ask for mister black and tell him red sent you - 19. the rodent

by nick nelson

part nineteen of twenty-nine

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barry walked around the hostess/librarian’s desk, and past the shelves of books to the back of the library half of the building. behind the last shelf was a long table with a few wooden chairs around it. barry still had not seen anybody in the building except the woman at the front desk. she had told him that books about world religions were here “in the back”, but the shelves did not seem labeled in any way, and the light - from fluorescent tubes in the ceiling - was dim. there were books on shelves built into the back wall, and barry approached them uncertainly. as he did, he noticed for the first time a single book on the long table. could this be a book about world religions? the book looked old. it had a plain brown cover, with no title or marking that barry could see, and it looked worn and scuffed. barry picked it up and opened it. there was a folded piece of paper inside the front cover. he unfolded it. it read - 53 wayne street. ask for muggsy and tell him mac sent you. barry had dim primal memories of a world filled with guys named mac and muggsy. and he knew 53 wayne street was. or at least where a 53 wayne street was. as he stood there wondering whether to put the piece of paper back in the book or into his pocket he noticed that the book had changed into a small brown animal who was looking up at him with sad black eyes. he was not sure what kind of animal. a rodent of some kind, just a large rat? it just sat on the table lumpily. it did not look threatening, but it was not cute or cuddly looking either, actually kind of slimy despite the fur… the creature spoke. it repeated… “53 wayne street. ask for muggsy and tell him mac sent you” barry woke up. he remembered “53 wayne street. ask for muggsy and tell hm mac sent you.” he had a pretty good memory but he decided to write it down just to be safe. he had a book of crossword puzzles and a pencil on his kitchen table and he used the pencil to write the message in some white space in the crossword book. it was three o’clock in the morning. he would decide what to do when he woke up for good at five thirty. he thought 53 wayne street might be not too far out of his way as he made his deliveries. 20. mac and muggsy