Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20A | 20B | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25-26 | 27 | 28-29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35-36 | 37 | 38A | 38B | 38C | 38D | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42-43 | 44-45 | 46 | 47 | 48-49A | 49B | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54
PART II
ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS
55
HE DRAGGED IN the door at seven a.m. and stumbled up the stairs, turning out lights all along the way. Marina was asleep and he was too tired and pissed off to care what she thought about how he smelled. He didn’t even bother to take his shirt and trousers off. He simply flopped on the bed and went to sleep. It was going on four o’clock by the time he awoke, hot, itchy in his clothes, and desperately needing a bath.
He didn’t smell bacon or biscuits or coffee, but he hadn’t expected to. Still reeling from the half bottle of gin he’d drunk while he and his boys were unloading the whisky, then shutting down the speak, he stumbled into the bathroom, ran a cold bath, and damn near dove into it. He relaxed back and closed his eyes.
“Good morning.”
He almost smiled but he was too tired. “Morn’.”
“I brought you some coffee and a sandwich.”
He waved a hand. “Could you set it on the stand there, Sugga? I do shorely appreciate it.”
“Could you, um—first, could you … ”
She was standing in the threshold looking resolutely away from him and he resentfully grabbed a washcloth to cover his dick. “It won’t bite, you know.”
He saw her throat bob, but she entered the bathroom and, without looking at him, set his sandwich and coffee on the little table by the bathtub.
“Why were you so late?” she asked hesitantly. “I was worried something bad happened to you.”
“Had to run up to Chouteau City—” His lip curled. “—to get my Remus.”
Silence. Then, “What time did the— What did you call it? The slip you sign?”
“Bill of lading.”
“Yes. What time did you get that?”
“’Bout one. Goddammit, can’t figure out the pattern of those deliveries and Chouteau City’s in the back of beyond and don’t know why I had to go all the way up there— Siddown, Sugga, this is gonna be a long slog.” She put the toilet seat down without hesitation and plopped her cute little ass down. Then he was off, ranting because there was someone to listen to him rant, although he didn’t rant about the thing he really needed to rant about, but he had no one to rant about that to, so he just ranted about what a shithole Chouteau City was and what a shitty thing to do, making him go all the way up there at one in the morning. She handed him the coffee, which he took with gratitude.
He sipped while he finished ranting about Chouteau City, then went into ranting about his girls.
“ … all-out war now. Made it so they can’t get a place they can afford and the places they can afford won’t let ’em do their jobs. The new girl I got, well, she brings in a lot of dough but she’s always high an’ she thinks that just ’cuz I’m easy to work for, I’m a pushover.”
“Well, don’t they … I mean, isn’t it good she’s … ” She huffed, slapping her hands on her knees. “No! I mean, doesn’t it make you want to … more? And so then she’d make more money?”
“Different dope, but yeah. I know she don’t get it from me, but junkies gonna eventually try to get it where they can and she’s gonna try to find my stock and steal it an’ then I’mma put her ass out. I don’t care if they have coke for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but they gotta be able to control it and her habit makes her get all arrogant about what she can and can’t get away with in my speak. When she’s not high, she’s just fine.”
“Oh.”
“My others keep their heads on straight an’ I need ’em back, but I’ll be damned if I do it on their terms an’ I don’t care I’m losing money. An’ on toppa all ’at, Solly Weissman’s making noises about how he’s gonna firebomb me. He won’t, ’cuz the speak’s almost as valuable to Boss Tom as it ever was, but it does make me nervous, if I’m bein’ honest. Cat’s got a grudge and he’s stupid. That’s dangerous. Carrollo, now, he’s a sharp cat, and he wouldn’t put it around if he wanted to do anything to me, so he’s even more dangerous than Solly.”
“So … if I … am indecent with you, your girls will come back and you’ll start making money again? It’ll make up for what you have to pay to Boss Tom?”
