“Listen, I understand that you have a friend
and you are looking for his best interests. However, since you are working for
me,”
“And me.” Mario interrupted.
“…but while you are working for me, you don’t
do bullshit like putting him in a trap.”
Glen look a sip of his Coke and said, “Fine, I
admit wrongdoing, but Juby or now known as ‘number five’ needs to grow a brain.
The advice I gave him was supposed to be detected as bullshit. It appears that
Juby bought it. When LeBron James goes against a poor-playing team, you know he
will get some points on the board. Also, Juby told me that he was going to a
bar south of Eight Mile, I recommended that he shouldn’t do that. Despite the idea
that he may be a cop, witch that also questions me.”
Amel shook his head, “Glen, you may not like
Juby here, but we all need to work as a team. I demanding that you do that.”
“Granted, you’re right. But Juby did make a
bet with Tommy, Juby lost and didn’t pay the money.”
“So, you told Tommy about Juby’s whereabouts?”
“I just told Tommy that he was south of Eight
Mile and I didn’t know exactly where, and that’s the honest truth. Tommy just
got lucky and found him.”
Amel looked over to Mario, the two looked at
each other and Glen was wondering if he was thinking that he made a mistake. If
he gets his ass kicked, he doesn’t have the strong dependence on the American
Devil’s gang, most of the Detroit charter had left for the south, his cousin
Rudy included.
Mario looked back to Glen, with more clam to
his voice compared to Amel’s, “I’ll tell you what, Glen. I kinda like the idea
that you got this guy all fucked up.”
Amel and his two pals laughed at that.
Mario lifted his hand up and the three
instantly stopped.
“But, I need you to walk away from that black
asshole,” with a shake of his head, “I don’t like that guy.”
“Me too, fuck that guy.” Juby said.
“Me three.” Glen said sarcastically.
Then there was a pause.
“Okay,” Glen drunk a little more of his coke,
“no more detect the lie. I take it as you don’t like Tommy due to him being
black? I know Eastern Europeans don’t like black people too much.”
Some chuckling among the four and Juby had
filled the coffee shop.
Amel finally smiled and uncrossed his arms,
“True, you got that right.”
Then Mario, also smiling now, said, “And I
don’t like him talking to my daughter.”
Glen asks, “How does he know your daughter?”
Ed
sat on his desk, hard at work while doing the duties of a collections person,
talking to irate individuals not willing to pay back their loans or could not
for whatever reason. While so, the master collector was going through his work
e-mail account, in where he would receive about 150 e-mails daily. An e-mail
caught his eye while telling a ‘Ms. Hauber’ that she is late for a payment. He
listened to Hauber barking back on how she didn’t understand the loan
agreement, typical for Ed to hear that. While so, he saw the e-mail from the
bank he works part0-time for, informing him that a cleaning chemical company
big in the Western united States needs investors for the Midwest. He smiled on
that and sent a copy of that e-mail to Glen’s Ropers address.
While so, he said over the headset, “Ms.
Hauber, you are the one who signed the agreement. If you don’t pay, I’m going
to send this to collections.”
She hung up.
He then said out loud, “Tamika Hauber,” then
the date and time. That was for recording purposes.
Then said to himself, “here’s a clean company,
Glen.”
Glen
received the text message from Ed while sitting at the bar at The Post. He saw
that Ed had found him a clean company to invest in. He was going to text back,
but he decided not to at this time. He also regarded the recently message from
Todd stating, ‘fag, answer me, you queer. I kill you.’
Glen thought a horrible thought, ‘If Sheila
purposely got herself killed, I can see why.’
He then shook his head at that thought and
dropped his phone down.
“What’s your problem, dude?” Juby asked.
He looked over and for the first time, he had
noticed that the bar was rather empty for a Monday leading to Thanksgiving. It
was just him, Juby and Amel at this moment.
He wanted to think more of that thought on
why, but instead he asked Juby, “Jubes, how can a cop like you get beaten like
that and what kind of consequences you think you are going to unleash with
Tommy? I mean, you’re a cop, you did state some time ago that you are going to
abuse your power. How come you are not doing that now?”
“I’m reserves, but I’ll be a cop soon.”
Glen said, “No more questions.”
And he got the good answer on why he wasn’t a
serious cop. To Glen, he didn’t seem like a guy who has it all there.
