One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again. ~ Abraham Maslow
Month: November 2017
It’s Our Lucky Day
Chapter 3
Tony Gallino told Zeke and Mickey what he needed done. The boys nodded. Tony left without saying a word. Gus kept washing beer mugs and shot glasses. He wanted no part of what he heard.
Zeke turned to Mickey, “Looks like our luck finally turned, we’re rolling in clover.”
Mickey placed his mug to his lips and let the beer roll down his throat without so much as a swallow reflex. He finished, put his mug on the bar, burped, and wiped his face on his bare forearm. He turned to Gus, “Gimmie one of those expensive dark beers. Put it on Tony’s tab.”
“Me too,” said Zeke.
“This is how it’s got to be to wake up and know you hit Powerball,” said Mickey.
Gus was pouring a draft of the dark larger into a mug and was thinking, what a couple of schmucks.
“It’s better than hitting Powerball. I’ll tell you why, Mickey. It’s a good thing we never hit the Powerball because everybody who hits it dies,” said Zeke.
“You got to be kidding me. And here I am buying ten tickets a week. I buy even more when the money gets up there. It’s like I’m asking to win so I can croak,” said Mickey reflexively sticking his left arm out to catch the sliding mug of larger.
Mickey turned toward Gus, “Me and you coulda played for the Sox. We’re a good combo. You play shortstop, me at second base. Nothing woulda got through.”
Gus said, “I could never hit a curve ball. You guys know everybody dies, right?”
“But they die faster if they win Powerball,” said Zeke defending his turf.
Gus shrugged, “If you say so.” He thought, no sense arguing with geniuses.
Zeke and Mickey clinked their dark lagers and took a long drink. Both guys went through the ritual of the burp and forearm wipe. Zeke said, “If we do good, we don’t have to look for work. Tony will bring us into his organization. Then we’ll be living the good life.”
Gus edged himself down the bar toward Zeke and Mickey. He got in front of them, wiped his hands on his apron, looked around the bar to make sure no one was listening. There was no one listening because they were the only people in the bar unless the Feds had bugged the place. This was always a possibility with his clientele.
Gus bent over toward the boys, he whispered, “How long I know you two guys?”
“Is this a trick question?” asked Mickey.
Zeke said, “You know us since you opened this place twenty years ago.”
“That’s a long time. Did I ever steer you guys wrong? Did I give you guys tickets to Patriots games when I couldn’t go? Did I give you free drinks on Christmas Eve before I closed?”
Mickey looked confused. Too many questions. He was still processing the first question, “I think it was twenty-one years.”
Zeke who had two fewer beers than Mickey was a bit more coherent, said, “All the above is true. What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Between us and I will deny I ever said it if you repeat to anybody, plus I will bust a bottle over your heads if you repeat a word of what I say, you understand?” said Gus.
“Hey, Gus, you know us, it’s in the vault. You and Marie splitting, is that it? I never hit on her. It wasn’t me,” said Mickey.
Gus wanted to bust a bottle across Mickey’s head but resisted the temptation. He said, “This is what I got to say, do you really want to get mixed up with Gallino? Do you really think the package is harmless? I tell you to think about it. And, don’t spend the one-hundred. You ought to give it back. That’s it. I’ve said my piece.” Gus turned and walked down to the end of the bar and returned to washing mugs and shot glasses.
Zeke looked at Mickey. Mickey looked back at Zeke. Zeke turned and stared into his beer. Mickey finished his beer and signaled for another one. He turned to Zeke and said, “What are we going to do, Zeke? I’m scared.”
Are Zeke and Mickey in over their heads? What is in the box? What’s Tony Gallino up to?
You Are Courageous
You are courageous. Deep within you is a reservoir of strength that can overcome any obstacle, face any challenge, and confront any fear. Don’t listen to the voices of fear, despair, and of hopelessness. Instead, change the channel and listen to voices of courage, hope, and resilience. The following short YouTube video presents the voices of six men and women who refused to listen to the negative voices and instead chose hope.
Quote for Today – November 16, 2017
Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. ~ James Baldwin
Quote for Today – November 15, 2017
“I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet” – Unknown
Friends to the End
Chapter 1
Zeke Pratti sat on a swivel stool at Lombardi’s Bar and Pizzeria staring into his mug of beer. He was separated by a stool from Mickey, the nose, Palitroni who was lifting his mug of beer over his head and coaxing the last drops from the mug to drop into his mouth. Gus Polati, the bartender, was at the end of the bar. He was washing beer mugs. Lombardi’s opened at ten in the morning. Zeke and Mickey were on their stools by five after ten. They consumed their first beer by ten fifteen. It was now eleven. Mickey was finishing his third beer. Zeke was contemplating life as he gazed into his third beer.
