Blood Red Turns Dollar Green, no. 1

by Paul O'Brien

  Lenny just wanted to do right by his family and the earning potential was pretty big if you got fully in. He was also one step closer to working a crowd.

  CHAPTER SIX

  February 2nd 1969. New York.

  The pink teddy bear was half hidden by Lenny's side as he walked down the busy hospital hallway. He was ready to either present it or drop it. Truth was, he didn't know which he was going to have to do.

  He had no idea what was going on with his own family; it was time to ask a stranger.

  The nurse at the desk tilted her head slightly to the right as she explained where Bree was. It seemed that both mother and child had been in trouble. Lenny didn't have the heart to ask of the outcome.

  He walked through the halls, taking the directions given, until he came to the ward's seating area.

  Lenny's mother and father rose immediately and both held out their arms. Lenny dropped the bear and, in turn, could feel his body begin to abandon him. His father had never hugged him in his whole life.

  “Where's Bree?” Lenny asked.

  Lenny opened the door and saw his beautiful wife lying still and awake. She didn't even turn her head to see who it was that entered.

  “Bree?”

  She immediately began to sob. She turned to Lenny and said, “She didn't make it, Lenny. She tried. She did her best.”

  Lenny could feel his eyes begin to blur. He quietly cried above his wife's head as he held her.

  “I'm sorry, Bree.”

  His wife's sobbing opened up and her whole body shook as she wailed.

  “Where were you?”

  “I'm sorry.”

  “She waited to see you as long as she could.”

  Lenny could feel the actual pain of his wife's words choke him and rip at his chest. Night after night he convinced himself that this was all for them. He worked harder so they could have a better life. If he worked more, he would get to go home sooner.

  Maybe that was all bullshit.

  Lenny and his wife held each other as the noise from other people's lives soaked in through the thin walls.

  “Where were you, Lenny?”

  February 4th 1969. New York.

  Lenny knew it was tough for Bree when he was on the road. She and their young son had to live in his old bedroom in his parent's two-bedroom house.

  The same room he’d hung pictures of Sugarstick Shane Montrose on his wall, the same room where he totally abused himself in the eyes of the good Lord. This was the same room where he tried, in vain, to get Bree naked before they got married. It was the same room where he’d put on his wedding suit. The same room where he waited for his wife to cry herself to sleep after their daughter's funeral.

  No one knew more than Lenny how hard it was to live in bedroom number two of the Long house.

  You slept six hours a night if you were exhausted; his father patrolled on insomnia and coffee. He was up at four forty-five and opened the store at six, then home at nine to grouchily disapprove of whatever his son was doing. Then, sleepy time.

  Except today. Today, everyone was invited back to eat sandwiches, fumble over what to say, and leave very quietly.

  Lenny had to make a change. His family needed their own space. Especially now. But what the fuck kind of chance did they have? He didn't even know where he was going to scrape together the money to pay for today.

  This was a different kind of pain. The kind that people sometimes don't come all the way back from. And certainly not in a bedroom.

  Lenny carried the little white box in the crook of his arms. The weight of nothing to carry. All he could do was assure her with a whisper that they'd never forget her. Never.

  I should have been there. I'm sorry. Please forgive me, little girl. Daddy loves you. Daddy loves you.

  All the family, dressed in black, waited over the hole in the ground. This was the kind of pain that you don't come back from.

  Danno knocked at the porch door and stood waiting for an answer. Mr. Long popped his head in from the kitchen to see who was in his doorway.

  “I got it, Pop.” Lenny said as he walked to the door.

  “How are you doing, kid?” Danno asked.

  Lenny was surprised to see Danno at his house. It felt kind of like seeing your teacher on a Saturday. “We're okay. Come in.”

  Lenny cleared the doorway, but Danno stayed outside. He slid his hand into his coat pocket and took out an envelope. “Sorry for your troubles.”

  Danno insistently pushed the envelope into Lenny's hand. It was thick and heavy. Lenny was taken aback at Danno's unexpected generosity. “Thanks, but I'm going to pay you back.”

