Chapter Ten: Don't Make the Mob Angry

            Glen arrived to Joe’s bar office. A little commotion was coming from that office while he was at the kitchen, in which was closed at the time. He thought there was a serious party going on, or perhaps Rudy may of left a little early.  He opened the door to see Rudy with two women, A young lovely brunette laying her stomach on the poker table with her bra was off and a perky blond who seemed to be a little older than Glen and Rudy. She happened to be close to Glen’s height as the brunette appeared to me more like a midget. In addition to that, she wore a cowboy hat.

“Holy shit, girls, it’s my bro.” Rudy said.

The blond turned her head and smiled, “Does he have a name?”

“He’s Glen.”

“The gambler?” she said as she approached closer.

“Just wanted to make it to your sendoff, brother.” Glen said, they were really cousins, but they referred to each other as brothers.

The brunette got up and turned over to face Glen, she said, “I’ve seen you before.”

Rudy smiled, “I didn’t know you buy adult entertainment, bro.”

“I don’t buy it,” he said, “where have you seen me?”

“You work at some big store, or some shit like that.”

He shook his head, “That’s not a good thing, now you know my hands are dirty with bullshit.”

“No one ain’t sayin’ shit.” Rudy said, “now, meet Diana.”

He looked at her, now putting his arms around him, and he said, “Hello, Diana.”

“We need to make a trip to the ladies room.” Diana said.

“I’m not allowed in the ladies room.” Glen said while shaking his head with a smile on his face.

“You are now.” Rudy said.

Glen looked over to see the brunette getting to his jeans, and Diana was forcing him out with kindness.

“Are we going to see each other before you take off to South Carolina?” Glen asked while being pushed out of the doorway.

“Yeah, now get out, I need my wanker licked.” Rudy said.

            Diana pushed him off and shut the door. She then grabbed Glen’s hand and said to him, “We gotta go, cause I gotta piss…” then she peered closer to him, her cowboy hat hit his brow, “…and ssssuck.”

She held Glen’s hand like a stripper taking a paying customer for a lap dance. The two walked out of the kitchen and he was yanked out to the bar. The President and VP of America’s Devils – Detroit Division, as well as a few others with the same affiliation were out, with the female bartender as well.

“Hey guys.” Diana said.

She managed to grab the attention to all people in the bar, including the person she was taking to the ladies room.

“Holy shit, finally Glen is going to get laid.” one said.

“Don’t take a heavy shit in the ladies room, Glen, no one ever has.” said another.

“Don’t worry Glen, you dead girlfriend won’t be mad.” said another.

Diana opened the door, dragged Glen in, then closed the door and locked it.

He shook his head at the last comment. And Diana turned over to see him do this.

“Are you not into this?” she asked.

The caught Glen, “Oh, no, I… just thought of something. Nothing major.”

She grew the smile back, “Come.”

Glen had never been in the women’s restroom before, nevertheless Joe’s bar. The walls were black as the metal stall dividers followed the same color. Only difference is that cartoon version of classy women were drawn on the stall dividers and also the walls. The sink area was very nice, compared to how crappy it appeared in the men’s restroom. Glen did as Diana said, he followed her to one of the two stalls. She sat down on the toilet seat and signaled for him to come close.

He did.

“So, you are making me drop your pants and drawers, or are you new to this?”

“It’s the first… choice. Unless you want me to drop them myself.”

She did it herself, next to ask, “Your dressed nice today, were you on a date?”

He shook his head, “No.”

She looked down on his erect penis, fluffed it up with a couple of strokes as his wanker voluntarily grew in her hand. And it went into her mouth.

 

            Later, Glen and Rudy stood in the Michigan cold smoking cigarettes and standing in front of the bar wearing winter coats. The two stood there staring at the major road in front of them and seeing the cars pass by. Glen looked by the entrance and thought to himself on how the bar will literally be dead until the majority of the Devils come back. Although it was a public bar, it depended on the Devils and any interest of the biker gang, such as Glen.

He looked back to Rudy, “I wasn’t expecting this today.”

“You’re welcome.” Rudy replied, finishing his cigarette and stomping it on the ground.

“Thank you, now, who is Diana? Is she a single mother or a hooker?”

Rudy smiled, “Single mother who is about to be a hooker.”

Glen looked away, “If there is an afterlife, Sheila’s going to kill me back to life.”

“If not her, it would be Joseph Smith Jr.”

“Oy, we grew up Mormon. I can see why you became a gang member and I became a gambler.”

“Up until recently, after Shelia died.”

