Last Exit to Brooklyn - Hubert Selby Jr (34 page)

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THE QUEUE

The Welfare checks were cashed and there were long
lines outside the Liquor Store across the street from the Project.
The owner had his 2 sons and a brother helping him as he did every
Saturday night. The store was in the middle of the street and the two
lines went out of sight around each corner, and the cop on the beat
stood near the entrance so a fight wouldnt start as people pushed
their way into the store. Yet even with the cop there there was much
pushing and cursing. The clerks in the store worked as fast as they
could and wrapped the bottles quickly, but still the lines were out
of sight around both corners. Those at the end of the line would step
out occasionally and look to the front wondering how much longer they
would have to wait and then finally they would turn the corner and
eventually they would come in sight of the lighted window and then
they could at least look at all the bottles on display and then the
time seemed to pass faster with their goal in sight. Someone tried to
get in ahead of time, but someone else pulled him out of the doorway
and an argument started and everyone yelled for them to clear the
front of the store so they could get in and the owner came out and
frantically yelled at them to stop (the people in the store becoming
nervous when the owner left the counter fearing something would
happen to prevent them from getting their bottles after having waited
on line for so many hours) and finally the cop came over and yanked
them both out and told them to beat it. They pleaded to be allowed to
get their bottles or at least to get on the end of the line (
offering the cop money ), but the cop refused (not wanting to louse
up the beautiful deal he had with the owner) and they finally walked
off, sneaking back and giving money to friends to get them a bottle.
Before the last customer was taken care of the clerks were soaked
with perspiration and completely knocked out, but soon the last few
customers were in the store. Many parties had already started and as
the last customers bought their bottles and walked happily toward
home the bells in a nearby church tolled midnight.

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Abraham stepped into MELS
and stood by the door for a moment digging the scene, his hands in
his coat pockets, a coolass stud man, and every cat in the joint knew
it. He waved to his boys, hung up his hat and coat and went to the
bar, ordered a scotch and tossed a bill on the bar. He leaned
sideways against the bar and dug the scene. The bar was not too
crowded and the brownskinned gal wasnt there yet. He went in the back
and sat at a table and ordered some of those fine ribs that were so
great at MELS and sucked each rib dry then sat back sucking his teeth
and smoking. Man he felt great. He paid the check and went to the
bar, saw the brownskinned gal and went up to a cat he knew who was
standing near her. He patted the cat on the back, called the
bartender, give my man here a drink, ordered another scotch and
tossed a 20 dollar bill on the bar. Man that chickll have big eyes
now. He knew how to play it cool. Yeah, ol Abe was a cool ass stud.
He let his change lay on the bar and when he finished his drink he
ordered another and told the bartender to give the young lady a
drink. He smiled at her and when they got their drinks he slid over
next to her and told her his name was Abe. Ol honest Abe, hahaha.
Mahns Lucy. He asked her to dance and he winked at the cats at the
bar as they walked to the dance floor. Sheeit, nothin to it when you
operate like ol Abe. They danced and he told her she danced real
great and she must be new around here, he comes here all the time and
he never seen her before and she smiled and said yes she/d only been
here a few times before and they danced and drank and ol Abe smoothed
talked her and he was in and he told her he had a Cadillac, with
whitewalls and would she like something to eat and when you with ol
Abe you move and he knew this would be a great night and hed fuck the
ass of this bitch.

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Nancy put the kids to bed and got out the bottle of
wine she stashed in the closet. She sat down and watched t v for a
while, taking slugs from the bottle, then went to bed and lay there
drinking, smoking and playing with her crotch. She wisht the fuckin
Abe would come home and lay her. The sonofabitch aint fucked me but
oncet in the last month and nobody else ever come around this house.
If she could get somebody to sit with the kids she could go out, but
she . couldnt get nobody. Sheeit. She was tired. Almost felt like
going to sleep. But it was too early yet. Still almost half a bottle
left too. She/d drink that first. Somebody might come around looking
for Abe. No sense in waiting for him though. He/ll be gone all night.
Sheeit. Ah need me some cock. She finished the bottle and threw it
down the incinerator then went back to bed and lay down, remembering
how big and hard Abes cock was and how it felt going in.

