booze

PAY OFF

 

Three men, wearing black uniforms and badges, pound on my Uncle Rob's door. He scoops me up and puts me in the hall coat closet. 'Be very quiet. Don't make a sound,' he says. The door closes on me. It is dark except for a tiny bit of light under the door. I am scared, very scared. There is loud talking but I can't understand the words. A mean, rough voice leaks in thru the keyhole. 'Rob, the price has changed. Pay up NOW.' Something falls on the kitchen floor. My Uncle Rob screams, 'O.K., O.K.'  I hold my breath until the porch door slams, slowly turn the closet door knob. Once I adjust my eyes to the sunlight coming in the kitchen window, everything looks the way it did before I was put in the closet. Nothing new is laying on the floor.  

 

'Uncle Rob, what price went up?' I can tell he is thinking about his answer. 'Uh, Uh,- -Hershey bars, Timmy. They cost more to make and now will be 8 cents instead of five.  Here's a quarter. Go to Zinnie's and buy three, bring me one, you keep two and the penny change. Save one of yours until after your dinner. Go, go, already.' Mommy has taught me manners o I thank my Uncle Rob and get him the Hershey bar he asked for.

 

As soon as I get home I tell Mommy about Uncle Rob's visitors and the price going up on Hershey bars. 'Mommy, Mr. Zinnie never heard about that and gave me five Hersheys for my quarter. Here's one for you. Save it for after dinner.' She pats the kitchen chair next to her and tells me to sit down a minute. ' Melvin, I have to tell you something. I don't want you to visit Uncle Rob any more. He and I had a bad argument, almost a fight, and I've told him you won't be coming there anymore.' 'Why, Mommy? I didn't fight with him. You did. You stay away.' Mommy's eyebrows make big Vs on her forehead. She gives me a hug and a slippery kiss on my cheek and tells me why. 'Because I told you and that is all there is to it.'

 

I go to my room and eat one of my Hershey bars, can't resist another to spite her. Daddy will be hurt if I don't give him one. Thinking it over, I come to the conclusion that it was a dumb thing to do and am angry with myself. I did what Uncle Rob said and gave Mommy one, and he already had one.  Now I have none left for myself, and my allowance is almost gone.

 

Uncle Rob stops by our house to tell us he is moving far away soon. He'll visit when he can. It may be a long while. I beg him not to go, tell him how much I'll miss him but he goes where he has to go. Months become years, my fond memories stay with me.

 

Sometimes I walk past his old house, that has been re-painted, has different curtains on the windows. There are children playing in the back yard where Uncle Rob used to play catch with me. The children's mother notices me once, twice then becomes concerned. On my third silent visit she asks me who I am and why I am watching her children. I introduce myself, 'I'm Mr. Frankowich. My uncle used to live here years ago when I was a kid. He moved away and I never found out where he went.' The lady looks a bit puzzled, 'Oh, my. Frankowich? That sounds familiar. You are a Frankowich?' I nod a yes. 'That man went to jail. Maybe he's still there.' she tells me. I am stunned. Never did I hear a whisper of that. 'Ma am, my uncle would probably be elderly now. I used to come when he was still a good looking man. I told him once he should become a movie star. Thanks for at least this much info.'

 

As I walk towards the gate, a beautiful boy with curly blond hair runs to his mommy. His hand holds a pretend gun. 'O.K. Lady, Pay Up,' he says in a loud voice. His mother raises her arms high. Twists her mouth and says, 'O.K., Pal. You got me. Don't shoot. I'll pay up immediately. Your allowance is on the kitchen table. Take it. Don't spend the quarter all in the same place.'

I laugh, wave goodbye and lay Uncle Rob to rest.