He
then looked forward into the bar, seeing the array of liquor on the stand, and
the mirror behind it all facing him, sans a small portion that was a wall and
up above were the three TVs. Glen looked at the Budweiser date display,
indicating that anyone who is under 21 as of Friday, November 19 of this year
cannot buy any alcoholic beverages. However, just a little down the road and
across the Ambassador Bridge or The Detroit/Windsor Tunnel, the age limit is
19.
A male bartender around Glen’s age wearing a
nice sweater had approached the three, with a kind and gentle voice, “May I get
anyone of you anything?”
“I’ll take a Budweiser.” Glen asked.
Juby and Amel were okay.
True to his word, the kind bartender had given
what Glen asked for and popped the bottle top with his fingers, while serving
him he said, “You look like you’re having a rough day.”
Glen took the beer and said, “That’s not my
intention. Just bored and waiting for hockey to start.”
The bartender looked at the clock to see that
it was 6:35pm, he said, “Well, there is a game starting at seven o’clock.”
Glen acknowledged that.
He sat there, staring at that display with the
date. Staring at it with awe.
That would be interrupted by a tap on his
shoulder, he turned over to see Amel.
“Yeah?” Glen asked.
“Are you okay?”
“Uhh… yes.”
“I see you looking at the mirror looking like
you’re about to kill someone.”
Juby chuckled at that, “Yeah, you freak.”
“I didn’t get my ass kicked yesterday, you
fag.” Glen responded.
Juby went to a serious stare to Glen.
“Uh-oh, I made him mad.” He said to Juby.
“You’ve been drinking too much?” Amel asked.
“No, just, I don’t like where I’m at right
now. I get this douche bag here all the help he needs and he screws things up,
and I have to keep teaching him how to do shit, over and over. I know you don’t
like that Amel,” then he took a drink, “but, I need this guy to really focus.”
Amel looked at Juby as well, he seemed angry.
“Yeah, you’re right.” He said to Glen.
Amel was about to speak, but Glen went first.
“Also, if he is dumb enough to walk on the
other side of Eight Mile and pretends to be something he’s not, and suffer consequences,
I rather not be blamed for it.”
“We didn‘t blame you for that. We just don’t
like that Tommy character.”
“Yeah, I don’t like him either, and I’m not
liking you.” Juby said.
Amel put his hand up, “Jubes, take it easy.”
Then to Glen, “Don’t take it personal, I got a
boss and I do as he says, just like you at your job at Ropers. See, I can’t do
any jobs like that where they pay minimum wage and are willing to kick your ass
out for any stupid reason. Plus, I knew people who worked at Ropers, one guy
who got fired says that some of the management is in touch with their feminine
side.”
Glen raised his hands up, “That’s not my call.
So if Ropers does something bad, don’t blame me. And besides, here’s a little
secret, most upper management or people who,” Glen shrugged his shoulders,
“want to be upper management, do things against the hiring policy. The
seriously route through people to try to find someone who can be easily
mislead. And due to our 90 days or bust policy, I personally have to sign a lot
of papers that terminate people’s employment. I have to step on someone’s
dreams or their livelihoods. Something I don’t like and I had a couple of
stories about people I had to personally fire that sadly committed suicide. I
don’t like that, but it’s part of the job.”
Amel smiled, “It shouldn’t be your fault since
they believe that getting fired from Ropers constituted the end of the world.
So is that the reason why you are being a little shady?”
Glen didn’t answer right off the bat, he took
a sip of his beer and said, “No, next week will be Black Friday, it’s not going
to be good.”
Amel looked at the date display himself. The
two stared on while also seeing themselves in the mirror.
Glen saw Amel shrug, “I guess you won’t be
available next Friday.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Let’s make some money.”
Juby and Amel looked onto the screens, and
Glen said, “It’s Friday, a whole shit load of hockey games are on. So let’s do
this. Bet here, or on your phone.”
Later,
Glen made a bet with a man who happened to be just over the hill, he wore
glasses and dressed liked Glen when he goes to work, so therefore, one could
assume that he had an office job. The two games he betted on happened to be
$500. Juby would go against the opposite sex with Glen’s advice and put $200 on
the line against a short-haired blond who was plumped and a little butch. One
could guess that she happened to be a lesbian, but Glen and Amel wouldn’t
overlook the idea, however Juby behind her back would make a few menacing
comments.
