Chapter 8: Lottery Pay Day
“Hello, is this Mr. Sugar is it Sugar Blue...”
“Sugah...”
“Oh, ok, sorry, so am I speaking with Mr. Blue.”
“Yep.”
“Well Mr. Blue, my name is Robert Cope...”
“Uh-Huh.”
“...Robert Cope from Farmington Savings and Loan...”
“Uh-Huh.”
“...I’m the Assistant Branch Manager of the branch you bank at Sir, and I want to thank you for your loyalty and banking with us all these years.”
“Uh-Huh.”
“Well Mr. Blue I’m just calling to tell you that the New York State Lottery Administration just deposited your scratch off winnings into your account this morning as you previously instructed.”
“Oh.”
“Why yes, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to say congratulations.”
“Uh-Huh...how much was it.”
The big man hears some rustling and movement, then in what sounds like a whisper...
“Sorry I just wanted to get out of earshot of anyone, you just never know anymore...”
“Uh-Huh...how much.”
Sounds of more rustling as if the phone was being cupped by a hand, “Uh, Mr. Blue you won 2-million dollars the amount of the deposit was...”
“...what, hello, what I can’t hear you...”
It’s still a whisper but a loud whisper none the same.
“...One million Five Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars.”
Silence, on both ends of the phone.
“Um...Mr. Blue are you still there are you okay...”
Silence.
“Mr. Blue...MR. BLUE.... hello.... hello...”
“Well hello Mr. Blue, welcome to Farmington Savings and Loan…
…I’m Robert, Robert Cope I’m the one who called you.”
The big man dwarfs this Mr. Robert Cope of the Farmington Savings and Loan, both of the Assistant Manger’s feet could fit in one of the big man’s shoes.
And he would still have room to wiggle his toes.
“Hello,” is possibly what the big man mumbled, possibly not, there is a real chance the sound was just a cough.
Mr. Cope is eye-level with the big man’s shirt pocket, but the big man isn’t looking at the assistant to someone in this building, the big man is looking over his head towards his favorite cashier, LuLu whose smile is now as big as...
... One Million Five Hundred Twenty Thousand dollars with interest, so to speak.
A big smile from the big man, and a wink.
“Um Mr. Blue, if I may be so forward to ask, what are your plans to do with your lottery win, do you have specific financial goals in mind sir.”
“Yep,” says the big man as he watches LuLu put on more lipstick and slide the brass “Closed” sign in front of her teller cage.
“OH, very well indeed, may I ask what those plans entail.”
The big man doesn’t answer but now that LuLu isn’t within his line of sight, he looks down at the top of Mr. Cope’s balding head.
“Excuse me, what was your question.”
Tiring of looking straight up the big man’s nose Mr. Cope now takes two small steps backwards, looks up, then another step or two back.
“I was just wondering if you have thought about your financial future and if so, what your financial goals may be...”
LuLu is now walking through the middle of the bank...
...the big man’s gaze is once again focused over Mr. Cope’s head...
...with each step LuLu seems to bounce a bit into the air...
...the only sound the big man hears is the sound of stiletto heels on a shiny marble bank floor.
Click...click...click...
...each bounce lifts Lulu’s black skirt up a little bit further on her thigh...
...it is now all slow-motion viewing for the big man...
...Lulu’s left-hand brushes ever slightly the big round original Stickley oak table in the middle of the bank, the woman and the table are lit now by the beams of light that come through the tiny leaded glass windows in the large golden dome on the roof above...
...the big man watches as her red tongue lips her ruby lips, the first light scent of her perfume flows gently over him...
"Mr. Blue...Mr. Blue...hello...”
The big man looks down at the small man in front of him, looks back up some to see LuLu standing behind the man, LuLu looks straight into his eyes, cocks her head just a little to the right, and smiles, a smile only he can see, aa smile he knows is only for him.
“....um Mr. Blue...”
“Yes,” says the big man who is only looking at LuLu.
“...have you thought any about what you are going to do with all that money...”
“Yes,” softly said.
“...well may I ask what those plans are.”
“Yep.”
“What.”
“I’m going to start a band...”
Both bank employees look at each other, neither say a word.
“...but first I’m going to buy two very large steaks.”
And then the big man smiles, reaches down and takes the deposit slip out of Robert Cope’s, Assistant Branch Manager of the Farmington Savings and Loan hand, pats him on the arm, winks at LuLu, who is Cope’s cousin, turns and walks out the big glass and copper bank doors.
There is a big man walking into a corner market to buy steak, big steak and that big man has a big smile on his face…
…You see, the big man he know, he know from R&R in Vietnam, he know the smile of a woman who be looking at a man who ain’t got no money...
...and the smile of a woman who be looking at a soldier with money in their pocket.
“Can I help you bud.”
“Yes...I need a very big steak cut in two please.”
Big man’s dog...
...his smile...
...always the same.
Whether he be eating dog food…
…or steak.