2.
~ Detective Arthur Darling felt his eyes go blurry as sleep wanted to come for him. He was at his desk reading the latest reports on Mr. Eames and his illegal booze running. It was a brilliant system of utilizing the underground tunnels in the city and providing the local speakeasies with a dizzying array of not just moonshine, but of fine gin, beer and wine. It wasn't clear how he was able to lay his hands on these exotic brands in the midst of prohibition, but Arthur knew Mr. Eames had gifts for this life of crime.
He suspected the criminal utilized penniless teenagers to move the booze all over the city. In these times, the city was full of desperate people who would break the law for a little money.
"I don't know why we bother." Cobb said as he pointed to the dart board.
Arthur looked up at the scathing article penned by one recently arrested speakeasy owner. The article claimed a lot of New York's elite politicians where frequenting his club. Many of them teetotalers; at least in the papers. The detectives charged with policing the speakeasies were appalled that the very men who passed these laws, disregarded them. It was Cobb's idea to tack the article on the dart board.
"If our own leaders won't even obey the law." Cobb sighed.
"It's not about who drinks and if I agree with prohibition or not. These men here, are breaking the law." Arthur said as he showed Cobb the file on Mr. Eames.
"They sell poorly brewed moonshine that can make you blind, or causes paralysis in the legs. It even kills people. Also, this Mr. Eames? We have it on good authority that he has been operating a speakeasy and a brothel here in the city. He takes advantage of desperate women and uses them to make himself rich."
Cobb shook his head.
"Arthur, no one makes those girls go and work in a whore house. Eames isn't forcing people to drink his booze either." he argued.
"No, but how would you feel if you couldn't support your family and your wife went to Eames to bring home money for food? How would you feel if James started drinking this moonshine and went blind or died?" Arthur asked.
The young man sighed as he rustled over his papers.
"I don't have a problem with alcohol. It needs to be a choice, but these are criminals. Criminals who hurt our city and people who are suffering from this depression, while they make money." Arthur said sadly.
"Hoover says it's not a depression." Cobb laughed as he threw a dart at the article about the politicians going to the speakeasy.
"Hoover spends all his time fishing and not running the country. If he paid the slightest attention to the papers, he should have seen this coming." Arthur grumbled.
"Well, good luck saving the world, Arthur." Cobb said and pulled on his coat. "I've got to go home. Mal is cooking a roast tonight and Amos' and Andy are going to be on the radio. I promised the kids I would listen with them."
Arthur went back to his reading.
"You're welcome to join us." Cobb said as he looked out at the snow coming down.
"No, I'll go home after a while." Arthur said.
"Arthur, don't invest yourself too much in your work. You need a personal life, alright? Bad things happen to lawmen who don't have families." Cobb told his friend. "Let Mal set you up with one of her girlfriends. You need a lady to go home to. Best part of my day is walking up to my apartment and smelling dinner cooking and seeing my wife and kids."
"Good night, Cobb." Arthur sighed as her bent over the report on Mr. Eames.
~ Ariadne counted out one twenty, a ten, a five and two dollars. She put the coins in her little coin purse and went to the market with Rose clutching her hand happily and singing.
"I'm glad you're off work today, mamma!" the child sang as she carried one of the canvas grocery bags for her mother.
Ariadne tried to smile, but couldn't. She was ringing up math problems in her head.
'I've got $30 saved up for the rent next month. That's good. That's very good.' She thought to herself. 'I can spend $6 on food and soap, forget the nice meal and fruit for Rose, maybe I can stretch out the $20 until I find another job. It will give me two weeks to find another job. Any job, to pay the rent for next month. I can go to the soup kitchens when our food runs out. Maybe even the other charities I've seen ads for.' she thought bitterly as Rose eyed bananas and oranges.
"We have to be sensible, Rose." Ariadne said as she picked up staples of beans, rice and oatmeal.
"Mamma, I want an orange!" Rose cried in the middle of the market.
"No, Rose. We have to buy only what we need!" Ariadne said as the sweet little girl burst into tears.
"I don't want anymore oatmeal! I want an orange! I want a banana!" she cried.
~ In the end, Ariadne relented. She never had the chance to give Rose nice things. Her daughter was forced to sell her dolls and keep only two. Rose was outgrowing not just her coat, but her shoes as well. How could she deny her child something as simple as fruit?
