It Was a Very Bad Year

FORTY-NINE

If we had been at Frank’s house we probably would have all just sacked out on the floor, or a sofa, or some kind of chair. But we were at Nancy’s place, so Frank gave Jerry and me a car and told us where the nearest motel was.

‘You’ll be able to get here in five minutes,’ he assured us.

He actually gave us one of the limos, which Jerry drove to the Bel-Air Motor Court. We decided just to go ahead and get one room with two double beds, so that when the call came in we’d both know it.

There were vending machines in the lobby and when we got to the room Jerry dumped his load of chips, pretzels and candy on one of the beds, thereby claiming it as his. We also had a Styrofoam cup of coffee each which we got from a nearby coffee shop.

There was a TV in the room, and while we did turn it on we left the volume low. Jerry offered me my choice of potato chips, corn chips or pretzels to go with my coffee, and I chose pretzels. He didn’t look happy about it, but if he didn’t want to lose them he shouldn’t have offered.

We each sat on our respective beds to wait for the phone to ring.

‘What’s happening with Billy?’ I asked.

‘I don’t know what to do about that kid, Mr G.,’ he said. ‘Spends most of his time workin’ on that system. I got him to pay back part of that dough he owes the Sands, but he keeps sayin’ he’s waitin’ to hit big so he can pay it all back.’

‘He’s got time.’

‘I appreciate you talkin’ to Mr Entratter about that, Mr G.’

‘Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘Jack’s got other things on his mind. Just don’t bring Billy back to Vegas for a while.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Jerry said. ‘When he swiped that dough I crossed him off my list.’

‘What list?’

‘The list of people I’d bring to Vegas with me.’

‘So how long is the list now?’

He thought a moment, then said, ‘Nobody. He was the only one. And that was only because my aunt asked me to do it.’

‘Did you tell your aunt what he did?’ I asked. ‘Lost seventy grand, tried to get more credit from another casino, stole five Gs from you and tried to gamble it? All that?’

‘I did,’ Jerry said. ‘I ratted him out, sang like a canary.’

‘I’ll bet he didn’t like that.’

‘I don’t know if he even cares,’ Jerry said. ‘I don’t know if you noticed, but he ain’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, ya know?’

‘I know.’

‘Wait a minute, wait a minute,’ Jerry said. He sprang off the bed and turned the volume up on the TV. ‘I love this movie.’ He returned to the bed.

I looked at the screen and saw the title JOHNNY CONCHO. It was Frank’s first film as a director, where he also played the title character.

‘Yeah, I like this, too.’

‘Let’s watch it!’ Jerry sprang off the bed again. ‘I’ll go get some Cokes.’

As he ran out the door I called out, ‘See if you can find some popcorn.’