The Kings Of Cool

78

Few people ever have to find out

What they would do when their whole life has been based on one thing and then they’re offered the other.

Dennis knows that he can bust Filipo, and five other Filipos will kill each other trying to take the job vacancy. Knows that the job vacancy will be filled because the money is just too good. Knows he should bust him, anyway, cuff him, and read him his rights.

Filipo is showing no signs that he’s going to resist or run.

Maybe if Filipo had been your Cineplex-stereotype Frito-Bandito Mexi-cowboy in an embroidered black shirt and bright-green lizard-skin boots it might have been a simple choice. But Filipo wears a tailored gray sports coat over a white button-down shirt, an expensive pair of jeans, and black loafers. Slightly tinted bifocals, short-cut black hair with flecks of silver. Very understated, muted, soft-spoken.

Not a trace of threat in his voice or smirk on his face.

Just business.

An exchange of value for value.

Money for freedom.

A lot of things go through Dennis’s mind in a hurry. Things that just the day before probably wouldn’t have occurred to him, like $550K is

Granite countertops, is

His kids’ education, is

Fuck the coupons.

He thinks about his pension down the road, how maybe it buys an RV that you stencil some name like “Buccaneer” on and drive across the country every other year. $550K invested wisely over those years buys you A place in Costa Rica, on the water.

Trips to Tuscany.

Granite countertops.

It would be just this once, he thinks, one time and one time only, and never again.

Except Dennis knows that’s not true, even as he’s telling it to himself. He knows that a soul isn’t for rent, only for sale. But, to save face, he says, “This doesn’t change anything.”

Filipo nods, but allows just the suggestion of a smile to show on his face because they both know this changes everything.

The river of time is tough that way.

Sometimes the current is so strong that you can never go back to who you used to be, even for a visit, but

Dennis just nods.

Filipo goes out the door, taking

A big chunk of Dennis with him.