No Alternatives

Chris opened the bar doors and headed in. Clouds of cigarette smoke drifted through the doors. I needed Antony to pull me and for Ritchie to push me in order to get me to go in. Paddy must have been forced to open up so early. The pub usually opened at four, but here it was, twelve-thirty, and I couldn’t believe how many people were already inside drinking, and playing pool. For one thing, alcohol is illegal, and the other, it was that early in the day.

I saw a half a dozen police officers sitting at one of the corner tables drinking. They always said that all the clubs on this street were left open in order to put an end to all the mob activity. However, I was beginning to notice more and more police officers at the clubs getting drunk and going back on the streets to supposedly protect and serve us citizens; (leave it to them to take care of society, and we’ll all be dead before they figure out that something’s wrong).

As we walked in, my eyes noticed a corner booth with a chubby little man, somewhere around his early fifties, like Paulie, only this guy looked like those pictures of pirates with the little upturned curl at the end. Surrounding him were five tall men around the late twenties, early thirties. They all looked like brick walls; no facial expressions, just staring into space. 

As I got closer to the booth, I saw who it was-Tommy “the Tenderizer” McAllister. The state of New York knows him well. He was notorious for beating anyone who double-crossed him into an unrecognizable mass of meat. Tommy was still out on the streets, because the police were waiting for enough evidence to put him away. Every time there was a witness who could identify him, they would come down with a sudden case of amnesia, they got shot, or they disappeared without a trace. The same thing happened with Paulie’s witnesses for that matter.      

Paulie sat down across from McAllister. The rest of us waited at a nearby booth. Paulie and Tommy shook hands. I sensed Antony and Aldo tense up until the two released and sat down. They sat talking for a while about whatever it is that mobsters talk about. Then about ten minutes into the meeting, an argument seemed to be brewing up. I could hear Tommy yelling, “Okay, okay! But I’m warning you...” He’d warn about this and that, then they’d shut up. I just wanted to go back to sleep. Then Paulie waived at me to come over. Antony gave me that push I needed to get my legs moving. I sat next to Paulie, still shaking like a kite in the wind.

“Tommy McAllister, this is Dillon O’Grady.” We both shook hands. I think he could tell I was nervous, from the glare in his eye when he took hold of my hand. “I’m going over there, Kid,” Paulie said getting up. “If you need me, I’ll be right with Aldo and Antony.”

Great. Just Great. I thought. I couldn’t believe he was leaving me alone with this guy. He was wanted by the police just as much as Paulie was. If I say one wrong thing, I’m bound to get a bullet in my throbbing skull.

“Dillon,” my head spun around (not smart with a hang over). “I keep hearing this nasty little rumor that you want to work for Paulie. Please tell me that this rumor isn’t true.”

“Uh-well, see-um,” I pinched my own hand to get the words out of my mouth. “Yes, sir. Um, it is.”

“Now, why would you want to do something stupid like that and work with him? I mean, a loser as he is! Why don’t you come work for me, a winner.”      

“I-we-he-” I pinched myself again. “He offered me a job first. It’s not like I planned on this.”

“You hear that Damian?” He asked turning to one of his men standing next to him. “He didn’t plan on working for Paulie.” They both began laughing I didn’t quite see the joke.

This guy looked like Santa Claus when he laughed. I laughed to myself, trying to keep a straight face. They were still laughing, so I turned towards Paulie and Antony. I could tell that they were talking about me, about what, I have no idea. Antony was nodding his head and grinning at me.

“Listen, Kid. I’ll make this easy and painless for you. Are you ready?”

“Sure, I guess.” Anything painless, you had my attention.

“Good. Here it is, my offer on the table, ready?” I shrugged. “Instead of working with Papa Paulie, why don’t you do what’s smart?” He was sliding in a little closer to me. “And come work for me.” I could tell by his tone I wasn’t going to like what he was going to say next. “I’ve got me an important boxing match for next Monday to fight one of his goons. So, what do you say?”

“About what?” I really wasn’t paying attention to him.

“Come box for me this coming Monday night. I’ll give you three hundred dollars if you win it for me.”

“Wait, it’s on Monday? As in, this Monday?”

“Yes, is that a problem?”

“Yeah, see-” I didn’t know just how to tell him. The only thing I could think of was, “Why do these things always have to happen to me?”

He frowned I must have said that out loud. “Listen, apparently, Paulie’s gotten a big bloke to fight the man I chose for the match. That man, I was hoping would be you. Come take a load off my mind. Let an old man rest at ease.”

“Well, I would, but see, there’s a little bit of a problem with that.”

“Problem? What kind of problem?”

“Well, I am the ‘big bloke’ who’s ready to fight for Paulie on Monday.” I knew I should have kept my mouth shut, but I never listen to myself.

“You’re the bloke that’s going to fight for him?” I nodded. He started to laugh as if he were concocting a plan inside of that mobster skull. “Exactly my point! Why not switch to fight for me?” He was ready to pop. I could have sworn I saw steam coming out of his ears. I saw him turning redder than a freshly lit match.

“Because I’m ready to fight for Paulie.” Can you ever stop talking for two seconds?

“Are you?” He was studying my eyes for any sign of a glitch.

If I had any brains, I would have said-No, I was kidding. Can’t you take a joke?-but no, what do I say? “Yes, sir. I’m the man ready to fight whoever it is you choose.” I peeked over at Paulie and Antony. They were still talking about me. Damn it! What the hell could they be talking about for so long? I couldn’t talk about myself that long!

“Oh, really? Is that so?”

“I thought Paulie had already told you. I-”

“Do you think that I would be a fool and waste my time in a place like this if I was convinced?” I heard the tension in his voice. I may not have a lot of education, but I know enough to recognize that tension in a gangster’s voice never leads to good fortune. I saw his hand reach into his suit pocket, and caught a glimpse of the beginnings of an unblemished pistol handle coming out. That was enough for me I got up and ran off towards Paulie and Antony.

“He’s got a gun!” I yelled. No one heard me between the poker games, and the boxing and pool matches going on. I thought there was enough noise to wake the dead, so who would actually hear me? Antony must have h