“Don’t take that as me wantin’ to be indecent with you just to get my girls back. They got no right to use what you and me do in bed as a bargainin’ chip and yeah, before you say anything else, no, I shouldn’t be spreadin’ our business all over town and I’m sorry for that. You do what you need to, askin’ Sister Albright for advice.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, which gutted him all over again because she was so grateful for every little thing he did for her, it was almost painful. With Marina, he knew there was one person in the world who would express appreciation for what he tried to do for her.
Shit, he wouldn’t care if she stopped making him bacon and biscuits every morning so long as he could watch her little face light up with delight if he so much as brought her a daisy he’d swiped out of the neighbor’s yard. Doing things for her was like blinking. He did it, he didn’t notice, and he couldn’t keep from doing it if he tried. She either didn’t know that or understand it.
He made a note to bring her some flowers.
Then he was silent.
“Um, I have an idea where to put the books, but … I’ll need you to hire a carpenter.”
“Oh, yeah? Let’s hear it.”
“Well!” she said brightly. He opened one eye to see her excited expression, although she was staring at the wall in front of her, not at him. “You know the folks who just moved in down the street? The Hilliards? Ollie and Leona? They have a nifty swing in their back yard. It’s not a seat, though. It’s a whole bed! Leona’s from Georgia and she grew up with a sleeping porch. Anyway, their house doesn’t have one, so they sleep in their swing bed at night. They have mosquito netting draped over it like a tent.”
Trey thought that was a mighty fine idea and said so. Her face got even brighter and she actually glanced at him.
“But what’s that got to do with the books?” In her growing excitement, she looked at him without embarrassment. In fact, he didn’t think she even remembered he was naked.
“I thought we could make it so it’s a box instead of just a board. And then there would be a door somewhere to put the ledger.”
Trey blinked. It was a good idea except … “What about the weather?”
“We can wrap the ledger in oilcloth. Or we can put a rubber sheet under the mattress. Or both. But also we would cover the swing itself in oilcloth like a teepee and only take it off to sleep. Then I would put it back on when I make it in the morning. Even if somebody knew the ledger was there, they couldn’t get to it while we were sleeping in it. And an oilcloth is perfectly commonsensical over a bed against the rain, so no one would be suspicious anyway.”
“Goddamn,” he whispered, completely in awe.
She flushed prettily and looked away, embarrassed but pleased.
“I guess you like it?” she whispered.
“Love it.”
“I drew it out.”
“We can put the cash in there too.”
“I think it would be better to put it in Bon Ami cans.”
Trey’s eyebrows rose.
“I thought about the flour, but it took me a while to figure out they may think to look there. I don’t think anyone would think to look in the cleaning cupboard. Father wouldn’t even know where to look for the Bon Ami even if he thought of it, which he wouldn’t. Men don’t do that.”
He paused. “Yanno, Marina,” he said slowly, thinking about Flo, “we got our problems—”
“Problem. One.”
“Right. Well, if I believed there was a god who cared, I might start thinking he knew what he was doing when he put us together.”
She nodded, but with some doubt.
“Look, I’d’a married you first if it hadn’t been a condition of the bet and I am truly sorry for what I put you through.”
Her gaze flickered to him. “I only wanted a beau for a little while,” she said softly. “I never thought about having a husband, so I was scared about Dot going to college, but … now I’m not.”
Trey’s heart turned over. “What are you sayin’, Sugga?”
“I’m glad I won’t be alone when she leaves.”
55
If you don’t want to wait 2 years to get to the end, you can buy it here.
Donations can be made here, if you so desire.
Trey just struck gold.
May be drugs falling out my ass, but oh damn, the Bee scorches Newsom.
Gold, I tell you, gold.
I still don’t believe the whole thing isn’t a Bee story.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
@Suthen
I lost my best friend Milo almost one year ago. I still catch myself looking for him. Losing a pet is a difficult thing.
Hope there’s no suffering.
+2. When we lost Barnaby, it was soul crushing. Adopting a senior dog, you know it is gonna happen sooner than later, but it hit twice as hard.
We waited a long time before finding Pepperoni.
