Night and Day

It had been weeks since my trip to Las Vegas and life was lackluster and a bottomless rut. Shit was shit and I knew it but I kept on trucking hoping to land a real job somewhere. One slow Thursday night at the bar I worked I found myself cleaning the bar tables to keep myself busy. Then he walked in wearing his sleek grey suit. It took a moment to recognize him, only a moment to realize I was the one he came to see. I tried to remain professional, act like I was just a normal bartender by going back behind the bar to get him a drink.

“What would you like to drink?” I ask.

“A glass of whiskey,” he answers. I got him what he ordered and he hardly even looked at me. Handing him the drink he took big gulps as I did my best to ignore him while I put away from glasses with my back turned to him. I heard him set the glass on the bar top.

“I was thinking,” he starts to say.

“What‘s that Mr. Easterday?” I reply continuing to put the glasses away on the lower level of the bar.

“You remember?”

“I do.”

“Good, so as I was saying I was thinking, you should come work for me,” he finishes.

“What are you a pimp?” I ask with a sardonic laugh.

“No. I‘m a heist coordinator,” he states. His honesty floored me. I looked at him for a very long time.

“No thank you.”

“You have a fine eye for details and well I don‘t think you are reaching your full potential.”

“I don‘t even know your real name and you want me to work for you?” I counter incredulously.

“Rusty Ryan,” he replies holding his hand out to me.

“Amora Polanski but you obviously already know that,” I say shaking his hand.

“That and you usually go by Ammo for short. Plus you just graduated with a major in Advertising and minor in Business.”

“If I weren‘t threatened by your presence and I didn‘t know how to gauge danger, I‘d call the cops on you right now to get a restraining order.”

“That is if you didn‘t know how to gauge danger.”

“I think you‘re deluded,” I state.

“That‘s one woman‘s opinion,” he counters.

“Oh I am sure I am not the only woman to tell you that.”

“Polanski you‘re fired go home,” the bar owner Frankie says appearing out of nowhere. I had to do a double take and looked at the older man who just told me I was no longer working at his establishment.

“What? Why?” I respond absolutely shocked.

“Don‘t need you anymore, here‘s your final pay check,” he states handing me the check.

“Have a lovely day,” I say as I took the check and my things then headed out the door swiftly before I began going on a tirade.

I went home exhausted emotionally and physically. Showering then curling up under the covers I went to sleep hoping that it was just a storm that was going to pass. The next morning I got ready for my day job. I arrived early and even made coffee in the break room for everyone. But when my boss Mr. Garrett came in I was immediately called into his office.

“I‘m afraid we are doing some cut backs Amora, we are just not a big enough company to require a receptionist of your caliber. We are going to have to let you go,” Mr. Garrett says professionally, “Sally will give you your final paycheck. You were a pleasure to work with.”

“Thank you have a lovely day,” I say through gritted teeth. I left the office picked up my last check and my purse.

This was bullshit, they were a company that rented out a five story building they were a big fucking company. I knew this wasn’t coincidence, I knew that asshole Rusty Ryan had something to do with my releases from my jobs. I walked briskly top of the garage building where I parked my car. Now I was virtually jobless, and I would have a month to pay the rent. My mind was in overdrive as I did my best to keep my composure.

When I saw more than the usual amount of vehicles on the top parking area and Rusty Ryan leaning lackadaisically against my car I was ready to murder. I shoved him out of my way and got into my vehicle. Rusty gestured for me to put my window down as I began backing up the car. I rolled down the window and stopped the vehicle. He leaned in on the car side, his expensive tie dangling loosely around his neck.

“We need you for a job,” he says.

“Really convenient when I no longer have any jobs,” I counter.

“I had to assure that you were in.”

“That‘s a really lovely tie,” I comment reaching out and touching the silky fabric, “Armani?”

“Yeah,” he replies.

“Should be durable then, at least for the price anyways,” I say.

“What? Yeah I guess. What are you-”

It was too late I already rolled up the window with his tie securely in the car. I locked the door and smiled sweetly at him as I began driving the car with him hurrying along the side. Of course I wasn’t going too fast in the car, maybe twenty at the most. Rusty was trying desperately to move with the car and I only became more amused.

“Slow down!”

“What faster? Are you sure?” I reply applying more pressure on the gas pedal.

“I know you have some school loans to pay off, we offer six million for this job,” Rusty says clearly out of breath and I slammed on the brakes then rolled my window back down.