10:35pm
rolled up and a cheer from Amel and Glen had surfaced. Glen put five-hundred on
the line on Buffalo winning against Winnipeg at +2½, and Buffalo shut them out
4-0. The man he went against shook his head and swallowed that bullet with a
‘congrats’ and handed him the $500. Next to say, “I’ll win my money back on
this one.”
10:45pm
came next with Juby celebrating with the Chicago Blackhawks winning by a hair
against the hometown Detroit Red Wings 3 to 2. Juby put salt in the wound to
the female as she placed her many down with misery and told Juby that he is a
backstabber for betting against HockeyTown for the longtime rivals. While the
money was laid down, Juby didn’t pay attention to it while telling off the woman,
which gave Glen the window of taking half of that two-hundred.
Amel had noticed and Glen said, “That’s
Justice for Tommy.”
Nearly
twenty minutes later, along with Juby complaining to Glen about the cut, Glen
won his second bet with the team he betted against nearly mucking up the bet.
Los Angeles had won over Carolina by a score of 5-2, with Glen getting the over
in the +2½ line. Another five hundred he won. Amel looked on his cellphone with
a wide smile on his face and said to Glen, “This is going good. I won over a
grand.”
Saturday
Morning came next, Glen was up and around in his condo with the privilege of
wearing regular clothes, a pair of black jeans and a Dwight Yoakum concert
shirt. He received a text message from Tommy with advice for basketball games.
He then resends the same message to Amel. Glen later met Juby at the Shoreline
bar during the noon hour, with him complaining about the cut taken away to pay
Tommy. Glen went straight to business and said, “Let’s just do our thing and
forget about it, you’ll make your money back.”
He waved hello to the bartender who was going
to pull a full day of work at the bar all the way until 3am. He had a long day
ahead of him. There were a few hockey games starting at 1:00pm, playing on
FOX’s non-cable affiliate, following them by a couple of 4:00 games. Due to
Juby not having a lot of cash at hand, which made Glen wonder on his money
management skill, he advised Juby on two games one at 1pm and the other at 4pm,
while Glen took the rest. After his advice and Juby picking the upcoming
victim, Glen gave Amel a call, curious on where he may be when making the
basketball bets.
Six
hours later, total victory for the two had reached. The combined with five wins
out of five games. The cash rolled in from the victims and the team of Fletch
and Jubes walked out the Shoreline with smiles, while Juby boasted his victory,
making Glen drop the smile and say to himself, “I didn’t know these harden
European gangs pick up the flamboyant types.”
He then stopped Juby to say, “You need to get
yourself a job at Ropers, you’d be a valuable employee.”
Sunday
afternoon, Glen and Amel went to Ragetta’s for a single hockey game to watch
and bet upon, a hefty $1,500 against the wealthy businessman off on his
leisure. Later, they won the bet that the underdog New York Islanders knocking
down the playoff contender and counterpart New York Rangers by a single goal.
The man handed over the $1,500 easily and said, “It’s just junk change for me.”
And Glen had received the knowledge that Regatta
happened to be a cousin of Mario. What a coincidence.
Monday,
Glen had arrived to Ed’s other employment, a bank branch office in where he
discussed how the Cleaning Chemical company based in the west is attempting to
move its product into shops and restaurants in the east, per the help of
investors. No gambling on Monday for Glen, but his phone beeped off the hook
with more and more texts, compliments from Amel and Mario, asking about their
respective cuts from Tommy and Jimbo, complaints from Colleen and the same from
Todd, only in the matter of death threats and homophobic remarks.
Tuesday
morning, Glen kept on with playing Junior Human Resources Manager and kept his
outside life at a minimum, in fact, someone had asked about how he was doing
currently in the aftermath of his fiancée passing. He was bothered by the
question, but answered it respectfully by saying, “Fine, but please don’t ask
that question again.”
He was in his office talking among some team
leaders at around 10 something, discussing work related issues, up until the
phone ringed. He excused himself quickly and answered the office phone. It was
the clinic with good news, Glen had tested negative for any form of STDs. He
said thanks with excitement and hung the phone up and celebrated a little while
in front of the on looking team leaders now looking at him funny.
That
night, Glen and Amel was invited to Formaris Pizza’s underground bar, without
the waitress he saw last week that gave him her number. Instead, Mario played
the wait staff. Amel and Glen went on betting on a basketball game each at
$1,000. Amel went against someone while the Arabian who Glen won against wanted
to win it back. He did not, and Glen and Amel later won a grand each, sans
fifty each to give to Mario for betting in his place, plus Glen giving his
share to Tommy. Glen wanted to ask about that waitress, but decided not to, he
had a fear that she was related. And he didn’t wish to inquire or make it
appear that he wanted to bang a female family member of the mob boss.
