5 - the mouthpiece

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sam kennedy was exasperated in his experience he had seen a lot nothing surprised him confusion rarely entered his brain eddie, though, was something else he had approached sam about a month ago entering his office by way of the service elevator he had a proposition for sam as always, sam listened doubtless talk was cheap regarding loyalty, sam had an open mind eddie understood sam at first, sam expressed surprise loyalty is sacred, he insisted i can't just blow kenny off zero tolerance for rats is a law of nature eddie just smiled doubt never entered his mind kenny was on the slide events were conspiring against him nothing he could do would matter nothing he could say either yes, thought eddie, i have him when the first string is pulled all the puppets look up so long as he string is tight fine, thought sam out of all the guys he could have propositioned lucky he chose me little does he suspect once he thinks he has me when he's ready to spring the trap i will be long gone never to be seen again goodbye, eddie! ha ha ha it was nice knowing you mighty nice indeed just then sam's phone rang oh oh he thought he picked it up nick was on the other end nothing he said made much sense yes, yes. sam agreed how come nick was calling? always before it had been kenny himself denoting caution but now, was kenny getting careless? everything pointed that way especially now nick was babbling away politely, sam interrupted entanglements right now were not a good idea perhaps later let's get together eddie is the problem, yes except when he isn't, of course even when he seems to be quiet doesn't this guy ever get to the point? i wholeheartedly agree no doubt he finally got rid of nick i need a thick porterhouse steak, he thought so what if the doctor said no more mulling the implications of nick's call in the depths of his treacherous brain notwithstanding his natural caution decision time was reached how had it come to this? eddie had been nothing was it destiny? all sam knew was he wanted to pick a winner so much for loyalty continuing his train of thought on his way out the door nodding to the cleaning lady flashing a big smile under his restlessly probing eyes sam never considered eddie's true motives decided long ago 6. ike

4 - mickey

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on mickey's ninety-third birthday the boys sent him a cake nurse jones delivered it three orderlies sang happy birthday to you everybody had a good time outside the birds were making noise too much noise happy birthday was over eternity beckoned to mickey remorse smiled uncertainly at him he ignored both of them as the hours ticked away nothing to worry about despair was for chumps mickey had plans and plans for his plans yes he did behind his wraparound shades evil schemes abounded harry miller the haberdasher everything mickey knew he learned from harry down in the old neighborhood in the seventeenth ward did he learn his lessons or what? no one learned better things were good then under mickey's placid exterior plots spread like kudzu 'i need to sweep under the bed" nurse jones was back turning his wheelchair to the window humming an old favorite tune eyeing nurse jones surreptitiously somnolescence overtook mickey kicking cake crumbs under his wheelchair yawning like a crocodile but tomorrow i'll get started he thought revenge flickered like a volcano determination like flowing lava see if i don't come back as mickey flopped forward in his chair nurse jones did her job duty was her life plots and plans were alien to her lately though she had been thinking and certain thoughts never before acknowledged entered her brain softly as summer rain why was she here? every day was the same really what was the point? explanations were lacking feeling faint, she paused looking out the window yellow leaves lay under the bare trees i'm like those trees, she thought nobody notices me guess i am getting old turbulence roiled mickey's brain a master plan formed kerosene-like it flamed in an instant it was gone never to return gone forever ashes blew down the street packing a shotgun al brown stood on the running board in the window of uncle dave's pawn shop return to sender open your eyes form a plan peeking at her as she finished making his bed nurse jones filled his vision there was a woman she was the key "oh, nurse," mickey called falling halfway out of his chair fumbling for his brain too late - his brain disintegrated empty hopes dispersed into nothingness collapsed helpless all over it was the end really but his body remained empty strong hands gripped it "i've got him" nurse jones called dr wilson appeared equanimous as always he had almost liked mickey in a strange way suspecting him of terrible crimes but he was a patient egregious though his deeds may have been dr wilson sighed jones had things under control orderlies appeared happy birthday was over now back to work never a quiet moment yet they carried on paperwork paperwork until the cows came home too bad about the cows they never came home how sad eternity beckoned to them too mooo outside the birds and bugs were quiet none of them cared about mickey 5. the mouthpiece