transformedia

Had got to wondering about NuNu’s scrapyard and if Pops had done anything with it or even had it still. Went on into the Frontroom and there he was, one burnin between his fingers while he held the papers and one still burnin in the ashtray on the side table. Somebody lives in a place for a good while and it becomes who they are and their odor and mood gets into the carpets and furniture. There’s no getting it out even after they die sometimes. Throw out the dead ones’ goods, pull up the rugs, paint the joint, that does it sometimes. Pops’ place was no different. The funk slapped you in the mug upon entering wherever he was. The Frontroom was that place right now, it was like a thorny caress. Real familiar and welcoming, but repulsive too in a way. Like I’ve gone into some people’s places and the stank just don’t sit good in the nostrils cuz they are not of my blood….then it’s just funk…not love-funk. ” Whats up with NuNus yard Pops ? ”   “Still got it….you wanna go down?” ” You wanna?”  ”No, fuck no. They been tryin to get it from me but I ain’t interested to sell yet.”  ”Yeah, I’d like to do down.”  Pops finally pulled down the paper and shot me a look. It was one of Pops’ ‘I ain’t askin’ but I’m askin’  looks.  So I answered him.  ” If I’m goin away, I want to have some stuff fresh in my mind, like waterin a plant half-dead, right?”  ” A boxin’ poet I got now?”  He smiles at his own joke and says “Yeah I know what you’re getting at. Heating up the memories like toppin off a cup o coffee.  ’Member how to go?”  ” Yeah yeah” I sez.  He sez “Take the new River exit off the Skyway and you can’t miss it between the bridges cuz they flattened everything else. You’ll see.” He raises back up the paper after stubbin’ out the butt. “Keys to the Crown Vic are on the visor.” 

I think I was 17 when it all happened. No, had to be 18, cause they tried me as an adult, but I fell into the minor category cause Pops got me a good lawyer who hooked it to a minor offense from a driving thing the year before. Whatever but I only did 18 months, no drugs, no priors. As I say, Pops got me a good lawyer. Good they didn’t take blood back then or check my arms. I might still be under the jail somewhere. I had gone to Mrs Matthews to pick up Noreen like any other friday night to go eat and go the movies or something and she wasn’t there. “Paul, she went with some young fellow I haven’t seen before, but between us, this is not the first time Noreen has gone off with some one else.” “No…..” I could feel my mouth sitting open. “Yes, Paul. You need to know” She is a good girl as far as that goes, but you’re not the only one who comes by to pick her up.” The kid started to heat up and get red. Mrs. Matthews saw that right off. “She is using drugs Paul”. Fuck me, like I didn’t? Like everyone we knew didn’t ? Poor Mrs. Matthews. She shoulda been. 

Few days of loafing and snivelling and I was ready. Pops says take a vacation, go someplace you know no one, and take a wad of dough, get laid, you know.  ” This set-up is over for you, kid, time to look around and smell some flowers.”  ” We ever find out where Lois is?”  The old pug, he does not even look at me.  ”No. You?”  Not a good question, I see. Never had asked him much about Lois after she took off, where she was, what she was up to. He was mad and had his feelings hurt when she run away. I thought of Lois and remembered things. Pops had caught her fuckin with Vinnie on the cellar floor, she smoked too young and didn’t care if they knew, she yelled back at Ma. Both our questions about Lois laid on the rug like turds. I let ‘em. I was doin homework at the kitchen table this one time and Ma was beating the crap out of a piece of round steak on the cutting board with a Nehi bottle. Lois sailed in smelling like a pack of Pall Mall straights with her clothes on wrong. Ma could smell alcohol breath and the cum in her panties the second she shambled through the back, slammin the screen door. ” Hey Ma, Lois says, all smarty-pants,” that piece of horse ain’t gonna turn to rib-eye if you smack it till kingdom come”. Moms stopped pounding and turned to look at Lois, breathin’ fire out her ears. “Who the fuck are you?” she spit out ” I don’t know where you come from just now, but I’m  gettin’ a good idea where you are going right quick, you nasty gutter-slut.” My pencil-point popped. Ma moved towards Lois, liftin’ up the Nehi bottle, moving steady and slow. Lois did not move, her tight fists white as hosts in a Chalice. There was an ugly cat fight coming and I did not want blood on my Geography book. I got up fast, ran at Lois, took her at the waist and pulled her out of the kitchen on the double. Out in the hall I hear Mom. “Thats a good boy Paulie, a good, good boy. Saved your Mommie one more time.”