She seems to be reasonably suffer free, considering. I think she had a stroke a couple of weeks ago. Her behavior changed dramatically. Now, no eating or drinking for three days, extreme weakness and lots of standing in odd places staring at the wall. She is too weak to stand now so I carry her in and out and place her on the couch. I think she is gone already but her body has not yet figured that out.
Thanks for everyone’s concern. I am sure she will go in her sleep tonight. We should all be so lucky.
Been out of touch for a while, sorry to hear this. Take care.
My wife asked for that for our first male German Shorthair Pointer, and that’s how he went. He’s the only one we’ve ever had go that way.
We just last week put down my retired horse – barn owner was concerned he wouldn’t last the winter (and it would be far more difficult to deal with then).
My dog Grimm went that exact way. Vet thought it was cancer. Then again, the vet always thinks that.
I have watched my father waste away in a home for over two years now. I fervently agree that going in your sleep is the best of all possibilities.
Since I am a feckless asshole, I will get paralyzed from my tongue down before the end. Ice water “Sponge Baths” by Softhead Eddie every Tuesday night. Enemas on demand. Demanded by someone I don’t know, but it’s the thought that counts. And let’s not forget the meatloaf puree. MMmmmm…
I am sorry about your father. That is tough as hell.
I always thought, when I was younger and stronger, that I would go on my feet, boots on and fists balled up. Now I am old, creaky, scarred up and tired. That going in my sleep bit is starting to look better and better. Then I think, nah, fuck that. Boots and fists it will be.
It is what it is. i’m getting on up there myself. Don’t care to suffer but that is up to a higher power than I have any swing with.
Pet the puppy for me. Good night.
I thought I was invincible once.
There isn’t time enough left to do all the things I want to do.
My son and I were laughing about his book list on Amazon, 800-some titles deep and $17K worth. It came up because I had mentioned one he had to add to that.
I have watched my father waste away in a home for over two years now.
Sorry.
Tres Sr. was recently diagnosed with a very aggressive prostate cancer that has already made a home in his lymph system. I watched my Mom die from pancreatic cancer, I really dont want to see the other one go the same route.
My MIL died slowly of some sort of wasting disease, and that was after surviving throat cancer. I took about a decade, and then, in her sleep she passed. About six months later, my FIL dropped dead of a heart attach in a Costco, I think it was.
My dad took ten years to go from Alzheimer’s. I don’t think there really is a good way.
My dad just keeled over with a heart attack at 51.
I don’t think there really is a good way.
Heart attack like Mojeaux said.
Suicide could be depending on the method.
Sorry folks.
Sorry Suthen
Sorry to hear that Suthen.
My condolences.
You’re a good man, Suthen. Give the doggo a tussle from me. We finally ended up with a new puppy after a year after our last. They sure do worm their way into your heart and stay there.
Oy. Sorry Suthen. I lost mine just before New Years. It’s a hurt that stays with you.
Her gaze flickered to him. “I only wanted a beau for a little while,” she said softly. “I never thought about having a husband, so I was scared about Dot going to college, but … now I’m not.”
Trey’s heart turned over. “What are you sayin’, Sugga?”
“I’m glad I won’t be alone when she leaves.”
Things are looking up.
“ The new girl I got, well, she brings in a lot of dough but she’s always high an’ she thinks that just ’cuz I’m easy to work for, I’m a pushover”
This is every new millennial employee, ever.
“…he resentfully grabbed a washcloth to cover his dick.”
Just a washcloth?
I keed, I keed!
I was thinking ” he must have bigger washcloths than I do.”
Washcloth envy?
When I had a heart cath, I was butt-ass naked except for a washcloth over my junk. Once the drugs set in, I joked “ya’all sure you dont want to get a hand towel?”
Then once the doc came in, and I was higher than bird pussy from the fentanyl/versed, he went to give me the Novocain before he cut my leg. “Mr Cool, you may feel a little prick”.
I said “move your hand a couple inches over Doc- you will too.”
Guy had no sense of humor.