  “I'm sorry I wasn't there today. I can't handle anything happening to children. But it's done now, I suppose. We need to head to Boston tonight. I need a driver full time now. Maybe Mrs. Long could handle matters from here on out?”

  Both men still had their hands on either side of the envelope. Lenny swallowed down and cleared away any pain that lay on the surface.

  “Of course, yeah. And thank you, boss.”

  Danno released his grasp and Lenny secured the money.

  “You're welcome.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  March 10th 1969. New York.

  Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Sounded great. Drove even better. Tough to corner sometimes, compared to the other cars, but she was a pleasure on the open road. Especially with the top down. Stunning red on the outside and snow white on the inside.

  This was where Lenny wanted his family to be. Maybe if he kept working hard enough, he might get there. In the meantime, his job was to deliver this beauty to the Garland house at two thirty in the afternoon.

  Lenny was never late. He pulled into the complex and looked out for the Garland's condo.

  A waiting Mrs. Garland signaled Lenny to pull into the driveway where she was. Lenny was surprised at how modest their home was. He wasn't sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't the modest duplex perched in front of him.

  Lenny pulled in and rolled down his window. “You have a wonderful taste in cars, Mrs. Garland.”

  “He's just finishing his sandwich and then he's coming down. Is everything running okay?”

  “Perfect.”

  “He's going to be beside himself. His father used to have a caddy, too.”

  Inside, Danno chewed the last bites of his sandwich angrily. The newspaper in front of him read:

  BOY(12) CHOKES MOTHER WITH WRESTLING MANEUVER.

  Danno knew this was the kind of attention that he could ill afford right now. The money was starting to mount, but it was only a drop in the ocean to what was potentially on the table.

  “Fuck.” Danno balled up the newspaper and flung it in the trash.

  Mrs. Garland heard Danno coming closer to their front door. “Wait, Dan.” She ran to the door and clasped her husband's eyes.

  “What are you doing, woman?”

  “Shut up, you old fart.”

  Danno tried to claw her hands from his face.

  “Happy anniversary.” Mrs. Garland removed her hands to reveal the huge red convertible in their drive.

  “Holy fuck.”

  “Dan.”

  “Sorry. Jesus Christ, that's beautiful.”

  Danno slowly crept down his drive as if he was afraid he might scare the car into reverse. “Is this for me?”

  Mrs. Garland proudly nodded.

  “We can't afford this, woman.”

  Lenny cleared his throat to let his boss know that he was there.

  “Do you think a man of my husband's stature should have a car like this, Lenny?” Mrs. Garland asked.

  “Absolutely. I couldn't agree more, Mrs. Garland,” Lenny replied.

  “Oh well, if Lenny, my new accountant, says so.”

  Danno delicately opened the driver's door.

  “My only concern, ma'am, is that he will like this car so much, he'll want to drive himself everywhere.”

  “If the price of gas rises above forty cents, I'm firing you
and getting a bicycle anyway.”

  “Danno.”

  “Sorry, darling.”

  Danno molded the shape of his ass into the seat and adjusted the mirror just right. “It's not even our anniversary till Saturday.”

  “No – anniversary today, your little business party is on Saturday.”

  “It's just a work thing. Get in here.”

  Mrs. Garland joined her husband in the passenger seat. “We should ring Ricky and get him over here. I want to show off.”

  Danno slipped the car into reverse and slipped out of his driveway.

  “What about Lenny?” Mrs. Garland asked.

  “Fuck him.”

  “Danno.”

  “I'm only kidding. Get in here, boy. Very carefully, too. I don't want you soiling my new machine.”

  Lenny ran from the driveway to the car. “Pleasure, sir.”

  Danno clasped his wife's hand. “I know why you did this, and I love you for it.”

  “You're every bit the man he was, Dan. And more. Don't forget that.”

  Danno slipped his shiny red gift into drive and pulled off just like his father did in his 1950 red Cadillac Special Series Sedan nearly twenty years before him.

  “It's good to have the belt.” Danno said as he punched his foot to the floor.

