they smoke... like they're runnin' short on handicaps, or something. But nobody  looks at our three. Cheese steak eatin' is a brain intensive activity. Folks just chomp and chew and swallow. Then they suck little wads a fat out from between their teeth. Then they eat the french fries (huge cup, boardwalk style). Then they chug the soda. Then they smoke some butts. Life is good.....

Marty goes - I told you, nobody.... nobody is gonna miss him. Jeez, how many times you want me to say it?....... Little Chrissie goes - Yeah, but Marty, I know she's got something gone on with Jimmy. He eats over there sometimes. He's friends with her grandfather. Won't she think? Won't she know? Won't she know something's wrong?...........Ricky wants a know too, but man that sandwich is good. No Cheese Whiz. This joint uses provolone.  Actually, maybe he don't wanna face what's gonna happen. That could be it too..... Marty says - She can't even keep her shoes tied. She can't even keep her pants up. Her? She won't know nothin'.  I know he gives her money. All I gotta do it slip her an envelope with a couple thou in it and say it's from Jimmy. Say he had to go back to the old country for a while. She couldn't even find Jersey on a map. What the hell is she gonna do?...... Little Chrissie sighs and says - OK...... Marty says - So that's it? We're goin'? It's a done deal? We're ready to roll? Please god, don't tell me somethin' else now. Ricky, you all right with this?........... Ricky just nods, but the muscles in his face don't even move....... Marty goes - OK, now look. Don't tell me nothin'. I don't wanna know nothin'. I don't wanna hear nothin.' Don't say anything. Don't say ANYTHING. It's safer that way. It's better. It's better for everybody. I don't care if you flush him down a toilet, or feed him to the sharks. I don't care. I do not care........ He offers his hand. They all shake. Marty slides an envelope to Ricky and one to Little Chrissie too. They hold the stacks close and discreetly count 'em.

It's tomorrow. Rained a little bit. Dry now. Ricky and Little Chrissie speed down the Atlantic City Expressway. Jimmy needs a ride back to town. Been gamblin' at Borgota for three days. You know he jumps around, Sugar House in Philly, Revel by the Inlet (an area in A.C.) Borgata back by the bay. They know him all over. Maybe not too many details. But they know the voice. They know the accent. And they know his face. He don't like to drive. Yeah, he'll do it 'round the city. But not back and forth to the shore. It's only like sixty or seventy miles. That's just how he is. Been playin' craps, a little poker. Makin' friction with two call girls. Eatin' steaks...big ones... thick ones. Even bought himself a new pair a shoes (Gucci's). Look, ain't that what you 's posed to do when you win at craps?

They pull into town. Most a the 'SANDY' mess is gone. Gamblin' towns bounce back fast. Boardwalk all clean. Rollin' chairs rollin'. Hotdogs grillin'.. Sea gulls swoopin'. You know how they grab food when you ain't careful? Ricky parks the car on the street, pumps a handful a quarters in the meter, grabs Little Chrissie's hand and walks off. Who's gonna look at them? Nobody. Just a couple a kids playin' hooky from work (or lack of work) and chasin' some luck. Real slick. Real cool. Real cold. But when they come to the corner and stop for the light, Little Chrissie says - Think we should call my grandma, like to check on the baby?....... Ricky goes - I did, just before, when you were sleeping........ Red turns green, our two neophyte paladins look both ways and trot across...

Then they trudge up that landscaped hill they got outside The Borgata, pass under the 'Welcome To Your Happy Place' sign and disappear inside.

On the Boardwalk, in Atlantic City, you will walk in a dream.

On the Boardwalk in Atlantic city, life will be peaches and cream......( I like that old song)

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