“I’m one up on you, Zeke. Want to try for six by lunch?” asked Mickey.
“Not today, Mickey. I’m going through an existential funk,” said Zeke.
“Huh? I heard of funk. I never heard of the other word. Did you watch PBS last night? What I tell you about that channel. It’s run by commies, pinkos, and vegetables.”
“You mean vegetarians?” ask Zeke.
“You talking about the people who do the birth control thing on dogs and cats, which I do not approve. Why don’t they teach dogs and cats to use condoms? Nobody wants to answer that question. These are same people who give dogs and cats rabbit shots. Am I right?” asked Mickey.
Gus looked down the bar toward Mickey and wondered if he should cut him off before he became a danger to society.
“I used to date one of them,” said Zeke.
“A vegetable, or a vegetarian?” asked Mickey.
“The one who works on dogs and cats,” said Zeke.
“What happened?” asked Mickey signaling Gus for another beer.
Zeke quit gazing into his beer, lifted the mug to his lips, took a look swig, put the mug down on the bar, and wiped his mouth on his hairy forearm. He said, “The local beers have been the best invention since they invented toilet paper.”
“I’ll give you that one,” said Mickey. Then he said, “What about the vegetarian?”
“It was going great. I mean we got along like cheese and pizza, like meatballs and spaghetti, you know what I mean?” asked Zeke.
“Yah,” said Mickey as he stuck his left hand out to the middle of the bar to catch the sliding mug of beer from Gus.
“Man, she had it all in all the right places. Everything was good until she decides to ask me the one question that scares the daylights out of me,” said Zeke.
Gus is interested. He moved down the bar so he could pick up the conversation.
Mickey took a sip of his fourth beer and said, “She wanted to get married? That’s what all the dame’s want.”
“No. I coulda handled the proposal. Just because you agree you want to get married, doesn’t mean you have to get married, see what I’m saying?” asked Zeke.
“Yah, I see it. But you got my interest picked,” said Mickey.
Gus wondered if Mickey meant piqued.
“She dropped the bomb on me. She says to me before I have my first beer of the day, which I usually have with breakfast, ‘When are you going to get a job and get of unemployment?’”
Mickey made the sign of the cross, “This is like the worst thing a broad can ask. She wanted to take you off the gravy train after all you did for her?” asked Mickey.
“To be honest, I didn’t do nothing for her except let her enjoy my entire personality if you know what I mean. I’m in my prime. I can go forever.”
“Maybe it was her time of the month, you know how that goes. I remember when I was with Isabel, I thought I was under a terrorist attack,” said Mickey before he took a long drink from his mug.
“That’s just it, she’s got common sense. She’s always even keel. I knew when she said it, the honeymoon was over. How long we been best friends, all our life, right, don’t answer, I know I’m right. But let me ask you, I had ten weeks left on unemployment. It’s a free vacation from the government. Do you agree you got to be stupid to go to work when you are getting paid for not going to work.” said Zeke.
“It does not take a genius to figure that one out. Did you explain this to her? asked Mickey.
Gus was also interested, although he had an inclination as to what happened.
“I told her what I told you. She must have been expecting that because she had a plastic bag filled with my dirty clothes and tossed them at me and said, “Get out and don’t call me, ever.”
“That was both tough and unfair. In the pros the refs ususaly give you a warning. I think that should go in relationships,” said Mickey.
“That’s genius, Mickey. I was getting tired of her. I was starting to look around while she was working. But the only women I could find were all married or with somebody. I got ethics. I won’t do that, especially if the guy is bigger than me,” laughed Zeke.
Mickey high fived Zeke. Gus wondered why they’re walking around loose.
Zeke continued, “The tough part is I only got one week left on unemployment and no prospects. How about you.”
“I run out this week, and I got no prospects,” said Mickey.
At that moment, fortune and fate decided to turn its light on the best friends. The door to Lombardi’s Bar and Pizzeria opened and Tony Gallino walked in.
Come by tomorrow to discover how fortune and fate smiled on Zeke and Mickey.
We’re All Friends, Right?
Chapter 2
Tony Gallino, dressed in a handmade, dark Italian silk suit, wearing hand crafted Italian made shoes, crafted from the finest calf’s skin, walked through, the door, stopped and waited. It wasn’t long before he heard what he expected to hear.