Hah! Now I’m sure the proposed constitutional amendment in Australia is going to lose badly. The Labour Prime Minister is sure the Yes vote (which he supports) will win. BUT, he’s also accusing “No” proponents of dividing the country. I’m sure by tomorrow night, they’ll be racist (the state-approved media are already reporting that native communities have seen “unprecedented” levels of racism in the last few months).
So what does actually do? Make aboriginals as being ahead of other ausssies? Create a governmental body of unlimited powers to rule over aboriginals?
+1 more info please
Here’s a long explanation of why to vote no;
https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/voice-the-case-for-voting-no/
The vote is to amend the constitution with a specific law but, as I read it, it looks like the law itself could be changed by a future act of parliament:
https://voice.gov.au/referendum-2023/referendum-question-and-constitutional-amendment
It’s supposed to “enshrine” a permanent advisory board of aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.
TBH: I don’t know enough about it to know which way I would have voted. I’m just fascinated by the dynamics of those on the “yes” side.
The vague and blandness of the question sets off my spider sense that it’s an enabling act for something more.
This has FYTW Act written all over it.
Sound to me like it would enshrine the current group of grifter “community leaders” with force of law. That’s good enough reason to vote no.
Apparently every state voted NO, but ACT, the home of the Government Class, is the one place to vote YES, which says something.
Unsurprisingly, the Government Class is accusing the NO side of racism and being divisive.
TV: non-stop sounds of explosions and machine gun fire.
Fuck that.
Watching the series of You-toobs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSxuuY90_Uw
Best goat ever.
Animation style.
I just realized there were 54 previous chapters.
I thought it was like se’lah.
Nah. It’s just Trey acting the cunte over and over again. He treats that girl like a bright puppy. Portensions abound.
Not wrong.
Mojo!
😜
Do you still do the ZOOM? I kinda gave up because cruelty.
I’m on Zoom now. What cruelty? DID I MISS DRAMA?
No, it was not overt. More like “Queen Bee” behavior.
IT WASNT ME! I didn’t join zoom tonight.
Hopefully tomorrow!
Sorry about the doggo, Suthen. We’ve got an aged cat (see the avatar) that we keep alive with meds. Still does his daily zoomies, though.
Poor little fellow is still looking down the heat vents and the shower stall in the ensuite bathroom for his long deceased brethren. Sorry, Pal.
What up Glibbies! I have been up since 3:30 this morning. My 3 hour layover in Dulles airport turned into 6.5 hours. Do not recommend.
🎶 “A three hour layover, a three hour layover..”
Exactly. Now I’m watching Transformers in my hotel room. This movie is terrible. Megan Fox is hot. I need to go to sleep.
Good morning all!
Today we have some Bill Nelson Red Noise.
Furniture Music</a:
For Young Moderns
Share and enjoy!
Mornin’ folks.
40 degrees or so Fahrenheit here in southern NH. Rain will cover southern New England this weekend but miss me according to the forecast. I like that as that means I can get stuff done outside.
Off to the gym.
Good morning, my Glibs.
☔🍳
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OMaycNcPsHI
🎶🎶
Have a great day!
Good morning, DEG, Beau, Ted’S and Sean! Raining here in SW OH at the moment, though we will apparently get a break later this morning and into early afternoon. The plan here is to trim bushes during the dry interlude.
These euphemisms are getting more and more vague…
😁
suh’ fam
whats goody yo
TALL WEEKEND CANS!
Morning, Glibbies, from chilly, rainy-ass Detroit
Good morning, slummie! What on earth are you doing there?? Just changing planes, I hope.
Wife is running the Freep International Half Marathon tomorrow. And a 5k today in the rain, for some inexplicable reason.
Couldn’t tell by looking at me now but I used to be one of those people.
Runners, man. Fuckin’ runners.
Morning all,
Moj, I didn’t get to read this episode ’til the morning. Marina is sure not a co-conspirator, she’s the big one. Now, about that one problem that the couple have to deal with? Thanks for keeping me up to date on teen agers.