Chapter 71

The room smells of fish. It is lit by a 100w screw in ceiling bulb, and the on off light from the neon sign across the street. A large black man in a striped waistcoat and a brown derby hat sits at an upright piano by the window. His sweating face is coloured alternately red and blue from the sign. The window is open and the rain falls in vertical curtains flooding the sidewalk and raising the storm drain covers like balls on a water spout. By the door stands a large Bull, from the 5th., in a dripping trenchcoat and a trilby pushed back on his head. He stands with his hand in his trouser pockets revealing a Smith and Western pistol in a shoulder holster. On the couch is a blond hooker in a red dress, low in the neck and high on the leg. She has the glassy eyed look of someone who has just had a big hit. On the arm of the couch is another black man sharply dressed in a three piece, a white shirt with a rounded collar, through which is a gold pin raising the knot of his tie. His shoes, highly polished, reflect the neon light. On the wall is a hand written sign.

FISH FRY

$1

In the back room a high roller five stud game of poker is in progress. I am escorted into the room by Veronica and introduced to Fats at the piano as a keyboard wiz from Britain. He shakes my hand and says he could do wit a break do I want to take over while he has some fish. I accept and sit at the keys and play some Errol Garner. It may be raining but the room is hot and I soon have a sweat on and remove my jacket. A group of sailors fresh of the boat bundle into the room dragging in some hookers and their pimps. Soon the joint is jumping as I play through my repertoire of local juke hits. Fats beams at my through a mouthful of fish and hands me his bottle of hooch. I take a long pull on it and the spirit burns its way down. I cough and gag a bit. Fats pats me on the back.

"Now you"re one of us."

Suddenly there is a ruckus in the back room and the sound of gun shots. Veronica comes out with a red stain on her dress just above the belly button. A guy in suspenders and an open neck shirt chewing a cigar follows her and pumps two more rounds into her. The Bull wrestles him to the ground and shouts for someone to call 111. I am at her side immediately. She whispers in my ear.

"What you have to do to save the Universe!"