when pablo was growing up on the west side, he dreamed, like most of the little boys he knew, of joining the mob.
he quickly found that his dreams were mocked by the bigger, rougher boys, and learned to keep his fantasies to himself.
but he never gave them up.
he dropped out of school at a young age even for the neighborhood, and began hanging around duke’s barber shop, and al’s pool hall, and mickey’s newsstand. he never said to the cannon fodder he encountered in these places, “i want to grow up to be just like you”, but he became a familiar figure, and became trusted to run the most trivial errands and carry the most trivial messages.
it should be noted that like many neighborhoods in the old cities of the inner empire, the mobs were the only law. and order. most of the inhabitants never saw a police person except on television. mayors and governors and presidential candidates would occasionally visit, surrounded by an inner ring of bodyguards who were themselves surrounded by an outer ring of bodyguards.
one day little pablo was sitting in duke’s barbershop reading a two year old copy of jungle space troopers comics, when big chico came in to the shop, with his habitual scowl on his face. big chico was a great guy if he liked you and you got to know him but he always had a scowl on his face.
chico looked around the shop. he didn’t take his hat or coat off so he was not there for a shave or a haircut.
“anybpdy seen marco?” chico growled.
“haven’t seen him, “ duke the barber said.
the only grown mob guy in the place was deano, who was not all that bright. chico glared at him.
“i ain’t seen him either, chico,” deano said. “i can’t remember when i seen him.”
“why do all these bums disappear when i need them?” chico asked.
pablo expected deano to say something like, i’m here, chico, but he did not. he was either too dumb or too smart to do so.
chico thought for a few seconds. “i want you to do something for me,” he said to deano,
“sure, chico,” deano replied like it was no big deal.
chico took a plain white envelope out of his coat pocket. it was unmarked, sealed, and not that thick - it obviously did not contain a wad of bills.
“take this and deliver it to renaldo johnson in east st louis. think you can do that?”
“sure.” deano answered easily.
“he’s got a gym on main street in east st louis. johnson’s gym. find him and deliver it to him personally. personally, you understand? into his own hand. don’t let anybody give you the runaround.”
“i got it, chico.”
”all right.” chico handed the envelope to deano. he glanced over and saw pablo. “take this kid with you. you mind going with renaldo, kid?”
“n-no!” pablo squeaked. chico and deano smiled, and duke the barber laughed out loud.
“what for?” deano asked. “what can he do?”
“i always like to send two people. he can call me if something goes wrong. here, kid.” chico took a tiny phone out of his pocket, and gave it to pablo. “if anything goes wrong, just call me. just dial three .you got that?”
“yes, mister cole.”
“good. what was the number again, to dial?”
“three!”
“i see you are a bright kid, can keep a number in your head. i wish all my gorillas were that bright.. all right, get going with deano.”
pablo was vaguely aware that east st louis was over four hundred kilometers away. and his mother would wonder where he was.
but he didn’t care. this was his big chance! he was determined to make the most of it.
deano was waiting at the door of the shop and pablo joined him.
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