“Let‘s get this straight Rusty, I don‘t like you and its taking a lot of me not to just kick your ass,” I rant angrily, “I do not like being cornered like this, if you fuck me over, I‘ll castrate you.”

“So you‘re in,” he breathes out.

“Get in the car Rusty, so we can go get some lunch, and by we I mean the friends you have watching from those cars over there,” I retort.

“You saw them.”

“No one parks on this level especially at this time of day so they must be with you.”

Rusty gave a smile shaking his head at me before walking in front of my car to get around to the passenger side. Of course I may have honked the horn to startle him when he was directly in front. He didn’t seem too pleased about that but in my rear view mirror I saw the other men laughing in their car. I’d lie if I wasn’t tempted to drive Rusty straight into the police station but I couldn’t prove he did anything wrong nor did I know the exact location of the police station so in short it was futile. Besides paying out my school loans sounded splendid. The devil lured me into his clutches and all I needed was some persuading to not struggle in his grips.

David Bowie came on my shuffle and whenever Golden Years came onto my radio, it had to be a good sign. Well at least that’s what I thought because it was one of my favorites by David Bowie. It was one of those songs that would make you move. I bobbed my head along to the beat as I tapped my steering wheel rhythmically.

“So you‘re a Bowie fan?”

“I‘m a fan of you not talking,” I reply.

“You are very hostile, why is that?” Rusty inquires.

“Wow really? You seriously just had the audacity to ask that,” I respond in disbelief, “Forget it, I shouldn‘t be surprised.”

I continued driving until I reached the hole in a wall taco place I enjoyed eating at. It was just opening and I pulled into the lot. Turning off the engine I grabbed my purse. Pretty much I didn’t bother to wait for Rusty. The old man that owned the place smiled upon seeing me it turned my scowl to an immediate smile.

“Buenos dias,” I greet.

“Ay mi Amora come to make an old man swoon with that beautiful smile?” the man responds grinning.

“You know me too well Fernando,” I smile back, “How is the champ today?”

“He is feeling well, is this your boyfriend?” he counters gesturing to Rusty who stood next to me.

“No, no I am saving all my love for mi vejito.”

“Ay you are too much,” Fernando laughs, “The usual for you and the new customers you have brought me?”

“Si por favor,” I answer with a bright smile.

“I will bring it right out to you.”

“The fellas would like to meet you,” Rusty says.

“And I intend on meeting them,” I counter.

“Hi I‘m Danny Ocean, Rusty here thinks you can play with the big boys,” the man with dark gray hair and a youthful face states.
“Rusty thinks a lot of things,” I smile shaking his hand firmly, “We should be proud he can indeed think.”

A somewhat awkward man let out a small chuckle that he tried to cover as a laugh. I smiled at him but then my smile fell when I saw the people pulling into the modest restaurant.

“We should take this to the side seating outside,” I say walking out the side door to sit in the patio area. It was hot as fuck outside but Fernando had a fan and some misters going. The others followed in suit and sat down. Then I saw the unwelcome visitor come towards me.

“Ammo hey how‘s it going?”

“Just lovely Eli,” I smile.

“How are things going with you and Dr. Marx?” he asks.

“He has a first name you know,” I remind with a smile, “He‘s good, he and I aren‘t together anymore.”

“Sorry, so um I heard you were going to be Andrew‘s best man,” Eli says awkwardly.

“You heard correctly,” I nod.

“If I apologize will you let things slide?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Eli come on this place is gross,” the whiny familiar voice says and the head of blonde hair looked at me, “It must be the smell of bitter bitch.”

“Classy as always Jennifer,” I respond with a smile, “I see you two are still going strong.”

“I see you never change, always jealous that Eli chose me over you.”

“If you are done trying to reassure yourself that you were indeed Eli‘s first choice please do leave, I have company to converse with that are far more interesting than the tirades of some insecure little girl,” I say simply.

“And what could you possibly need to talk to them about? Whoring yourself off again no doubt,” she counters with a scoff.

“Actually Jennifer if you must know, we are laying ground rules for tonight‘s gang bang, I‘ve got to decide which of them goes first and which goes last,” I state with a smirk, “And hunny let me tell you, it is going to be a long night.”

“Whore!”

“Actually its pro bono so slut is the more proper term.” I smirk.

