Xavier was lulled to sleep by the gentle purr of the cars engine, inside the vehicle all was warm and toasty as he reclined back in the plush Napa leather seats as Norman drove back to where the van was parked. He handed Xavier the keys dropping him off to let the old work van warm up a little while he ditched the Jaguar a block or so away. It pained both of the men to have get out of the fine automobile. Each wishing in their hearts they had a car like that. This was even more so difficult for Xavier as he missed his '75 Aston Martin V8; which his mother sold to pay for the medical bills of the boy he had crippled on that terrible day in July.
So Xavier climbed out into the cold with a heavy heart, sickened by his conscience as he waited in the old cold van for Norman to return. A little while later the two drove out to the East End where they found a room at the Old City Inn off Mare Street. The room was tiny with two small beds, a little television and a phone, but most importantly it was clean and well heated. Now Xavier just wanted to sleep forever, so tired was he from the long nights festivities. Collapsing on to the beds the two men covered up under the warm, thick duvets and fell fast asleep.
Several hours passed as the men stirred not from their rest as the time passed by quickly in silence, save for the gentle snoring of Norman who sounded like a bear deep in hibernation. However, the serene peace of their dreams was disturbed by the loud beeping coming from Norman's pager. Groggy and half asleep Norman fumbled for the large plastic device and switched it off. He sat up in his bed and called his answering service, whom Norman informed he was unavailable to take any jobs this weekend as his mother was ill. They believed his lie and he went back to sleep.
Xavier and Norman slept most of the morning away, it was not until Xavier was awoken by the rancid aroma of burning tobacco that he finally got up. Xavier hated cigarette smoke but he made no complaint to his friend; which Norman would not have minded if he did. Through great lungs full of smoke Norman told Xavier a man was coming to pay a visit to them to look at the items they were going to sell. Xavier was nervous as he had never partaken in such a criminal deed, but he was young and having fun, and in desperate need of money, lots and lots of money, money his mother could not take away from him.
As he was washing his face off in the en suite sink Xavier heard a loud knock at the door followed by the sound of Norman greeting an older gentleman who spoke in a deep Scottish brogue. He hurried to dry his face and slip on his t-shirt when he stepped out to see a finely dressed, older man, with hair dyed jet black, a face full of well earned wrinkles, tall, slim, attired in an expensive pair of Italian leather shoes, a hand tailored grey suit and a tan camel's hair wool trench coat, a bright blue silk scarf wrapped around his neck. He smelled of fresh linen and lavender. Xavier was happy to see a smile on this man's face as he stepped in giving Norman a firm handshake, as his eyes lit up a little, for he was glad to see this strapping lad, the son of his dear friend Gertrude Peirce.
"Norman lad, good to see you again, it has been too long!" he said cheerfully giving Norman a slap on the shoulder.
"Harry! You old bastard!" they laughed as Norman continued "Mum's doin' well, Harry, doin' well."
"Well, thank the Good Lord for that! World needs more women like your mum!" he gave a bright eyed smile to Norman then he turned and gave Xavier a strange look as if to say 'Whose the fucking foreigner?' "So Norman, whose this then?"
"Harry I would like you to meet my good friend Xavier Diaz, he's up here from Argentina, studying finance and he is one helluva' polo player." Norman said proudly.
"Good to meet you sir!" Xavier said extending his hand out to the well heeled 'big wheel'.
Harry paused, a look of shock on his face "Sir? What's this Sir business?" Xavier looked mortified thinking he had somehow insulted the distinguished looking gentleman. "No sir, just call me Harry!" he said as he took Xavier's hand in his and gave it a hard squeeze as he slapped Xavier on the shoulder firmly, he laughed and said "Only teasin' ya son! Lighten up, don't be so nervous!" Norman and Harry had a good laugh and Xavier began to feel more at ease. "Now then, I don't have all day show me what you've 'found'."
Here Norman took all the items from the night stand drawer laying them down carefully on the small table. Now when Harry saw the fine selection of gold and diamond jewelry his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.
So Xavier climbed out into the cold with a heavy heart, sickened by his conscience as he waited in the old cold van for Norman to return. A little while later the two drove out to the East End where they found a room at the Old City Inn off Mare Street. The room was tiny with two small beds, a little television and a phone, but most importantly it was clean and well heated. Now Xavier just wanted to sleep forever, so tired was he from the long nights festivities. Collapsing on to the beds the two men covered up under the warm, thick duvets and fell fast asleep.
Several hours passed as the men stirred not from their rest as the time passed by quickly in silence, save for the gentle snoring of Norman who sounded like a bear deep in hibernation. However, the serene peace of their dreams was disturbed by the loud beeping coming from Norman's pager. Groggy and half asleep Norman fumbled for the large plastic device and switched it off. He sat up in his bed and called his answering service, whom Norman informed he was unavailable to take any jobs this weekend as his mother was ill. They believed his lie and he went back to sleep.
Xavier and Norman slept most of the morning away, it was not until Xavier was awoken by the rancid aroma of burning tobacco that he finally got up. Xavier hated cigarette smoke but he made no complaint to his friend; which Norman would not have minded if he did. Through great lungs full of smoke Norman told Xavier a man was coming to pay a visit to them to look at the items they were going to sell. Xavier was nervous as he had never partaken in such a criminal deed, but he was young and having fun, and in desperate need of money, lots and lots of money, money his mother could not take away from him.
As he was washing his face off in the en suite sink Xavier heard a loud knock at the door followed by the sound of Norman greeting an older gentleman who spoke in a deep Scottish brogue. He hurried to dry his face and slip on his t-shirt when he stepped out to see a finely dressed, older man, with hair dyed jet black, a face full of well earned wrinkles, tall, slim, attired in an expensive pair of Italian leather shoes, a hand tailored grey suit and a tan camel's hair wool trench coat, a bright blue silk scarf wrapped around his neck. He smelled of fresh linen and lavender. Xavier was happy to see a smile on this man's face as he stepped in giving Norman a firm handshake, as his eyes lit up a little, for he was glad to see this strapping lad, the son of his dear friend Gertrude Peirce.
"Norman lad, good to see you again, it has been too long!" he said cheerfully giving Norman a slap on the shoulder.
"Harry! You old bastard!" they laughed as Norman continued "Mum's doin' well, Harry, doin' well."
"Well, thank the Good Lord for that! World needs more women like your mum!" he gave a bright eyed smile to Norman then he turned and gave Xavier a strange look as if to say 'Whose the fucking foreigner?' "So Norman, whose this then?"
"Harry I would like you to meet my good friend Xavier Diaz, he's up here from Argentina, studying finance and he is one helluva' polo player." Norman said proudly.
"Good to meet you sir!" Xavier said extending his hand out to the well heeled 'big wheel'.
Harry paused, a look of shock on his face "Sir? What's this Sir business?" Xavier looked mortified thinking he had somehow insulted the distinguished looking gentleman. "No sir, just call me Harry!" he said as he took Xavier's hand in his and gave it a hard squeeze as he slapped Xavier on the shoulder firmly, he laughed and said "Only teasin' ya son! Lighten up, don't be so nervous!" Norman and Harry had a good laugh and Xavier began to feel more at ease. "Now then, I don't have all day show me what you've 'found'."
Here Norman took all the items from the night stand drawer laying them down carefully on the small table. Now when Harry saw the fine selection of gold and diamond jewelry his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.
No comments:
Post a Comment