  March 10th 1969. New York.

  Danno craned his neck out his window to see his anniversary gift shining in the Connecticut sun. His desk was smothered in huge gifts of all shapes and sizes from the other bosses, and the room was filled with cards and balloons.

  He was on the phone with the last owner on his list. All the rest had replied to his invite weeks ago. Just one more piece of business and he could relax for the night.

  “Fifty years, Danno,” Proctor shouted excitedly on the phone. “Fifty-fucking-years gnawing on the same pussy. You the man, Danno. You the fucking man. You bet your fat ass I'll be there. I'll leave Mrs. Proctor here in Florida and bring some of the Boys instead.”

  Lenny mashed the button for Danno's speakerphone, but Proctor hung up before he could. Besides presents and cards and balloons, Danno's room was also filled with wrestlers and a horrified Mrs. Garland holding a cake. “Who was that, Dan?”

  Danno stood up and walked directly out of the silent room.

  “Can you get a knife, Lenny?” Mrs. Garland asked.

  They could all hear Danno roar with frustration at the end of the long corridor.

  March 15th 1969. New York.

  Danno had part of his crew lined up in the empty bar downstairs. The Folsom Nightmare, a handsome black wrestler, Ginny Ortiz, a bleach blonde aging powerhouse, and Oscar Dewsbury, a massively obese bald man, lined up against the wall.

  “Now, I want me and Mrs. Garland to have a good anniversary party with no issues. We all remember why I had to ban the Christmas party last year.”

  Folsom bowed his head. “Sorry, boss.”

  Lenny entered the room with more giant gifts from the other owners.

  Danno threw Lenny the keys to his car. “Can you throw those in the trunk?”

  Lenny nodded at Danno, but stayed in the room. He was hoping he might be included in the business of the evening.

  “Now, Lenny,” Danno said.

  Lenny reluctantly left the room.

  “Now, all the owners are going to be there, but there's always one to avoid. I'm not going to mention any names. We fucking know who that is.”

  “Proctor King?” asked Oscar.

  Danno gripped his temples. Ginny elbowed Oscar Dewsbury for being stupid.

  “We stay away from him and he stays away from us. Him and his crew are coming and they haven't a clean hand between them. Pass it around. No drama tonight.” The gathered few nodded. “Okay,” Danno continued, “Ricky's going to run the room while I let my hair down. Anything that looks funny or sounds off, you let Ricky know.”

  The troop nodded again.

  “I don't want no one playing Bullitt out there.”

  “So don't be afraid to loosen your ties is what I'm saying. I'd say that blubbery Mick will have loads of alcohol,” Proctor explained from the passenger seat of his van.

  He was traveling to the party with Pee-Chu Ming, a sneaky Jap (from Carolina), Beguiling Barry Banner; he was named ironically; and the driver, The Professor of Pimposity Wayne (they couldn't think of a second surname).

  “So treat this like a celebration, men,” Proctor ordered while opening a bottle of Mac Dugan. “You'll be welcomed by your fellow brothers with open arms.”

  At the end of the function room, all the other bosses were neatly, and quietly, facing their wives at specially laid out tables. A small pool of mid-card and enhancement wrestlers were cornered in at the fire exit. All the rest were friends of the Garlands.

  Danno sat at the head of the room and was the only owner who allowed his wrestlers to be at his table. Maybe it was old age, but he was insisting on having his crew around him more lately.

  “All the other owners politely replied via letter. This asshole had to pick the phone and call me ‘fat ass’ in front of my fucking locker room,” Danno said to Ricky Plick across the table. “I'm starting squats with you on Monday, Ricky.”

  “You might just have misheard him, boss,” Ricky replied.

  Danno stood up. “Maybe I should go and ask him.”

  Ricky covertly nodded to Ginny and The Folsom Nightmare on either side of Danno. Both sat their boss back down gently and respectfully. Danno threw back a shot of whiskey.

  “I mean, that was cruel. Wasn't it?” Danno asked.