“Come on Eli we don‘t want to catch any diseases,” Jennifer says tugging at Eli’s arm in order to leave. Eli looked at me with pleading eyes like I was going to save him from Jennifer.

“Am-”

“Don‘t look at my fiancé like that you home wrecker!”

“This is awful the least you can do is-” I start to say but Eli interrupted me.

“Don‘t even start Amora,” he growls.
“Can you stop bothering me? I can only sympathize with your miserable selves for so long.”

“We are happy and don‘t need sympathy from some faggot lover!”

“Careful there Fred Phelps you just might catch the gay from this Faggot Lover,” I say in a condescending yet dangerous tone as I sipped on the coca cola, “Or perhaps you already caught it.”

“Fred Phelps is the voice of our generation! God Hates Fags and they will all burn in hell for their sins just like you will!” Jennifer argues.

“Sounds like a hell of a party.”

“Don‘t change ever,” Eli mutters then turns to Jennifer, “We‘re leaving come on.”

Once the pair left in their overly priced vehicle I drank some more of the soda savoring its sugary taste. Fernando brought out the food and I was ready to eat. The fellas seemed pleased with the quality of taste as they proceeded to bite into the small street tacos. Not one bothering to ask about what the encounter was about.

“Never heard of a woman being a best man, are you going to wear a tux?” Rusty questions.

“Of course,” I nod.

“When‘s the wedding?”

“Tomorrow. But enough about me, what‘s this whole job about and what exactly do you want me to do?”

“I like her, she gets to the point,” Danny says.

“One of my many charms, so what‘s the deal? You fellas don‘t seem like the dumb criminal types. Judging by your fancy suits you are quite the professionals.”

“We try to be.”

“Well, we want you forge some things for us, perhaps even play a part in our charade,” Danny states.

“How dangerous would this be?” I ask.

“We don‘t do guns, our plans are thought out in order to avoid any trouble.”

“So we‘re not going to go Dillinger style and hold up a place,” I respond.

“No not Dillinger.”

“So you in?” Rusty questions.

“You guys want me to seduce someone, someone powerful and expect me to agree immediately.”

“Who said anything about seducing?”

“Oh please, why else would you recruit a woman, I‘m sure you guys have a decent technician already. But you want an in with this job and the only way is through this guy‘s pants apparently,” I counter.

“Would you have a problem getting close to someone for information?” Danny finally asks.

“Well that depends,” I say.

“On?”

“Is he good looking?”

“What?”

“I tend to be vain at times Mr. Ocean, call me crazy but it is far easier when the other is well on the ugly side, less chances of hormones getting in the way. Oh forget it, tell me what the guy‘s type is and I‘ll be able to decipher.”

“Brunettes who are well endowed,” Danny says subtly.

“Oh so this is about my chest, alright, he‘s a material man one who likes to own his women; a cheater no doubt, a few divorces, hmm I‘ll have to think about that one,” I say all at once.

“He has had about three divorces,” Rusty comments.

“Its because he‘s an asshole Rusty, preys on naïve girls who will think he is prince charming with all that money and power. Then once he gets what he wants he writes them a check and has security escort them out,” I state.

“You haven‘t even met him yet.”

“I‘m fairly good at judging people‘s character, even better after having spoken to them.”

“She‘s dead on about Winston though,” the other man with dusty brown hair says, “I‘ve seen him get girls escorted out. I‘m Linus by the way.”

“I‘d like to continue this but I have to go pick up the suit for the wedding tomorrow. Rusty has stalked me enough to know where to reach me.”

“See you later then Kid.”

“Later.”

I left and stopped by the tailor to make sure things were good with the tuxedo. Trying on the newly fitted tuxedo I was fairly happy with the results. The black pants were tapered and fitted nicely to my legs, the white shirt tucked into the pants and the black jacket was cut in a flattering fashion. I was excited to wear a tuxedo, it looked pretty cool. When I took the suit home I just changed out of my business attire and went to bed. I was exhausted and didn’t want to be disturbed.

I spent hours deliberating joining Ocean’s crew, my record was clean of anything bad. Always I lived on the safe side, hardly taking any chances afraid I’d fail. This was my chance to loosen up do something memorable. I needed the money, I needed the money bad. People lie when they say money isn’t important because it is, oh baby it is so very important. Finally deciding I went to bed with a bit of whiskey to guide me there. What was I getting myself into?