Glen didn’t want to dwell on Sheila’s memory and changed the subject, “What about the Filipino chick?”

“Pounded her, husband got home.”

Glen looked back, “Oh boy, I bet he was pissed.”

“He didn’t do shit really but yap at me in his language. Her house sure was creepy. How was that dinner with Jimbo and his family?”

“Stupid, goofy, Todd called me gay numerous times.”

A Ford F-250 Cargo Van had made a left turn and made its way onto the driveway of the bar.

Rudy said, “That family is more fucked-up than we were.”

Glen nodded to that, “Yes, but at least she doesn’t push Mormonism down their throats… or as far as I know.”

The van pulled over and the ringleader was at the driver’s side.

“Okay Rudy, let’s get the fuck out of Michigan before a fucking snowstorm comes in.”

“Can’t hold them up,” Rudy said while pulling out something from his pocket, it was a Trojan condom, “for your future endeavors.”

Glen smiled, “I won’t make this emotional, please don’t get killed in South Carolina.”

“Don’t piss off Mario, and make sure our investment goes good. A.B. will be keeping an eye on you.”

“Well, that isn’t a guy I shouldn’t piss off, he can easily snap my neck.”

Rudy opened the sliding door, “He will do that, remember, stay on task.”

But before he stepped in the vehicle, he said while pointing his finger, “And follow my advice.”

“Do good on the pool bets, Rudy.” Glen said.

He walked in and closed the door, while so, another member of the gang rushed out of the bar and entered the passenger side, riding shotgun.

And they merged off the parking lot and headed south on the major road to get to I-94.

This wasn’t the first time Rudy had left for South Carolina or even Georgia or Florida ever since his entrance into the Devils when he was living in Las Vegas at the age of 23. He left the house at 18 and headed to Vegas based on an invitation to play for a billiards tournament. He surprised many by appearing on ESPN and getting to the semi-finals. But turned heads when he didn’t wear formal wear but black jeans and a Marilyn Manson t-shirt. He had his ups and downs in Vegas with playing Billiards, jumping from one job to another in the casino service industry, in which he was poor at.

However, he was noted on his strength and did a few jobs as a bouncer while pushing around for Billiards, with a few extra appearances in ESPN, including an eight-minute interview. It would surprise some when ESPN would like to know where he is now… or what he is doing. But as far as Glen knew, The Devils did bad, but he didn’t want to know how bad. He has never heard of Detroit’s version of the Devils (sans the winter, where most leave for the south, like the birds) associated with murder.

Glen couldn’t care too much on other things they did. If anything, they can be summoned for protection, or to make things go a different way by a threat of a beating. He would regard a biker gang as a fraternal order club, only their wishes are for personal gain and money, only that it can be well known to most that what they did was against the law. But the corporation that Glen worked for, also does things that are against the law.

Only difference is that Ropers makes more money than the U.S. Government, so, unless the FBI minions could topple the Lords of Ropers, they will do as they please: Destroying small-time businesses by building a Ropers in downtown Happyville, eventually reducing business owners to front-end assistants who now barely make any money, and knocking down forests and sucking out resources to build that new store, etc, etc, etc. And Bruce Hornsby, a famed 80’s singer, would say, “That’s Just the Way It Is.”

A song Glen liked, although it went past his boundary of his favorite genre, Country.

            The door opened again at Joe’s bar. And out came the brunette and Diana, now wearing leather coats and also winter hats. Glen had approached the two, and they noticed him.

“Did they leave?” said the brunette.

“Uh, yes they did.”

She looked at Diana, “I’m gonna have to find my business somewhere else, until they come back.”

It was obvious to Glen that the brunette was a prostitute. He had hopes that Diana wasn’t one of them.

“Hey Diana?”

“What’s up?”

“Do you do this for a living?”

“And what do you mean by that?”

“I think you know what I’m saying.”

“No, not that much, just need it here and there.” She said with a shake of his head.

“Hmm… may I ask why you do this?”

The brunette asked, “Why do you gamble?”

“Because.” Glen said.

“Your brother told me you do it in large amounts, like an investment.” She said.

“It’s because his girlfriend died,” Diana said to her, “somebody said before we did it.”

“Well, bad things happen, and that’s why people do the bad things they do. Why does your brother belong in a biker gang? What the fuck did your parents do?”

He was about to say, but he shook his head and said, “You know what, you’re right. Sorry I asked.”

She smiled, “That’s okay, so what me to give you my number in case you want company?”

Glen shook his head, “No, that’s okay.”

“You don’t like brunettes I take it.”

