Story of the Day...An installment
The alley was dark. They always are in this kind of story. And damp too. And full of dirty things. The type of things that you wouldn't want to touch without gloves. And there I was in the middle of it. Not too happy to be there all things considered. But what are you gonna do? Fate, that dirty mischevious bastard, puts us in uncomfortable places all the time. You can either get scared and stay home or walk the earth and deal with it. I choose the latter. Most of the time anyway.
So I'm waiting for a guy, a guy with information. I realize it all sounds pretty vague. But that's how I operate. So I'm waiting. And I'm waiting. It's wet. I'm cold. Cigarettes make you look cool, and I love 'em. But they're hell on the hands, and they don't draw worth dick in the damp. Plus, the guy, the one with the information, looks like a no-show. I'll give him a few more minutes then I'm outta here.
A silhouette passes in front of the street. A pause. This might be the guy. He turns down the alley. I tense up and try to keep the adrenaline rush from making me jittery. Happens every time, the adrenaline that is. Makes it hard to think. And hard to focus.
He's cautious. He sees me. But he takes his sweet damn time ambling down to the doorway I've settled in to. As he gets closer, I notice that he's huge. Not the type of guy I'm expecting. Informants tend to be small jittery types, but not this guy. He's a beast, six and half feet tall and broader than professional boxers. The adrenaline kicks up another notch. I drop the cigarette and stub it out, just so my body has something to do other than twitch. I've been in fights, but I've never really taken a good beating. Maybe that'll change.
"You Sloan?" the giant asks in a surprisingly high voice.
"Yeah," I answer. He obviously knows me or he wouldn't be here. The question was a formality. Maybe I won't get pummeled after all.
"Can we go somewhere? This alley's cold." He looks around. "And filthy." He doesn't need to ask twice. I button my coat and gesture for him to lead the way. Guys get pummeled in alleys all the time. At least they do in stories like this. I'll take my chances somewhere more public. And warmer.
So I'm waiting for a guy, a guy with information. I realize it all sounds pretty vague. But that's how I operate. So I'm waiting. And I'm waiting. It's wet. I'm cold. Cigarettes make you look cool, and I love 'em. But they're hell on the hands, and they don't draw worth dick in the damp. Plus, the guy, the one with the information, looks like a no-show. I'll give him a few more minutes then I'm outta here.
A silhouette passes in front of the street. A pause. This might be the guy. He turns down the alley. I tense up and try to keep the adrenaline rush from making me jittery. Happens every time, the adrenaline that is. Makes it hard to think. And hard to focus.
He's cautious. He sees me. But he takes his sweet damn time ambling down to the doorway I've settled in to. As he gets closer, I notice that he's huge. Not the type of guy I'm expecting. Informants tend to be small jittery types, but not this guy. He's a beast, six and half feet tall and broader than professional boxers. The adrenaline kicks up another notch. I drop the cigarette and stub it out, just so my body has something to do other than twitch. I've been in fights, but I've never really taken a good beating. Maybe that'll change.
"You Sloan?" the giant asks in a surprisingly high voice.
"Yeah," I answer. He obviously knows me or he wouldn't be here. The question was a formality. Maybe I won't get pummeled after all.
"Can we go somewhere? This alley's cold." He looks around. "And filthy." He doesn't need to ask twice. I button my coat and gesture for him to lead the way. Guys get pummeled in alleys all the time. At least they do in stories like this. I'll take my chances somewhere more public. And warmer.
posted by MP at 10:48 PM
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