The Bottom

The light of morning broke through the car window as Doug slowly opened his eyes and stretched as best he could. The boy was hungry and in need of a shower, clean clothes, and a bed. He wasn’t given himself up though, no. Doing that would mean he had lost, and she had won. It was a competition only in Doug’s head but he lived in a world of his own making. One where everything he had ever done to Melissa was justified.

His luck had held out if one could call it that. He hadn’t been caught but knew that staying any longer in the car would result in just that. The mental gymnastics it took to make the leaps between people - the cops after him and Doug’s thought that he had done nothing wrong was of almost metal-worthy proportions.

Money was limited and there could be no going to the bank, not only were there cameras and such things at banks and ATM’s but he had tried, last night and it turned out his parents had closed his accounts. That left only the cash on him, which wasn’t much.

Stumbling out of the vehicle, it was left behind, along with anything but the clothes on his back. He walked several blocks before finding a soup kitchen that was serving breakfast. It was below the great Doug Jefferson to stop at such a place; even volunteering wasn’t something that the boy would have done. Damn, though that smells good. Thoughts of wonderful foods entered his mind. Breakfasts when everyone hadn’t turned against him.

The smell made his stomach growl and ache with hunger. As he stood off to the side, trying to make himself leave there and not sink to going inside the building.

“Come in, son.” A priest with his white collar on a black outfit approached him. “All are welcome, no questions asked. However, if you want to talk I am available as well.”

Before Doug knew what was happening he was entering the building and looking around, almost like a dog who was lost would approach an unfamiliar place, cautious and with his guard up. There was a line of all kinds of people getting food. Men, women, and a few very small children. He wondered for a moment where all the school-age kids were and then remembered it was Monday.

Behind the counter, dishing out the food with some friendly greetings were some nuns dressed not in the full outfits (Doug didn’t recall what a nun's outfit was called) but they had headpieces on distinguishing them as nuns. He didn’t know enough to tell the full, taken their vows nuns from the ones that were still in training There were also some other volunteers, he supposed you’d call them lay people in this situation.

Food was scrambled eggs, pancakes, oranges or apples, orange juice, and coffee or tea. It reminded him of the food at school; he didn’t know if the food here was better than expected or if the stuff at school was worse than he thought. The hunger likely had a something to do with it but Doug wasn’t thinking in those terms.

He found a seat at a long table, with some other men. Avoiding the small children as much as possible and went to eating without saying a word to anyone. Once his food was gone, the boy took care of his tray and left the building.

That itch to gamble had become too much so the next stop was the gambling den but money - what was he going to do about money? He couldn’t call his family or friends from school, he was pretty sure they would all just get him arrested. There was one option left though it wasn’t a particularly good one.

It was still early and while the gambling den was opened as it was always opened, there weren’t a lot of people there. Doug knew where he needed to go first. Straight to the back, to that familiar office and the man he already owed.

As it turned out, Sonny, the gambling den-owning loan shark, was in his office sitting behind his desk. The two guards, as usual, to either side of him. He looked up, leaned back in his chair and asked the boy, “You got my money?”

“No, it’s not due yet? Right?” Doug swallowed, hopefully, the terms hadn’t changed again.

“Nope. So, if you don’t have my money what are you doing here?” Sonny asked.

“I …. I ….” He had to be insane to be here.

Sonny raised a brow. “You need more money? An extension? What? Spit it out, already.”

“Both …really more money.” Doug’s voice had become very small.

“Well, then we have a problem, don’t we? You see I don’t give extensions, it’s bad business and you already owe me money. It looks to me like you’ve run into some trouble. So tell me rich boy what have you gotten yourself into.” Sonny seemed honestly curious.

“I dated the wrong girl,” Doug responded.

“Haven’t we all,” Sonny chuckled. “Why don’t you go back to that boarding school? Unless…you can’t.”

“I can’t.” Doug was starting to quiver just a little and the fact that Sonny was finding his state amusing wasn’t helping any.

“Well, I’ve heard nothing in the news so I won’t ask what you did but alright. You can’t go back to school. You’re parents?” Doug’s shake of the head answered that question. “And you want the money to gamble with.” That last part wasn’t a question, Sonny knew the signs of a gambling addict when he saw one. Gambling was the drug and Sonny was the pusher, it was his job to recognize such things.
“Okay, I’ll give you the money but you now work for me.” Sonny was going to take full advantage of this.

“Doing what?” Doug was hesitant. If he did this, there was no going back but was there really any choice? In his mind, no.

“Whatever I ask.” Sonny’s response was not reassuring. “You’ll stay here in the club and when I ask you to do something. You just say ‘yes sir’. That’s my offer, take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it,” Doug’s stomach knotted with the words.

Sonny pulled some money out of the safe and threw it on the desk, he counted out a few stacks and then put the rest back. “It’s 100 K. Take it. Go get your fix. I’ll send for you when I want you.”

“Yes, sir,” Doug responded, before taking the money and leaving the office.