CHAPTER ONE (9)

After Mitzi’s discourse, the conversation lead to the normal chatter. More about Todd’s whereabouts in the late nineties, which server was a whore (“No,” said Tori, “a whore does it for money. You’re thinking of a slut, obviously”). Nothing relevant was usually said while the servers endlessly waited for tables. Often it was a complaint about the horrible management and the lack of advertising for the restaurant. That had to be the reason why no one was coming in to eat tonight. Sometimes judgments on the few incoming customers; the glare from Vanessa when a couple with an accent came in towards the hostess saying, “Do NOT seat these people in my section.” The well-worn hostess was sensitive to this, and Vanessa received no foreigners. It was a common Tuesday evening – easy-going and useless.

But that was not on Squirley’s mind today. Upon hearing word that Mitzi’s first batch was ready to be sold, he immediately found Toddy amongst the sea of servers. They lined themselves next to the entrance, in case fate should send a lucky server a set of customers or two.

They look like white pigeons sitting on a telephone wire, Squirley thought to himself and chuckled, Idiots. And there was Todd, in the center, talking about some useless mischief he got into last night. Ryan had heard enough of the story and stole him away from the line-up. He would lay out the plans for Toddy and later on that night they would consult the Board. There would be error, for sure, but Ryan and Todd would make an awesome duo nonetheless.

“Guess what,” said Ryan under his breath.

Todd already knew.

“When do we start?”

“Tonight after our shift. Matt said its primo…”

“Oh shit! Kind or hydro?”

“Hydro.”

Toddy tried to focus for a moment. That could mean into the thousands. Payday.

“What cut do we get?” A good question which took Squirley by surprise – Toddy normally sold weed for the enjoyment.

“I dunno,” he replied, “like 25 percent.”

“Why are we whispering? Squirley my man, we ain’t gotta hide this shit. Let’s tell the world! Remember – the world’s a stage, and we are merely men and women selling weed ontop of it.”

“Ha. Only you could quote Shakespeare while talking drug deals.”

“To be or not to be that is…”

Squirley gazed through Toddy. When he got into these moods, generally what Todd felt claimed was “Enlightenment”, Squirley would cut out the verbal Toddy. Rather, he would drift away into later dealings or women, mostly dealings though, and wait for Toddy to finish. Todd must have quoted at least six plays, some in which he thought was Shakespeare, some actually Shakespeare, and took them all out of context. Most of the clichés he had been quoting weren’t even said correctly. Ryan had taken many course in Shakespeare, his major being English, and had gotten to the last semester of his collegiant career only to drop out; the bursur had gotten hold of his credit card.

“… like an Othello without his occupa-“

“Shut up already. Jesus Christ you’re obnoxious dog."

“It’s what I do, Ry – It’s just what I do.”