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Fiction: The Pawnbroker's Luck
The Curlers have always owned the pawn shop on the corner of Spirit Street. The brothers Huey, Duey and Luey were trained to be pawnbrokers from a young age. Their father, Suey, was a pawnbroker until he ate an ackee and dropped dead. Their mother, Cary, was choleric when she did not get her ways. When Suey died, Cary got her way and joined her husband though she had always complained he was the cheapest man on earth.
The three Curlers had a schedule that they stuck to rigorously. The mornings belong to Luey, the youngest, the afternoons are for Duey, the second-born and the nights are for Huey, the oldest.
One late night a lady in a long black trench coat came to the shop. Huey, though he was tall and muscular, was also the most gentle-hearted of the three. He gave the lady a quote of one hundred and sixty dollars for her one necklace, three rings and two bracelets. Her green eyes widened at the amount. She said she would think about it and went away.
The next morning, the same lady in black returned to pawn the same jewelry. Luey was the youngest and also the most easily fooled. He gave her one hundred and forty dollars. The lady smiled and asked if she could get more. He quoted one hundred and fifty and insisted he could not go farther knowing his brother Duey would scold him if he did. She told him she need to think about it and went away.
Then in the afternoon, the same lady in black returned. Now Duey was clearheaded and the smartest of the three brothers. But he was also the most practical. He knew right away the jewelry weren't worth much. He quoted eighty dollars for all the pieces. She smiled and then left.
Night came once again and the lady in black returned. Standing behind the counter was Duey. Huey was sick with a stomach ache.
The lady wandered around the shop which was unnecessary as you can just turn a 180 and see everything. The shelves and shelves of stuff were neatly organized and tagged. Their father had always insisted on that.
Finally the lady turned toward the counter. "Is Huey here?" Duey knew full well that Huey had been more generous than he should be with his pricing. People rarely came back for their things and they often had stuff that sat on the shelves for years. But Duey was not like Huey. He had often reasoned to his brothers that they too, needed to eat.
Duey replied, "Huey is out. He will be for some time." Duey already knew this lady had been here twice. They had video cameras inside and outside the shop that recorded everything. Duey had always reviewed the tapes before his duties.
The lady's lower lip twitched. She needed money. Duey could tell. Everyone did when they came to their shop. But this trick of hers of trying to get the highest price will not work on him. She took the jewelry from her coat pocket and placed them on the counter. "How much for all?"
"Ninety dollars." It was the most generous offer Duey could give her. He did quoted eighty dollars this afternoon.
A laugh escaped from her. She looked down at the jewelry and then at Duey. "Couldn't you go higher? I really need the money."
Then you should have taken Huey's offer, Duey thought but did not say. "I'm sorry. Ninety is my final offer."
She smiled showing her crooked teeth with a bit of coffee stain. "Please? Just a little higher?"
Duey shook his head. He had seen people like her many times and yet, he could not give in. "I'm sorry. Perhaps you can go elsewhere."
She bit her upper lip and nodded. "Right. You're right." She pulled out something dark from her coat pocket and the next thing Duey knew, he was down on the floor clutching his shirt where the hole in his chest was leaking blood. He watched as the lady pushed a button on the cash register and took all the bills and then her jewelry and rushed out the door. Duey turned toward the video screens below the desk. One of them shown the woman running away and out of sight of the camera.
Duey laughed. There was only sixty dollars in the cash register. He sighed. He had seen the lady putting her hand in her coat pocket several times on the video tapes but he had not thought she would have a gun in there. Poor people rarely can afford guns or so he thought. Their father had always warned them about the danger of running a pawn shop but Duey had never listened. Duey remembered there were several bullet-proof vests in the back that he had gotten last Tuesday but had not the chance to tagged them. He took in a long breath. His head was becoming cloudy. He wished he had choked on an ackee like his father or took pills like his mother. At least, they died at their own hands. Here, Duey wondered if hell existed and if he will go there now.
Something bright flashed at his left. He turned to an oval light growing larger. A tall man with pale skin and long black hair down to his shoulders and wearing a black suit with white leather oxfords stepped out of the light. He was followed by a medium-height lady with long black hair and wearing a white gown and worn out crimson boots. The light quickly disappeared behind the lady.
"Who are you?" Duey asked though he could guess.
"Devin." Devin turned to the lady as if suddenly remembering she was there. "And this is my apprentice, Mel."
"It's Melinda." Melinda gave Duey a small smile.
"Don't I know you?" Duey remembered a gold ring, 2 carats, 500 dollars.
Melinda shook her head. She looked toward Devin. "What am I doing here?" she muttered.
"Shhhh." Devin turned to Duey. "You are Duey Curler?"
Duey nodded.
"Then, I'm— We are here to take you home."
"Home? Where is that?" Duey's head was suddenly very clear.
Melinda shrugged. Devin smiled and put his hands into his pants pocket. "That is a good question, my friend. But I do not know the answer as everyone's home is a different place and time. But I believe you will love yours. Come." He turned around and waved his hand. Another light appeared and started to grow. He tilted his head at Melinda. She looked toward Devin and then toward Duey and back at Devin. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"You—" Devin shook his head. He pulled Melinda by the arm and shoved her into the light. He turned to Duey. "Come, my friend. There is nothing left for you here."
But Duey was about to say he couldn't move but then he found himself standing up only he was not as solid as before. He turned and saw his body slumped behind the desk. He sighed and followed Devin into the light portal.