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THE WORSHIPPERS

A woman screeched hysterically, AH LOVESSIM, AH
LOVESIM and she rolled on the floor, beating the floor with her
fists. The people in the adjoining apartments listened, laughing.
COME DOWN! COME DOWN! and someone beat a drum, someone else pounded
on a table, OOOOOOO AH LOVESIM! AH DIE FORIM! and other voices
screeched and a roar came through the walls, the people on the other
side listening and laughing. OOOOO JESUS! JESUS! OOOOOO JESUS! and
the other voices roared a HAAAAL LAY LOOOOOO YAAAA! WE LOVESYA! O
JESUS! WE LOVESYA! and the beating of drums and table grew louder and
a voice moaned AH SINNED! AH SINNED! OOOOO LORD, AH SINNED! FORGIVE
ME LORD! another body fell to the floor and groveled and beat its
fists and the drummer beat frantically and the clanging of a pot
joined the drum and table and other bodies fell to the floor and they
rolled and beat and kicked and the voices screeched and boomed and
roared AH LOVESIM! AH LOVESIM! HAAAAL LAY LOOOOO YAAAA! OOOOO LORD!
LORD! HAAAAL LAY LOOOOO YAAAA-DA-DUMDADUMDADUMDADUMDADUM DADUM - WEES
YO CHILLEN LORD! O BLESS US LORD-AH SINNED! AH SINNED! FO GIVE ME
LORD! OOOOOOO LORD FOGIVE A MISERABLE SINNER! (ears pressed against
the wall, hands raised for silence, laughter)—AN JOSHYA TUMBLED THE
WALLS! OOOO JERICHO! O JERIICHO! -
BABUMBABUMBABUMBABUMBABUMBA-BUMBABUM - EEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAA - OOOO
MERCY! OOOOO MERCY! FOGIVE YO CHILREN LORD! FOGIVE WE SINNERS!-COME
DOWN! COME DOWN JESUSi-HAAAAL LAY LOOOOO YAAAA (a door was opened
slightly to hear better)—AH LOVESIM! AH LOVESIM-HAAAAL LAY LOOOOO
YAAAA-A MISERABLE SINNER-COME DOWN-OOOOOOOO-IN THE FIERY FURNACE - O
LORD! LORD! - DRRRRRR -COME DOWN-BLESSUS! BLESSUS!-JESUS! JESUS!
JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! JESUSi-HAL LAY LOOOOOOO YAAA! LORD-THE PEARLY
GATES-WE LOVESYA-COME DOWN-EEEEEEAAAAAA-O JESUS-BLESSUS-AH LOVESIM-YO
CHILREN-SINNERS-FOGIVE-AMEN!- AMEN LORD! AMEN! and the door was
closed.

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THE CONTEST

The street was quiet and a gang of young spades on
one corner started walking toward a gang of spicks on the other, each
gang ripping the aerials off the parked cars; some carrying rocks,
bottles, pipes, clubs. They stood a few feet apart in the middle of
the street calling each other black bastards and monkey mothafuckas.
A car came along the street, horn blowing, trying to pass, but they
didnt move and finally the car had to back out of the street. The few
people on the street ran. The gangs remained in the middle of the
street. Then someone threw a rock, then another was thrown and 30 or
40 kids were screaming, throwing bottles and rocks until there were
none left, then they ran at each other swinging clubs and whipping
the car aerials, cursing, screaming, someone crying in pain, a zip
gun being fired and a window breaking and people yelled from windows
and one of the kids went down and was kicked and stomped and knots of
kids formed, swinging, clubbing, kicking, yelling and a knife was
stuck in a back and another one went down and a cheek was cut to the
mouth with an aerial and the ragged flesh of the cut cheek flapped
against the bloodied teeth and a skull was opened with a club and
another window was broken with a rock and a few tried to drag another
away as three pairs of feet kicked at his head and a nose was smashed
with a pair of brass knuckles and then a siren was heard above the
yelling and suddenly, for a fraction of a second, everyone stood
still then turned and ran, leaving three lying on the street. The
cops came and people came back to the street and the cops kept them
back, asking questions and finally the ambulance came and two were
helped in the ambulance the third being carried. Then the ambulance
left, the cops left, and it was quiet once again.

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As soon as they got in the door the guy grabbed her
ass. Goddamnit, cant yawait, pushing him away. She staggered and
leaned against the wall, the guy leaning over her kissing her neck as
she yanked open a closet door looking for a bottle, then slammed it
shut when no bottle could be found. She looked around trying to
figure out what was wrong. Somethin was wrong. Maybe her husband came
home. She called. Called again and still no answer. She pushed the
guy away and staggered into the bedroom to see if he was there, but
he wasnt. Guess he aint here. Somethin sure as hells wrong. Then she
remembered her kids. They should be here. She looked in their room
and called, but they were gone. Shit, whered them little bastads go.
I toldem ta stay put. She went back to the kitchen, the guy still
behind her pulling her coat off and grabbing her ass. She looked
around the kitchen and the living room, reaching behind her and
bouncing the guys balls with her fingertips, the guy slobbering over
her, groping and mumbling. Finally she saw the note left by the
Police. Well, fuckem then. They can stay the night. She went back to
the bedroom, the guy behind her. They undressed, fell onto the bed
and fucked.