“No… it’s not that.”

“Dude, it’s okay. Even politicians call me.”

“I bet they do.”

She then named a couple of politicians who had contacted her for company, included was a councilman for the township he lived in.

“Well, it’s a good thing I stopped voting.”

“It’s really a waste of time. Now, can we go in our car and get the hell out of here? You keeping us out here is making us freeze.” Diana said with a devilish look on her face.

Glen waved his hand forward and said, “Get outta here.”

They walked away and Glen had thought to himself that he needed to get tested.

 

            The next morning, Glen had sat in the store manager’s office. He was in no trouble at all, but he had many little meetings to do that seemed to him meaningless. However, it’s Ropers Standard Operating Procedure, and all had to play a puppet in it. Thomas Floyd’s desk was just really a generic white table one would use for a party or special occasion and food would be placed on it. Glen would find that strange and thought that Ropers was very cheap, but he would later know that it was Tom’s preference.

            On the wall was all of Tom’s credentials and also a few glossy photos in frame with him and other Ropers elites. The one in the center was him and the then-CEO of Ropers, taken back in 2001. On his desk of course, was a desk calendar with the typical framed photos of his family. He has a wife, two grown boys and a dog.

            Glen and the Head Team Leader of the Front End were sitting down as the skinny and tall young brunette dominated the conversation about the contract employees coming in. She was talking about how most employees are able to handle the standard operation procedure or SOP for short. She was on her way with the ‘but,’ until the chorus of “I Hope You Dance” had filled the office, coming from Glen’s pocket. Glen pulled out his phone and clicked it off, then held up his index finger and said, “Let me turn down the volume, sorry.”

She went on, “As I was rudely interrupted. I have to say that we have a couple of employees who are not in full compliance with the job at hand.”

“How do you mean?” Tom asked.

“Well, If I can speak freely, I think the temp office sent us a couple of bad apples.”

Glen this time, “and what are they doing? Goofing off on the job? Disobeying? Not coming to standard with the job performance?”

“Um, not coming to standard with the job performance is what I’d say.”

“And their names?”

“One is called Noah, the other is named Patrick.” She said.

While so, Glen’s phone vibrated.

“Is that important, Glen?” Tom asked with a smile on his face.

Glen looked over, “No, it really isn’t.”

“You’ll definitely know Patrick, he’s a small guy who had a lot of piercings and also has dyed his hair in a light green color.”

“Hmm, interesting guy. I’ll go and observe these two and if I see that they are not what we are looking for, I’ll call the temp office.” Glen said.

“I think you shouldn’t check, these two are not going to work out.” she said.

“Martha, it’s a little too early to determine that, let’s give them today and if Glen says they aren’t doing good, they will be replaced.” Tom said.

“If or when, I would like these two to be replaced by female employees.” she said while getting off of her chair and standing up.

The two didn’t reply at first, Glen asked pleasantly, “and why’s that?”

“Because the clientele or our guests would probably prefer a female employee opposed to a freaky looking guy with piercings and green hair.”

“Well, you have a point, but I like to take a look at his performance myself, then we will see, okay?” Glen said.

“Fine.” Martha said.

Then she walked out of the office and closed the door behind her.

“You know, I’ve had her as the person-in-charge of the Front End, and this isn’t the first time she has attempted to rid of male employees.” Tom said.

“I’ve been doing HR for three years myself, and I’ve also noticed that.” Glen added.

“I’m looking to get her out of it, I’m not a fan of this biased treatment.”

“You mean, out of the department?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… I’ve never seen any forms by her suggesting that she wants to transfer. I can talk to Barb about this and maybe she Barb can talk to her.”

“On a personal note, do you know why she has this issue with male employees, or men in general?”

Glen shrugged while his phone vibrated again, “I’m not sure of her personal life and I don’t wish to intrude with it, and I don’t think she wants me or inquire about. I think everyone should be able to have a private life. Sadly, we find ourselves surrendering that day-by-day.”

“That’s a definite. I’ll go ahead and dismiss you so you can tell that person whose calling you to shut up.” Tom said.

Glen chuckled at that while he got off the chair and left the General’s office.

Out in the employees only hallway, his phone had vibrated again. He pulled out his phone to see ‘Colleen Warnock.’ He also had ‘Colleen at Work’ so it would indicate that more than likely, she had the day off or perhaps was taking a break.

He answered the phone, “Cool it, will ya?”

