12
I was looking at the monthly progress report. Tribute payments were all on time. I now controlled almost all of Long Island. Josh, Tom, and Andrew were bringing in a lot of money from their game designing companies. Brenden was currently under some pressure to up progress with his architecture company. His books were a side project, and he insisted that a percentage of their profit go directly into the gang. So much had changed in forty-three years. I looked at the clock, almost five-thirty. We were all meeting at our favorite restaurant.
I got into my car and drove off. "Well it's about time you showed up big." "Dude, Josh you got here ten minutes ago." "Ya, ya, shut up Brenden." We walked in and sat down. "Hey Big, I noticed you got a new car, what is it?" "Na, I didn't get a new car. It's the same old 64 Chevy Impala." "What did you do to it?" "I tinted the windows black and gave it a metallic blue paint job. Then got them to decal black flames on the sides, and the blue chrome spinners are a nice touch don't you think?" "Brenden you're on crack, and Big you need to get the new Hummer." "Here's your food sirs." "Hey Big, how's productivity?" "Well good and bad, Brenden your book sales are starting to go down. You also have to start getting to more of those design requests. Tom you're over budget. Andrew you're behind on your release date, why?" "Well I can't seem to get the level seven enemies to respond properly when the player comes at them. They keep running around in circles. But it should be ready in a month or so in December." "Good just in time for the Christmas rush." "Josh, your last game didn't sell so well, you need to do better next time. But the good news is that overall productivity is way up. I've decided to give everyone and I mean everyone, gets a five percent raise." "Everyone's going to flip when they hear." "Ya that'll be the second raise this year." As we sat there discussing possible new forms of income I glanced at the TV. "I got it, we're going into the drug business. We got the money to invest, we got the men to deploy, and we've got me. There're plenty of new and inventive ways to smuggle drugs and I bet I can come up with a few." "I don't know about that Ambrose, you have a lot to lose if they catch anyone. The workers will probably say anything to get a lighter sentence. You may not be aware, but drug dealing is now punishable by death." "Benny you're full of it." "No way man I'm not kidding, two thousand thirty-seven in November." "Well it's late and I have to get some rest. I have to tackle that glitch on level seven." "Hey Brenden how's the family?" "Woho! Ambrose you looking to score with Benny's daughter? You look her age you two should go out some time." "Josh you better shut your mouth before I shut it myself." We walked into the cold air, the snow was slowly falling. We said goodbye and we all left. I was back at my apartment, standing on my balcony. The snow was settling on my outstretched hands. It may have been New York City but even so tonight, it was peacefully calm. I thought back, I went through every moment in my life. Times I enjoyed, times that, I wish had never happened. Then I thought about what was to come. "Time just moves to fast."