Hello everyone. This is going to be another attempt at fiction for me, whether novel or short story or a few sentences....who knows. But please: FEEL FREE TO JOIN IN. This is a collaborative forum.

I don't have the energy to start it now but I will this weekend. Please let me start it and then join in whenever you want.






[edit on 7-8-2009 by Excitable_Boy]

Gone Gone

I

I hit the ground running. Can't believe I just spanked the Cannistraro's. This will catch up to me someday but for now, I have three hundred thousand dollars in small bills and nothing to keep me here in Vegas. The City of Sin...Satan's Playground. Remember when they were trying to pass off Vegas as a place to bring the whole family? That is funny.

First thing I need is a car. Something powerful but that will blend in. I don't want to stand out like a sore thumb anywhere. That's the car right there: 98 Chevy Impala SS....nice Corvette engine in that big bad machine. Big dark and mean but nothing that is going to raise any flags. Only 45,000 miles and this guy takes $10,000 cash. I think it was worth double before this "recession."

II

II

*We hear an old Crowded House tune playing on the radio. Rusty is trying to smoke out of a pipe while text messaging and drinking a cup of coffee*

Alright! This is the deal. Take a nice long ride and clear my head and get further and further away from these lunatics. Okay, so I stole from them. I stole blood money so I figure I'm doing some dead guys a favor. They give the appearance of legitimate businessmen to the untrained eye. If your eyes get trained and they get wind of it, well....good luck.

My sister, Olivia, has the unpleasant role of being married to Vinny Cannistraro. I wish denying it made it go away but it doesn't so there it is. I might as well tell you all about it as I work my way to Oregon.

III

III

Provo, Utah. This was a long ride but worth it. Here's what I was looking for...a nice resortish/condo-like place to stay. All the needs satisfied: pools, gym, sun, fun, women in little bikinis, etc.....

"Sir...we can give you a great rate on your room if you take a 90 minute tour of the property," rattles off the clerk like he has said it a thousand times and maybe he has.

"Sounds like a plan. Today's what? Wednesday? What do you have available on Friday?" Rusty responds with obvious sarcasm.

"I'm sorry sir but you will have to do the tour today. In fact, right now. You'll get a voucher for a free dinner here at the resort."

"In that case I'll pay full price for the suite." With this, Rusty pulls out $1000 in mostly twenties and hands it to the clerk. "Will this cover me for a little while?"

The clerk counts the money. "Sir, this will take care of a few days, but we'll need a credit card in case of any additional charges when you check out." The clerk is starting to get agitated.

Rusty hands the clerk another thousand. "Consider this a deposit," as he winks at the clerk. "I want a suite overlooking your largest pool," Rusty demands like a man who is used to getting what he wants.

Rusty drives his car over to where the suite is and then decides to park in a different part of the complex. Better safe than sorry.

IV




[edit on 23-8-2009 by Excitable_Boy]

IV - Mary


Okay...so where was I.

"Bartender....give me a shot of Tequila. Regular Cuervo is fine and a Corona and a couple chunks of lime. No salt necessary..."

"What'll ya have? Just kidding. My guess is you've been travelling and need some time to chill out."

"Yeah...something like that. Hey, the Sox are playing in Arizona right now. Can you get that game on one of these TVs?"

"Yes SIR." The bartender, Matt (and right now he is feeling like a mat) manages to get the game on the decent sized HD TV. Rusty starts writing in a notebook.

Okay, so I promised you people a story regarding my situation.

(this chapter will be continued....)





[edit on 27-8-2009 by Excitable_Boy]

IV - Mary (continued)

Just as Rusty is about to start his story, in walks a cougar in a little red dress. Dirty blonde. Maybe about 5' 5"...fiftyish. She sits down to Rusty's right with just a seat between them.

"Hi Matt."

"Hello Ms. Magdolin," Matt states with a sudden sparkle in his eys.

"Dont' call me that. It's gross and stupid. Do me a favor....and, buy the introvert to my left another of what he's having."

(to be cntinued)

IV - Mary (continued)

Rusty can't help but stop what he's doing and check out the foxy older woman. She's in really good shape and it appears that there isn't much under that dress but the woman herself.

"Hi and thank you. I'll just have another shot Matt. I plan on nursing this beer. I'm Russell DeMarco. My friends call me Rusty."

"Well...nice to meet you Rusty. I'm Mary," and she puts out her hand to shake. The hand is covered with jewelry. All of it looking expensive and to be honest, a bit gaudy.

"You're kidding right? You're name isn't Mary Magdolin is it?" Russell asks with disbelief on his face.

"No....of course not. Matt just has an odd sense of humor. It's Mary Campbell...no relation to the Campbell's soup people," she quips.

"Thank God," Rusty bellows. "I was afraid you might smell like soup and not like the beautiful woman before me." Russell proclaims with well feigned sincerity and a smile on his face.

"Oh boy," states Mary. "I knew I was in trouble when I decided to sit down here to check you out."

With that, Rusty sucks down the second shot and drains his beer. "Mary...nice to meet you. Perhaps we'll run into eachother again sometime." Rusty heads for the door.

Man, that was a close one. If I had been drunk...well, we all know what would have happened. I'm going to head back to my room so I can get this story off of my chest.

V




[edit on 29-8-2009 by Excitable_Boy]

V - Vinny

Okay...where was I. The story. Okay...I'm ready. I have my bottle of Sambuca and plenty of time. First of all, my name's not DeMarco. I can't tell you what it really is or else I would have to kill you (laughing).

I met Vinny Cannistraro eight years ago...at Standford of all places. I was there on a track scholarship and Vinny...well, Vinny was there to learn business and he was there on his father's dime. As I got to know Vinny, I learned that his father was some supposed big deal in Vegas. Ran a casino or casinos. Regularly rubbed elbows with the likes of Donald Trump and other big Vegas money. Vinny once introduced me to Wayne Newton and all I can remember is how sweaty and clammy his hand was.

Anyway, I took up art at Standford much to the misery of my father. He wanted me to get into computers...computer science. I tried that for a year and it did nothing for me. I switched majors and well, he was very unhappy. What are you gonna do?

My first summer between semesters, Vinny had set me up with a job at the Las Vegas Art Museum. He was also able to give me a place to stay free of charge. A large, modern condo with an amazing view of the city.

I worked there for six summers while I got my undergraduate and graduate degrees and finally my PhD. My talents are in a wide area of painting, art history and fine art restoration. I also am a decent artist myself and started hanging works and selling them at various galleries around Palo Alto as well as in Vegas soon after beginning my sophmore year.

(to be continued)



[edit on 31-8-2009 by Excitable_Boy]