 

            Juby approached Hero’s Coffee’s front door bruised up. He opened the door and walked in slowly. Hero’s that had opened just a hour ago had a some seats filled. The typical customer of Hero’s was Albanian, that or other males from any countries that border Albania or are close by. Italians also had showed up buying a cup of coffee and decided to stay awhile. Americans would come but those were little compared to everyone else. And an American walking in Hero’s may have people from the other side of the world to be acknowledged but just after, they would go back to what they were doing. However, this American had a noticeable bruise on his face and looked pale. Some murmurs had come up, with one Albanian man mentioning ‘the zombie apocalypse.’

            Amel walked out of the side room that contained the cleaning supplies and other items for the shop, also way in the back was a desk. He walked out with a smile on his face, then his eyes saw Juby, he dropped the smile and said, “What the fuck happened to you?”

“That faggot Glen gave me the wrong advice.” Juby said while approaching the table Amel usually sits at.

“I know that,” he said while crossing his arms, “you texted me. I imagine you didn’t have the money?”

“I had it.” Juby said.

“Then what happened?”

“That black asshole he’s friends with took my money.”

“You mean, Tommy?”

“Yeah, him.”

Amel looked away, “Hmm, heard of the guy but never met him.”

One of Amel’s friends had approached him, asking in the Albanian language and to what Juby would guess, “what happened?”

Amel talked to him for about ten seconds.

The friend looked at Juby with a sneer and chuckled. Something Juby didn’t like.

“Okay, obviously you were set up.” He said.

“Hell yes I was, I want to kick the shit out of Glen. I know where he lives and works.”

Amel put his hand up with a shake of his head, “No Juby, let us handle it, I’ll call Mario. Just hang tight, this drink’s on me.” He said while pulling out his phone with his left hand and snapping his fingers with his right. Then Amel asked, “How come you let Tommy beat you up like that? You’re a cop.”

“I’m reserves.” Juby said.

“Oh yeah, I forgot, not a real cop. Where did you go last night?”

“Um, Rangers on Seven Mile.”

“Hey, I told you to stay on the north side of Eight Mile. Rangers is bad news.”

“But hey, you said you wanted people to take control in Detroit.”

“Not you. Please, stop pretending that you are a hard-ass and walking on the other side of Eight Mile. I wasn’t even born in this country and I know not to be fucking around over there. Damn.”

A plump blond female approached Juby with a glass of water with a look of concern on her face, “Are you okay?” she said.

Juby didn’t acknowledge that and sat down.

“Get him a Pepsi, it’s on the house.” Amel told her.

“Okay.” She said, next to walk back to the counter.

Amel held his index finger up and rooted through his Samsung phone to find Mario’s phone number.

 

            Once again, Glen was driving his Ford Focus, this time on I-94. He was a little distracted while driving when the clock reached 5:35pm. He had a few hours of sleep and went to work a little early for him to make his exit for ‘personal reasons.’ He did have to argue with Barbara a little to get it, as she wanted to know why. He never told her why, and that reason was for him to visit a clinic and get himself a STD test for his little sexual encounter with Diana. Later figuring out that she is at the least, 'effing around' and ‘can be slutty.’ Glen in his denying mind just didn’t wish to buy that Diana was a prostitute, just some nymphomaniac nearing the cougar stage. He had his doubts of having a STD that would be seriously bad, but what bothered him more was that he had sex with a prostitute. This was something he would never want to do. He liked sex, just like 98% of men out there do, but he had his standards.

After Sheila’s death, the thought of having a relationship just thereafter would be put on hold. He just wanted to move on with life the best way he could. A few months after, he did have a one-night stand, but regretted it after that. However, since somebody he dearly loved was taken away, he lost his will to attempt to do everything right. And that is when the gambling started, with the help of Rudy and also knowing that Jimbo just loved shoving his nose into sports statistics.

His first dealings were more losses than wins. But since his then new job paid him well, he could absorb a few losses and he had some control. It wasn’t until he loss two college basketball games to Tommy. But after his loss, the two became pals and with that being said, Tommy was willing to share his help with Glen. Time passed by with the expertise of Jimbo and Tommy, problem was that the two of them had little money, so they needed an investor.  Things were going well that Rudy’s biker gang had kindly asked that since they have brought him into the world of gambling , that they can use him as an investor. Glen knew that telling them no would cause him more drama in his life, but he wasn’t going to say no, he gladly said yes. He kept the thought that since life took away his Sheila, even though he could comply with the world and some laws, there was some things was not going to do. The law says for him and anyone else to not gamble (unless Uncle Sam gets his cut) or extort for a group, but he ignored it.