  His whole table nodded. Danno hid his frown in a whiskey glass.

  In the restroom, two prototype bleach-blonde wrestlers were gleefully recounting the drama. “Did you hear that Proctor disrespected Danno on his anni-fucking-versary?”

  The other one replied giddily. “Yeah, I heard; this should be good.”

  Nothing made wrestlers happier.

  Another lower-card wrestler was on the phone in the lobby. “Danno Garland is going to do something tonight. I'm telling you,” he said, as he looked around to make sure he wasn't being listened to.

  Back in the room, Proctor was tearing up the dance floor and stumbling into passersby. He grabbed the women dancing behind him and roughly spun them, held them and slapped them on the ass. He was having a great time.

  “You feeling okay, Proctor?” Ricky asked from the edge of the dance floor.

  “Can't hear you.”

  “Why don't we get some air?” Ricky shouted.

  “Why don't you fuck yourself?”

  Proctor's traveling wrestlers stood up from their seats. They weren't sure what was going on, but just knew that something was going on.

  The remaining gossipy wrestlers at the other tables could hardly contain their joy. Ricky gestured for everyone to calm down.

  “Now, why don't you go and get me another drink, sweetheart?” Proctor shouted to Ricky.

  Ricky chewed on his boss' words of 'no trouble.' He turned and walked back to Danno's table.

  The other owners looked on in shame. They didn't mind anyone becoming a mess. But it just wasn't done in front of their wrestlers and it certainly wasn't done in front of ordinary people at a family party. One by one, they made sure to catch Danno's eye and act out their disgust at Proctor's behavior.

  Ricky retook his seat.

  Danno threw back another shot. “What did he say?”

  “He's just having a good time, boss.”

  “I should have left him at home. Nothing nowhere says I have to invite all the owners. This is what I get for doing business with Proctor in the first place.”

  Oscar Dewsbury and The Folsom Nightmare stood up and excused themselves from the table.

  “Did you hear that?” Folsom whispered as they walked a pace away from the table.

  “You bet your black ass I did. They're doing business?”

  “Holy fuck, that's super kayfabe. That's top secret shit.” Folsom said as they split to
share the latest gossip around the room.

  Mrs. Garland walked elegantly between tables. She was playing the hostess, even in a closed hotel function room. She thanked people for coming and took their compliments with grace and humility. She was enjoying being the champion's boss' wife.

  “Cheryl..., Cheryl,” Proctor called to her from across the floor. Annie Garland looked over her shoulder to see exactly who this man was addressing.

  Ricky turned Danno away from the dance floor and signaled to Ginny to talk to Danno and keep him busy.

  “Cheryl, you like to...” Proctor cut off and sang along with the chorus, “This fucking song is about me!”

  The whole room watched as Proctor wrapped his arms around Danno's wife and dragged her onto the floor. “Sing it, Cheryl.”

  Proctor grinded his hips against Annie. She tried her best to smile and unlock Proctor's grip, but he wasn't about to let go. “You hold on, baby, and see if can you feel my Apollo 9.”

  She walloped him across the face. Lenny walked up to Proctor from behind and wrestled him off Mrs. Garland. Proctor drove his forehead into Lenny's face, which crushed his nose and loosened his teeth. He stomped down onto his torso and kicked Lenny in the liver when he instinctively rolled into the fetal position.

  Ricky Plick jumped from a chair and drove Proctor forward into a stacked area of tables where the wrestlers were. Drinks and food detonated into the air. There was a confused second of silence before an instant mass brawl exploded.

  Danno rose and turned to see the madness unfolding at the end of the room. All his family were running and tripping toward the doors. Women were screaming, windows were being smashed. Grown men were getting tossed over tables and imprinted into the stud walls.

  “What the fuck happened?”

  Ginny ran faster than his legs had ever carried him, and gleefully launched himself into the spaghetti of human flesh.

  Proctor slid himself out from the bottom and threw a chair at the vacated DJ's booth. The decks hit the ground the music stopped. The sudden jolt of quiet stunned the wrestlers into stopping their melee.