“Morning Mr. Gallino. Can I get you anything?” asked Gus with a differential tone.
Tony Gallino shook his head and looked at Zeke and Mickey.
Zeke and Mickey on hearing Gus say, ‘Morning Mr. Gallino,’ turned their heads toward the door. Zeke jumped into the batter’s box, “How’s it going Mr. Gallino, anything I can do for you,” said Zeke.
Mickey was only a step behind Zeke, “The same goes for me Mr. Gallino.”
Tony Gallino didn’t answer right away, instead he walked over to the bar and looked at Gus, “Whatever Zeke and Mickey are drinking, put it on my tab, Gus.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Gallino.”
“You want to take a stool and have a cold one with us, Mr. Gallino?” asked Zeke.
“Not today, fellows. I need a favor. I was wondering if you two could help. That is, if you’re not busy,” said Tony Gallino.
Mickey didn’t wait, “Anything, Mr. G. Anything. You name it, me and Zeke, we can do it.”
Gus wondered where the Mr. G came from. Gallino didn’t bat an eye. Gus thought about it, quickly decided he’d never try it.
Tony Gallino said, “I have a slight problem. I have a small box I need to be delivered to a friend. I don’t want to send it by mail because I don’t trust the postal service.”
Zeke cut in, “I know what you mean. Last week I saw a delivery guy toss a bunch of mail in the trash because it was the end of his day and he wanted to go home. I went into the trash and pulled out the mail. Most of it was ads and stuff, but there was birthday card for some grandmother with five crisp twenties in it. Even though it wasn’t my birthday, I figured why not, the mail was discarded.”
“You didn’t tell me about you hitting the jackpot, Zeke,” said Mickey, disappointed.
Zeke shrugged and didn’t say anything.
Gallino interrupted the two, “That’s why I came to you two guys, I heard a lot about the way you think and take advantage of opportunities.”
“That’s us,” said Mickey thinking it was a compliment.
“Where exactly is this package and to whom do we deliver it? No offense intended, Mr. Gallino, but we’re not doing anything that could get us in trouble, are we?”
“I’m an honest businessman, you boys know that. I’d never ask anyone to do anything that was against the law,” said Gallino with a straight face.
Gus pretended he didn’t hear a thing. Then he thought, what a crock of crap.
“You each get $200. I’m going to give you the first $100 now. I’ll give you the second $100 when the jobs complete. If there are no mishaps, there will a bonus coming to you. The package is in a large mailbox at Security Mail in Brockton. It’s just off of main street on Court Street. You can’t miss it. It’s mailbox, 1202.”
Gallino reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his genuine soft leather billfold. Here’s a hundred apiece,” he said handing a hundred dollar bill to Zeke, and then one to Mickey.
He reached into his pants pocket and removed a small brass colored key, “Here’s the key,” said Gallino handing Zeke the key.
“First of all thanks. Nobody ever paid us in advance for doing a job. It shows a lot of trust in us. We appreciate it. What do we do when we get the box, Mr. Gallino,” said Zeke.
“Hey, what’s with the formality, you can call me Tony. We’re friends here, right?”
Gus thought, I wouldn’t touch this one for a million dollars.
“Here’s what I need you to do with the box once you have it.”
Are Zeke and Mickey getting in over their heads? What does Gallino want them to do? What is inside the box?
We Are Each Other’s Teacher & Student
Good morning writers. It’s time to be inspired by Stephen King. When we keep our bucket empty, there is always room for more. This rule applies to all aspects of life. No one has all the answers. No one has the singular true perspective of life. We need each others. We are a community. When we are a community of learners, we become each other’s teacher and student. Today, Stephen King is our teacher. Get Inspired.
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up – Part II
Steve kept checking the time on his iPhone. When he wasn’t checking the time, he was checking his airline app. His flight was still on time. His flight would be boarding in 15 minutes. Five minutes later the TSA agent returned. “You’re cleared. Have a nice trip.”
Steve said, “Thank you.” He didn’t mean it, but he didn’t want to be held up for a bad attitude. He could still make his flight.
He went to the next stop. He took off his shoes and put them into a plastic container. He removed his belt, wallet, watch, and pulled out loose change and put them in a different plastic container. He sent the two containers forward. He removed his computer and put it in another plastic container. He placed it on the rollers and gave it a push. Next, he sent his backpack through separately. He placed his suitcase on the moving line and waited his turn to go through the X-ray machine.