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Mike and Sal made the rounds of a few joints, but
couldnt score. They had danced with a couple a broads, but nothing
else. Not even a phone number or a date for the next weekend. Sal
wanted to try a spick joint on Columbia street, but Mike didnt feel
like walking that far and anyway he didnt trust the spicks. So they
stood at the bar drinking, hoping something might come in that they
could latch on to, getting drunker. Mike laughed at Sal and toldim he
could go home and get laid and Sal had to pull his prick. Sal laughed
and said that was o k, hed rather pull his prick than take care of a
couple a kids all day. Thats o k man, at least I get mine. They had
another drink and Mike was getting tired of hanging around, and was
too goddamn horny to wait any longer. He told Sal he was gonna leave
and asked him if he was goin. No, I think I/ll hang around a while.
Nothin ta do home. Mike told him not ta pull it too much, he was goin
home ta get laid (and by krist he was, rag or no rag). The apartment
was dark and Mike let the door bang then stumbled toward the bedroom,
cursing the fuckin chairs for bein in his way. Irene woke when Mike
came in and listened for a moment to hear if the kids woke up, then
waited for Mike. She said hello and he flopped on the bed and started
undressing, throwing his clothes onto a chair. You still awake? You
woke me up when you came in. What-id ya want me ta do, crawl through
the key hole, determined he wouldnt take any shit off her tonight and
if she said a word hed knocker teeth in. I didnt say anything Mike.
Comeon, come to bed. He finished undressing and flopped over toward
her and she put her arms around him. He tried to kiss her, but he
missed her mouth and kissed her nose and mumbled something about her
staying still and she finally directed him properly and she kissed
him and Mike fumbled around for her crotch and they kissed and Irene
ran her hand along the inside of his thigh and Mike squirmed and
grabbed her crotch and they continued kissing and squirming and Irene
worked steadily and expertly with her hands and tongue, but after 15
minutes Mike still couldnt get a hardon so he cursed and rolled over
on her and tried to get it in anyway, but it kept bending and
flopping out and he tried to stuff it in with his finger but it was
useless and Mike cursed her for a useless bitch, still trying, still
stuffing, until he eventually passed out and rolled off her. Irene
pulled her arm from around him and sat up looking at him, listening
to him breathe, smelling his breath . . . Then she laid down and
stared at the ceiling.

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Naturally Lucy smiled demurely when Abe asked her if
she/d like to cut and asked where theyd go and ol Abe said theyd make
a party of their own and Lucy hesitated and ol Abe turned the sweet
talk on that chick and told her, come-on baby, we/11 have a time and
he giver the BIG smile and she started to waver and ol Abe knew, as
he had known all along, that he would make another conquest. Sheeeit,
theres no bitch livin that ol Abe couldnt fuck. They left MELS and
Abe let her look his Cadillac over before he opened the door. He
wanted to be sure she saw those bigass fins and the whitewalls. Abe
flipped on the radio and handed her a cigarette and they took off.
They drove downtown and stopped at a hotel and when they got up to
the room ol Abe tipped the boy big and asked for a bottle of whisky
and some ice. He came back with it in a few minutes and by the time
Abe poured the drinks Lucy was undressed and in bed. Ol Abe stared at
those fine tits and set the drinks down and undressed. As he rolled
over on her the first time he smiled thinking how hed have that bitch
callin him DADDYO before that night was ovuh. After fucking her once
Abe wanted to have a drink and a smoke, but Lucy wasnt the type of
girl who believed in rest periods so ol Abe sunk it again and this
time he really concentrated on his work, but he didnt have his drink
and smoke until he had fucked her 3 times and by then ol Abe was even
thinking of a little sleep. Not much, just a little. Lucy finally
gulped her drink down and put out her cigarette and rolled over on
Abe and though he was a little beat he did justice to the girl, but
he was thinking hed have to stop for a while. After the fourth piece
they did stop for a while, but Lucy wouldnt let him sleep,
continually playing with his ear, kissing his neck, caressing his
balls, playing with his cock until it was hard and then she pulled
him over again an ol Abe fucked, but he wasnt concentrating too hard
and was thinking that the ghuddamn bitched fuckim ta death.