Style, you
either have it or you
don't. And if you have it, you have it
all the time.The Rogue Meets His Match
by Tux Toledo
Page 10
"If you really want
to ask them," she said. "But I assure you that my life has not
been very interesting." She turned and swayed back to the stuffed
chair. Brian brought two metal chairs from the kitchen and we sat
down. The light from the cheap lamp cast harsh shadows on her face.
"Now Mister, what did you say your name was?"
"Miller," I said.
"Oh,
yes, Mr. Miller. How could I forget that? It's such a
common name, isn't it? Now, what would you like to know?"
"Well, one of the first things people think of when they think of North Beach is Broadway and the strip joints."
"Is that what they think?"
"Well, yes." I didn't like the way the conversation had begun. "I understand you were once a stripper," I said.
She quickly looked at Brian.
"Am I wrong?" I asked.
"No,
no,” she fluttered. “You have it right." She crossed her
legs. "You journalists have a way of getting right to the heart
of the matter."
"If you don't want to talk about it we can talk about something else," I said, sensing her uneasiness.
"What
else would people in Cleveland like to read about?" Her mouth
smiled but her eyes remained cold. She was on her guard but she
spoke with a disarming easiness.
"The old and the new?" I
said. "People always like to read about how things have changed,
how the good old days have gone."
"Ah, the good old days," she
nodded. "There were real night clubs back then. And the
comedy clubs!" She suddenly came alive and spoke with infectious
enthusiasm. "But sadly they are gone. I really think the
good old days ended when 'The Green Apple' closed, don't you?"
"Yes," I nodded. "That certainly left a void."
Heat rose from her eyes.
"Would you happen to have any old pictures?" I asked.
She looked at Brian then back at me. I thought she was going to say no.
"I don't mean X-rated." I said.
"What do you mean?" she inquired. She almost spoke with a Southern accent.
"Oh, something innocent. Suitable for the newspapers."
"Suitable for the newspapers!" she laughed.
"For
Cleveland newspapers," I said. "Pictures that would show how
things were in the old North Beach, you know, so I could do a before
and after."
"Well, I may have something." She motioned to
Brian. He left the room and returned with a box. Irene
opened it and shuffled through some pictures. I recognized a
young Sidney in several of them and tried to contain my excitement, but
I'm sure my eyes widened a wee bit. The photos didn't look very
incriminating to me, just Sidney and Irene holding each other and
smiling at the camera. I perused the photos.
"Yes, these are very good," I said. "Just what the people in Cleveland would like to see."
"Are they?"
"Yes. I'd like to buy them from you." I knew Sidney would put up the cash
"All of them?"
© 2008 David Biagini