After a year of many winnings of most times than not, $100 or under at a time, Jimbo and Tommy wanted a little more and begged that Glen grows a pair to balls and bet more. Rudy and his gang also told him to do the same. He laughed it off but decided to go ahead with it, with the fear in his mind that he risked going in jail. A risk he was willing to take.

Glen’s phone had ringed I Hope You Dance while listening in to WWJ, the all-news station in Detroit. He turned the volume down on the radio and reached for his phone, lying beside it was papers from the clinic, with a three-panel pamphlet about the fear of STDs, paid for by a subsidy of the U.S. Government. With his Bluetooth set already on, he just answered the phone without checking who was calling and he answered with, “Domino’s Pizza, Glen speaking?”

“Glen?” said Jimbo, there was a ruckus in the background.

“Jimbo, what do you want on your Pizza?”

“Look, I just wanted to know, what did you mean by what you said yesterday?”

“What did I say exactly?”

“Well, when we were outside after Todd flipped out, you were saying that you were involved with the mafia now.”

“Are you afraid of this Jimbo? You wanted a little more money from your cut, this is the risk we have to take.”

“No, you said something like ‘I can’t handle the mafia.’”

That confused Glen, “I said that?”

“Yeah, something along the lines.”

“I think what I said Jimbo, is for you to do what you do, and I will give you a cut. I also said that all you have to do is give me advice and I will risk my ass even if you are wrong about and lead me to a loss. I don’t think I uttered anything such as, ‘you can’t handle the mafia.’

“No, you said that.” Jimbo assured.

“No, I did not.”

“You did.”

“Jim, no, I didn’t. You have misunderstood.”

He didn’t reply. Glen heard the motor in the background; chances were good that he was riding the bus.

“Jim, I said something like, I’ll handle the mafia so you don’t have too. And listen very good, if you dealt with the mafia and you make a mistake, if you think your mom and Todd are really out to get you, these people will do a hell of a lot worse than they would. Seriously, Jim, even if I said that you can’t handle them, take my advice and just be my advisor while I take the risk.”

“But maybe I can speed things along.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to make a little more money so I can get out of my mom’s realm.”

“I’m working on it. Jim, just sit tight, we will get this going. But I need you to just stay where you are, do what you do and I’ll do my end of the bargain.”

“But, c’mon, dude.”

“Jim, just let me do what I need to do and don’t argue anymore. I’m dealing with a second-rate Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, trust me, don’t get yourself into this, let me handle it.” Glen demanded.

He sighed and said, “Okay.”

Then he hung up.

“Jim?”

No reply at the other end, he heard a generic sound from his smart phone indicating that the call ended.

Glen took his Bluetooth off and tossed it on the passenger seat.

“When you grow a pair, Jimmy, I’ll let you in.” he said to himself while exiting out of I-94 via Masonic Blvd.

Glen knew he didn’t say anything like that to Jimbo, or anything remotely close to it. This wasn’t the first time that Jimbo misunderstood something, he did this with Sheila a couple of times, Glen has seen him get into the wrong side of the argument due to his stupidity while attending any family events involving the Rucker/Raynor/Warnock family. With that being said, he knew that Jim and his sister, and even perhaps Todd too, were eccentric people. Something he did his best not to look down upon (sans Todd) and mental illness was understood most times. He had dealt with them while being a Ropers employee, from starting as a Front End Assistant at 15, to his present job at hand. But, he would say that at times, people with mental illnesses can be inconvenient. He just couldn’t trust Jimbo with some things.

 

            Glen arrived to the plaza of Hero’s Coffee. He walked in the door, not paying attention to the back where Amel usually sits. He has arrived a couple of times before to see that Amel wasn’t around and one of his friends told him what to do or to get a cut. He walked to the counter to see a kind blond female smile at him and say, “What can I get you?”

“Hmm, can I get a large Coca-Cola?” Glen asked.

While she grabbed a large paper cup with the Hero’s Logo on it, he next heard, “You piece of shit!”

Glen knew that was Juby, he slowly looked over with annoyance written all over his face.

            However, it wasn’t just him at that table. It was Amel with a couple of his friends, arms crossed and appearing angry. Glen could bet that with a  snap of his fingers, those couple of friends will run at Glen wanting to kick his punk ass down. With some hilarity, he saw Juby’s face bruised up. Next to Juby was Mario, he didn’t appear to be seriously pissed off as Amel, Juby and the two potential Albanian goons.

He felt the cup being placed by his hand, he looked over to that to see the girl look a little worried.

He looked back to then and chuckled with a shake of his head, “Augh, boy.”