26.5.2009

TIME TRAVELS, AS THE PIGEON SMILES

 

    TIME TRAVELS, AS THE PIGEON SMILES

http://www.netsaga.is/media/files/rythma%C3%BEr%C3%A6ll.mp3
 

    "Chang come and join us, my dearest son." Chino gestured for the man to sit before him. "How are you coping with your new position?"

    Chang in turn replied with a little lack lustre, "Fine father. After their initial hard heartedness they are coming around."

    Chino nodded as he listened to the very brief report before signalling for his guest to come from the darkness, "Come on my guest, come forth and join us."

    Chino turned to see a man dressed all in black except for white socks and glasses approach the table.

    Sharon voiced her concerns as she sat near his God father.

    "Gordon! What are you doing here?"

    "Hi dearie, I?ve come to talk the talk with the man."

    "To do what?"

    "Just talk. I?m not too impressed by the idea, then again little choice, otherwise my dog gets it."

    "Um, gets it as in, gets it?" Chang felt bad now, no animal should be done away with.

    "I?m afraid so. If I don?t comply, my dog gets dyed a different colour from pink."

    "Yuck!" Chang felt repulsed that a dog should even be coloured. Natural coat colour was the best way.

    "Good evening Gordon. Nice of you to drop by. Dressed in black a nice touch." Chino smiled at his choice of a good colour, sorry neutral palette taste.

    "I am wearing this because I am mourning a loss," Gordon replied as his eyes amplified his scared stance and brave position in front of one big crime lord.

    "Oh really! What is your loss?"

    Gordon took a very deep breath and as he saw little white spots dance in front of his eyes he got it off his chest, "The loss of this hotel. My friends love this place and have worked hard to make it the attraction it is. Sadly now it is in your hands, it is loosing a lot of trade."

    Just then, Chino?s salmon royal arrived. His favourite dish. "Thank you Bob." looking around he signalled for one of his men to bring forth, "my chief taster please." The chief taster came on over, sampled all the dish and nodded with satisfaction that all was clear.

    Chino took a large bite before allowing that to slide down his stomach. Now what was the conversation? Oh yes! "What do you suggest I do?"

    "Give it back to them. They have done nothing to harm you."

    "Not yet, maybe a little more time given and they will."

    "What do you think we are?" Sharon shouted as she went to stand up, only for Chang to hold her shoulders down stopping her from rising. Giving up she just moved her shoulders away from his grip and frowned at him.

    Gordon realised he still had the bosses attention, "Are you so paranoid now, that you think everyone is out to get you? If that is the case then your days of rule are coming to and end. Your mistrust will rule you and you will live out the remainder of your days, hiding in that bunker you call home."

    Chino chewed this thought over about paranoia. It was not his usual style. In the past if trouble brewed he sorted it often face to face. Bunker, now that was a great choice of words.

    "Talking about my bunker as you call it. I wish you to make a good job of redesigning it. I want it to be more appealing, more hospitable. I?m growing tired of the cold hard look."

    "You want me to do that for you?" Gordon?s reply was full of surprise and as it sank in he felt the blood drain from his face as he went as white as his glasses.

    "I do. You have done a splendid job here. I hope you will do the same for my little humble joint."

    "Praise from Chino is praise indeed," Chang muttered to the small guy.

    Gordon took this in as a thought came to his mind, "I?ll do it for you, though it will cost you."

    Chino grinned, he liked a person who came straight to the point. "Just how much will this venture cost me?"

    "This place will do it."

    Chino grinned an evil grin, "I see. You want me to give it back to your friends."

    "Exactly luv?um?Chino."

    The smile faded, "Out of the question for two reasons. One, I like this place way too much to give it away. Two, I just have to force you to do the work."

    "Oh yeah, I didn?t think of that," Gordon replied as he sank in defeat. "I will take a look at your place and you can pay me if you want."

    The grin was back upon Chino?s face as he watched the man blow out and stop like a sailing ship on a windless day. "Be at my place at ten tomorrow. I will show you around." Placing another piece of this delectable salmon in his mouth he swallowed with delight, only to find something sticking into his throat, making him cough and go dizzy.

    Gordon watched as the bad guy went from a normal colour to a red, then purple. "Oh my god! He?s been poisoned!" He yelled.

    "Oh man, what shall we do?" Chang asked as he tried patting his boss on the back.

    "Shall I call an ambulance, get him to hospital?"

    "No!" Chang yelled as he ran round to stop Gordon from using his mobile. "He hates those places."

    Sharon looked round for her husband who as usual was storming up to the disaster area.

    "What did he eat?"

    "Salmon!" Everyone replied to Ben?s question.

    "Must have a bone stuck in the old throat. Requires the Heimlich manover."

    "Do you know how to do it?" Sharon asked, knowing full well her hubby did.

    "I can."

    "Then do it man!" Chang replied in a panic.

    "I?ll do it for a price."

    "Just name it!"

    "I want our restaurant back."

    Chang locked eyes with his friend. Was this the way it was going to be? Ben would only play ball if he had his way?

    Chino was frantic at this point. He wanted to say no deal, then again he wouldn?t be saying anything if he couldn?t breathe anymore. He nodded in agreement.

    Chang understood, "You have a deal," and shouted, "now do it man!"

    Hoisting the biog bad wolf from his chair, Ben immediately did the manover and the offending item dislodged enough to come up into Chino?s mouth before he swallowed it, which was a stupid thing to do, yet most natural. This time it made it?s way down with no problems.

    As Chino regained control over his breathing and his face started to go back to it?s usual pale colour, he stood proud. As he walked past the man of the day he reiterated his promise. "The coffee Club is all yours. I will never take it out of your hands again." Then shaking Ben?s hand he said two words which meant a lot to him, "Thank you."

    As fast as it happened it was all over. Chang saddled up to his friend and said, "He could have killed you for making a deal like that you know."

    "I know," Ben replied all calm, when in reality he felt the need to run upstairs and be sick with relief that it worked.

    Chang sighed, with the next words falling out of his mouth like an unpleasant taste, "You have your place, I?ll guess I will see you around."

    "Why? Where are you going?"

    "Now he?s given you this place, I?m unemployed. No more reason to be here."

    "There is. In fact there are two reasons."

    Chang pulled a little grin, "I know one reason, but I can?t figure out the second."

    "Protection money. We still have that deal remember."

    "Oh yeah, I forgot about that one. I suppose I can come round all regular like and check out the place."

    Ben lowered his voice, "Don?t forget, I will find a way out for you."

    Chang lowered his further, "Thanks, but if I was you, I?d just stay here and don?t get involved."

    Ben watched the guy slip away as his even lower voice would have made him cough. In the back of his mind he heard Gordon shout out, "Luvvies, is this a cause for a big celebration or what?"

    All three, Sharon, Gordon and Ben yelled out a big "Yes!" as they slapped each other?s hands and lifted their left ankles backwards towards the air.

    This day was the first true day of freedom for the crew of the Coffee Club.