Wednesday
morning during a smoke break, he texted both Tommy and Jimbo about a ‘Black
Friday get together’ at his condo, with emphasis, ‘you better be there.’
That night, it was a hockey day. Glen wanted
to be alone and really had to push for it with Amel and asked if Juby not to be
present with him or at all at the Shoreline. Amel had his zones and most bars
in Saint Clair Shores were his, so he bided with his favor and had Juby go
somewhere else. Glen, alone, went against a bulky female on a Buffalo vs. Tampa
Bay game with Buffalo being the victor at his end, $500 on the line. Success
with the end and he got paid. Later to figure out that the woman was an extreme
feminist and paid with burning words of hatred towards him, and how she
should’ve won.
Thanksgiving
morning would be a phone call with Mario about a basketball game, he would get
advice from Tommy again, who wanted a bonus for working on Thanksgiving. Glen went to visit his mother in the city of
Lake Orion. She held a high position in the Ropers Midwestern Headquarters, and
a very nice condo by the lake of Orion to be ostantaneous about her wealth. The
condo walls had many family photos in frame, and displays of Mormon literature.
His mom hooked him up with a cooked turkey he shared with his mother, his
disabled aunt, his younger brother Sam (based in St. Louis, Missouri) with his
wife and newborn baby. The Thanksgiving conversation started with Rudy and why
he wasn’t showing up, continuing on how his denial of Mormonism and being in a
biker gang is a serious issue and explains the strained relationship with him
and his family. That went to putting that cloud under Glen as his mother
complained about his leaving of Mormonism back when he was a teenager.
That question was asked, “Are you still going
on without your beliefs?”
Glen knew they would be in dismay of his
answer, but wouldn’t deny it, “Yes.”
She dropped her fork, with Sam and his new
wife looked upon him with discontent.
The Thanksgiving dinner didn’t go too well in
the end, as Glen had heard the words many times before. With text messages
coming in from Mario to tell him that victory came again. More from the people
he knew saying happy thanksgiving, with one from Jimbo saying, “My aunt’s being
a bitch. Todd hates U.”
And next from Todd, “Fukin fa99ot.”
The
Thanksgiving went on to other topics, next to issues going among the Mormon
Church but happy that they are not like the Catholic Church who has issues with
priests having sex with little boys. Glen chuckled at that one. The
conversation continued on to large descriptions of their personal lives.
Brother Sam says his job as a producer for a local St. Louis sports talk
station is doing well, but the loan payout from college and the drain out of
his savings account due to the Mormon mission he finished just two years ago
are doing some damage to him as he tries to catch up.
“It’s all part of Joseph Smith’s plan.” His
mom replied to that.
Glen wanted to laugh at that, but he didn’t
want all the negative attention to him again.
After Sam’s wife side of things, they next
went to Glen, who said, “the song remains the same.”
He didn’t want to make any reference to his
gambling and his new winnings. His family wouldn’t like it and just like most
religions, Mormonism didn’t like gambling. It wasn’t approved by the dullards
who formed Mormonism.
The next question was about how he was holding
up after his fiancée’s passing, a question he didn’t like and he simply
replied, “The song remains the same.”
A
Thanksgiving had come and gone, and Glen would awake at 2:45 in the morning
with an overnight country DJ complaining about how he had to work on
Thanksgiving night, but told the people listening to his voice who are getting
ready for Black Friday that the morning zoo DJ’s will be in bright and early at
5:30 in the AM, as he said. He went on with a Sarah Evans hit, ‘Suds In The
Bucket.’
Glen looked at the clock and said, “That
quick?”
He looked at the phone to see that it was
indeed 2:45 in the morning, just a few hours past him going to sleep. He saw
that he had more text messages. One from Mario saying, “Great party last night
@ Ragettas U won me a lot of money.”
Next from Todd, “Answer me queer, did I offend
you fag?”
With Sarah Evans singing about a boyfriend
with a porno addiction, Glen laid his head down with saying to himself slurry,
“Boy, he needs help.”
He got out of bed and prepared for Retail Hell
day, something Glen called Black Friday, a day for people to shop with pride,
but a daft day for those who worked in Retail.
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