This Must Be What Legs Diamond Said To Dutch Schultz

by Mike Mayak

“Yeah. I’m downtown right now. Yeah, I got a burner phone, you think I’m stupid? Yeah, I got the time. And the place. Millar’s Drugstore over on Fifth and Main. Yeah. Two-Fifteen tomorrow afternoon. It’s when the guy takes the deposit to the bank. Yeah, yeah. Same guy, the older guy. Yeah, he walks there. He’ll be in the alley for about a minute. Yeah, we grab it when he’s in there. Yeah, I got my ski mask, like you said. No, no I won’t be wearing anything with any logo on it. And I’m not stupid enough to wear my work shirt with MYRON HERKINS on the front. That’d be like some baseball player wearing his jersey to steal a deposit from someone.

What? No, I’m not in a motel room. And I didn’t find a phone booth. I’m on the first floor of the Library. The big one downtown. You know, with the big couch by the window, that’s where I am now. Whaddya mean I should keep my voice down? This damn cheap phone you can’t hear me unless I really speak up. Hang on a minute, will ya? Security guy wants to ask me something…”

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Actually written not too far from where I took the prompt pic in the Library a few months ago.—-mike