Rose nursed her banana as they walked home in the snow. Tears running down her cheeks as the fruit comforted her.
Ariadne had bought $7 dollars worth of groceries for them. They would eat well tonight she decided. Rose had apples, oranges and banana's. She also bought jam and fresh vegetables for a stew tomorrow.
"Thank you, mamma." Rose said as Adriana wiped her daughters tears away.
Ariadne wanted to apologize to her daughter. Wanted to say she was sorry for ever saying she couldn't have something. Rose had gone without for so long now, and the child never complained. Rose didn't throw a fit when they sold her toys or furniture. When they moved away and when she was dropped off at Alma's for the day.
It was odd that she should cry now over wanting better food. Ariadne worried her daughter, her look-a-like girl, was starting to break.
"Excuse me!" came a shout from the store as they were leaving. Ariadne turned to see a well dressed man trotting to them. He had apparently been in for cigarettes and other small items.
Ariadne held her bags closer and Rose instinctively hid behind her mother.
"I'm sorry to bother you." he said as he caught up with them. "But I couldn't help over hearing you with your girl in the store."
A lovely English accent slipped out of his mouth as he smiled at them both.
"Oh, I'm sorry she bothered you." Ariadne said feeling embarrassed by Rose's tantrum.
"Not at all." he said handing her a paper bag of oranges. "In fact I was hoping to help."
Ariadne looked at the bag and Rose stood on tiptoe. Her eyes growing big.
"Oh no, we can't accept them." Ariadne said as she shouldered her canvas bags once more. Her mind ticking over the math in her head.
'$7 on food, we have enough for next months rent. Electric! How could I have forgotten about the electric!' she almost shouted at herself.
"Look, It's my pleasure." he said happily as he gave her the bag.
"I don't know you and it's not right-"
"It's perfectly right. My name is Eames, so now you know me." the gentleman said with a charming smile.
"Mamma?" Rose said hopefully.
"Ariadne shook her head at her daughter who now sulked.
"We can't, Mr. Eames. But thank you." she said handing him back the fruit.
"Alright." Eames said. "I'll eat them myself."
He looked sad for a moment as the three of them stood in the snow.
"By the way, I'm sure everything is fine at home for you-" he started to say.
"Everything is fine at home for us." Ariadne snapped as she saw Rose look longingly at the bag.
"That's good." Eames said "But in case you're looking for work, I might be able to help you."
Ariadne shifted on her feet.
"Really?" she asked.
"Really." Eames said as he handed her his card.
"I run a nice little business. I could use a girl like you." he said. "You have someone to watch the girl while you're at work?"
"A great, big fat woman who walks around the house in nothing but a dirty slip and sleeps the whole time. She smells like cat food and I think she eats the cat food and lets the cats starve!" Rose cried.
Eames was laughing as Ariadne shushed her.
"Well, that is a picture, little miss." he said. "Please say you'll come to my place and see about a job. I could pay you $10 a night. More if the customers like you."
"A waitress?" Ariadne asked hopefully. She had never waited tables before, but was eager to make good money. $10 a night would mean they could move out of the apartment. They could eat good food every day and Rose could have the new coat and shoes she deserved.
"Come by tomorrow around three and wear something pretty." Eames said.
Ariadne looked over his business card. It was in Manhattan and would mean a long walk in the snow. She would have to pay Alma another much needed $0.50 to watch Rose and all for a job she might not even get.
She said her goodbyes to Mr. Eames and before she could stop him, the gentleman handed Rose the bag of oranges and left them.
The most recent school shooting today has me so upset I decided to post early to have my say about it.
I'm not sure the world ISN'T coming to an end in a few days. What kind of animal walks into an elementary school, in a bullet proof vest, armed to the teeth, and kills 25 kids who can't defend themselves?
As a 6th generation Texan, I believe in guns. I was raised in a house with guns and I know how to use them for my personal safety. Texas is a stand your ground state and I believe in using guns.
I believe banning guns for a shooting is like banning cars for car accidents.
Having said that, I would LOVE it if our country no longer sold high power automatic guns that were being used today. Guns meant to be used my military and police forces, and had no business in the hands of civilians.
My thoughts are with the families right now, who's lives are just destroyed by this shooting. No parent can EVER recover from their child dieing.