Merrick

We got out of there fast. Merrick pausing at a phone, called 911, told them the location.

Back in The Camano and we driving in silence towards East 45^th. I didn’t ask.

Merrick

pulled into a vacant spot, said

‘Let’s get shit faced.’

No argument there. A small bar nestling amid the flash hotels, we went in, dark lighting,

nicotine in the air. I looked at Merrick, he said

‘A cop owns it.’

We got a booth in the back, they had an actual juke box, playing ‘Take a Walk On the

Wild Side’.

Burly guy approached, exclaimed

‘Merrick, you son of a bitch, what brings you to town?’

Merrick smiled, no humor though, said

‘Showing my Irish buddy the dives of the city.’

The guy laughed, showing a wonderful display of teeth, and they’d have been more

dazzling if they’d been his own, he pushed out a huge hand, said

‘Charlie, my mother was from the county Mayo.’

I said

‘Tommy and mayo are shite hurlers.’

He paused then slapped me on the shoulder, nearly putting me through the booth, said

‘I like him Merrick, he’s got a mouth.’

Then

‘What’ll I get ye?’

Merrick, no hesitation

‘Two Jameson, Bud back.’

We waited till we got the drinks, Merrick dropped his shot glass in the glass of Bud.

Boilermaker.

Me, can’t. Not with the Jay.

We got on the other side of those and I was about to signal another, Merrick said

‘No need, Charlie will keep em coming.’

Worked for me.

Truth time.

I asked

‘You want to tell me what the fook is going on, how this homicidal bollix knows you,

how to pull your strings?’

The booze or the evening had produced a light sheen of perspiration on his bald head, he

ran his hand over it, said

‘Moe, my partner, he was on a definite track of this crazy fuck, then’

He paused

Sighed, said

‘He got run over on Broadway and 42^nd.’ Hit and run they said, he’s been in a coma

since. I vowed to continue his investigation and here we are. The sicko obviously knows

who I am and one thing Moe had said, the guy likes to play.’

I digested this, then

‘What’s The Gacy reference?’

In my head, I was beginning to really think the sickout had a partner and I dreaded to say

it………but……….I felt the second guy might be a cop.

‘One of the kids who lived, if you could call what is left of the mite living, said a clown

offered him Hershey bars.’

I said

‘But Gacy killed young males, not children.’

Merrick drained his glass, said

‘I said he was crazy, I didn’t say he was consistent.’

I could feel the drinks, sneaking up on me, not out of the game but a nice buzz. I checked

for quarters, stood up, asked

‘Any preference?’

Took him a minute to realize I meant the Juke, said

‘See if they got any Stones, The Exile On Main St album, I want some dirty rock.’

They didn’t but I choose Rory Gallaher, maybe not dirty but pure rock. Added

U2

Tom Russel

The Saw Doctors

Van The Man

The Chieftains.

When I got back, a basket of chicken wings was on the table with thick slices of soda

bread. Merrick said

‘Soak up the booze.’

If you’d told me I’d be able to eat, but booze doesn’t know from sorrow, so I ate. The

dead child was present at the table, but for now, we acted like Time Out. The horrors on

hold.

Merrick sat back, wiping the grease from his chin, said

‘Few things to touch wings with the false appetite of booze.’

Charley approached, a bottle in his meaty hand, said

’50 year old Black Bush, treat with due reverence.’

We tried.

Sipped and then Merrick asked

‘You were a Guard?’

I muttered

‘Once were Cops.’

He nodded then

‘But you guys, you’re unarmed, right? I mean, fuck, what’s with that gig?’

I said

‘Off duty, we like to, am………..chat to bad guys with hurley’s.’

Led me into trying to explain the National Game to him, finally summed with

‘Think baseball crossed with homicide.’

He laughed, said

‘Sure would like to see that.’

I said

‘Really?’

‘Course, you come to Shea Stadium, I want to know about your guys game.’

I said

‘Next Sunday, Galway are playing Cork in an exhibition game, you want to come?’

‘Fuck yes.’

Merrick looked at his watch, said

‘Shit, I’ve got to get home, my wife will have a damn fit, and I have to open the bar my

own self.’

I reached for my wallet. And Charley was there, said

‘Don’t even think of it buddy.’

I protested,

‘But fook on a bike, I need to do something.’

A twinkle in his eye, he said

‘Sure would love to see one of them there hurling games.’