Steve stepped into the X-ray machine, he stood on the footprints, and placed his arms over his head and watched the machine make its circle. He stepped outside and the TSA agent motioned him over to the side.
“Sir, do you have any metal on you?”
“No,” said Steve.
“I am going to have to perform a pat down.”
Steve resigned himself to the pat down. The agent’s hands went down each leg.
The TSA agent said, “Do you have any metal on either of your wrists?”
“No,” said Steve.
“That’s not consistent with the information from the X-ray. Please stick your arms out to the side,” said the TSA agent.
Steve thought, it’s the grunge, my tan, they’re profiling me. That’s what they’re doing. They think I’m from the middle east.
“Excuse me, I’m not from the middle east,” said Steve.
The TSA agent who was slowly working his hands along Steve’s right arm said, “I didn’t hear anyone ask you where you were from. Don’t speak until someone asks you to speak.”
Two minutes later, the TSA agent finished. He said, “Go figure. You’re clean. Have a good flight.”
Steve nodded and went to get his bags. He picked up his shoes, then he retrieved his belt, wallet, watch, and loose change. His computer came through. His suitcase was next. He felt confident he make his flight. He watched his backpack make its way toward him. He was about to reach for it when …
“Sir, is this your backpack?” asked a TSA agent.
“Yes?” Steve said more with a question in his voice than as an affirmative statement.
“We’re going to have go through it. Is there anything in the bag that can explode, injure another person, or be used to inflict harm on a passenger or crew member?”
Steve wanted to tell the agent she was nuts, but now knew he had five minutes until his plane boarded. He said, “Nothing. I have an iPad in there, ear plugs, Kleenex, nuts and protein bars. I have a pen.”
“Is that all you want to declare?” said the agent. She gave him a I don’t a word you said look.
“Yes?” Steve said knowing he wasn’t sure exactly what was in his backpack. He always got through security before, why should it be different now?”
The TSA agent motioned Steve to a table. She put on latex gloves and unzipped the backpack. Over the airport PA system, Steve heard, “Flight 6437 for Boston, is now boarding.”
“Could you hurry? My plane is boarding,” pleaded Steve.
“No. We don’t hurry. Our first concern is the safety of passengers and crew,” said the TSA agent.
The agent’s hand froze inside Steve’s bag. A look of victory slowly spread across her face. She removed her hand. She was holding three protein bars. “What are these?” she asked.
Steve wondered if she was serious. All she had to do was read the wrappers. He said, “Protein bars.”
“Are you sure they’re protein bars?” said the TSA agent.
Before Steve could answer, he heard, “Last call for flight 6437 for Boston.” Then he said, “Yes.”
“I have to have my supervisor check them, stay right here,” the agent said. She turned and walked to a burly looking guy inside a windowed booth.
Steve watched the agent show her supervisor the protein bars. The supervisor said something to her. She turned and pointed at Steve. The supervisor got out of his chair and stood, getting a better look at Steve. He said something to the TSA agent. She nodded and returned to Steve.
“We are confiscating your material. It will be examined. If there is an issue you will be reported. Here is your bag, have a happy trip.”
Steve didn’t answer. He stuffed ear plugs, Kleenex, and assorted things back into his bag. He grabbed all his other gear and ran toward Gate 6. When he reached Gate 6, the airline employee was returning from the plane.
Steve held up his iPhone. Can I get on, I was help up at security.”
The airline employee said, “Sorry, I the plane is boarded. I gave them the list of passengers.”
“But, but it’s right there.”
“Sorry sir. Why don’t you go to the check-in station and get on the next flight to Boston. It leaves in two hours. Of course, you’ll have to go through security again.”
Yes, Steve did on the next flight. Yes, he made it to Boston on time for his presentation, but he missed a nice dinner with colleagues. You can’t make this stuff up.
Life Isn’t Fair – Move On
Life isn’t fair. It never will be fair. We can ask why. We can cry. We can complain. We can withdraw from life. There is only one healthy option, move on. We have to get up and move on when life unfairly hits us and knocks us flat on our back. Don’t stay down. Don’t quit. Rise and fight again. Rise, dig deep down, and fight on. Get inspired by this double amputee who wouldn’t quit. He dug down deep and is fighting back. He is my inspiration today. I hope he’ll be your inspiration to fight on.
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/131032066″>Nike Inner Strength // Blake Leeper</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/swansonstudio”>Swanson Studio</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
