The Young Shoplifters 2-excerpt from a short story by Austin Mitchell

The Young Shoplifters 2

by

Austin Mitchell

                 Flashback: In Chapter one, Syd had just escaped prison with a two year suspended sentence. He had been found guilty of trying to cash a forged check. Junjo and Cal who had been in the bank with him had made good their escape. Syd and Junjo are now sworn enemies after he told the latter’s  girlfriend, Marge, about him being a shoplifter. Syd had also tried to be friendly with her. Bankie, one of their associates, had earlier been kicked out of the gang after he was arrested for shoplifting and had to pay a fine or face jail time.

Chapter 2

                Syd was half asleep on his shop counter when he heard a car horn, waking him up. It was Cal!  Syd jumped off the shop counter and greeted him.

            “What happen, Cal? How did you find me up here, man?”

`           Cal shut the car door and the two men shook hands.

            “Marge told me where you were.”

            Syd walked around the seemingly brand new BMWX5.

            “I like your wheels though. It seems brand new.”

            “It’s the latest in the X series. That’s the latest and most expensive edition on the market.”

            “You must be rolling in cash to be able to afford one of these.”

            “Not exactly, but this is as a result of some wise investments.”

            They had moved back to the shop and were sitting on stools.

            “So how are things in this part of the world. The roads are very bad, man.”

            “Yeah, I know, the trucks hardly want to bring any goods for us.”

            “So where is Holly? I thought she would be down here with you.”

            “Holly, no sir, I asked her for a child, but she told me that I had to marry her first. I see lots of girls around the place having babies. I just sent her away. Right now is two baby mothers I have.”

            “Since I went to Montego Bay I get two youths too, but it’s with one woman though.”

            “When she came down here sometimes, she wanted to sleep in a separate room from me. I don’t quarrel with her or anything. I just waited until I was sure she was asleep before I left to sleep with one of my women.”

            Cal laughed.

            “I made sure that I returned before she woke up.’’

            “So where is she now?” Cal repeated.

            “I heard that she got married to a little Christian guy about four months ago.”

            Cal digested this last piece of news about Holly.

            “So you don’t want a drink?”

            “Sid, I won’t distress you, but I have a little fridge in the car. I’ll get two stouts for both of us.”

            Cal went to open his car trunk and got the two stouts. When he came back Syd was serving two female customers.

            After the customers left and they were having the stouts, Syd said.

            “God knows, you must feel proud. Imagine going to a dance, stage show or party and you can treat your friends to liquor from your car trunk.”

            “This is the way most of the top guys are operating these days. Some of them have sets in the back of their vehicle. They can hold a party anywhere. Car stereo contests are being kept regularly.”

            Syd had heard and read about it in the papers.

            “Cal, I need some help from you. I need a link, up here is too slow.  I don’t want to stay in this place and rot. I want to go somewhere and make some real money.”

            Cal looked around him at the dilapidated houses. Some were very much in need of a coat of paint. He noticed the overgrown hedges. It seemed that the district hadn’t yet recovered from the latest hurricane. He noticed that Syd’s shop and house were in need of repair and a coat of paint too. He couldn’t see any improvements to the building.

            They had finished their stouts now. Cal went for two more.

            “About how many years you’re down here, Syd?”

            Syd thought for a moment.

            “About four.”

            “Another four, ten years and it’ll be the same. I want to get out of Oakley district, it’s the poorest part of Jamaica,” Syd lamented.

            Cal took two swallows of his stout.

            “I bet you never tell me who I saw down there?”

            Syd drank some more of his stout.

            “Who, Cal?”

            “Think again, Syd.”

            “I can’t come up with any names.”

            Cal drank some more of his stout.

            “Junjo, he’s so big, it’s a shame.”

            “What, Junjo? It’s a lie you’re telling, Cal. Junjo living in Montego Bay. I doubt if he knows which parish it is in.”

            “He’s down there all right. He’s driving a brand new Mercedes. He has his own business and lives in an upscale apartment.”

            “I’m not calling you a liar, Cal but I find it hard to believe.”

            Cal took out a cigarette and lit it. He lit one for Syd.

            “If you never believe me first, I know you aren’t going to believe this. Junjo and Marge are married.”

            Syd got up off his stool and went outside. He came back and stood in the shop’s doorway looking out. He turned to face Cal.

            “But they had broken up after Marge discovered that he was a thief.”

            “Well she doesn’t think so anymore. She’s driving a Toyota Rav 4 these days.”

            “In just a little under four years Junjo and Marge achieve so much. I should

never have let Holly persuade me to come back down here. I’m glad I ran her away from me.”
            A young woman came into the shop.

            “Syd, what’s going on? Have you eaten lunch yet?”

            Syd looked at his watch and realized that it was after one o’clock.

            “Ariella, meet my brethren, Cal. Remember, I used to tell you about him. So have you brought lunch for me?”

            “I hope it’s only good things he told you about me.”

            Ariella, smiled and nodded.

            She took some plastic containers out of a bag she had.

            Syd and Cal were soon eating the meal of roasted fish and food. They were washing it down with coconut water.

            “Ariella, come here, baby. Come and sit on my leg.”

            The girl did as Syd requested. Cal could see that she was a beautiful girl of medium height and body. She was wearing a tank top and a jeans skirt and slippers.

            The two men continued eating.

            “Cal, this girl is my future wife.”

            Cal swallowed some food before replying.

            “If many more men taste her cooking, you are going to have trouble, Syd. Just for the food I’s marry her myself.”

            Syd laughed and eased her off his leg.

            “I won’t let you taste her cooking again.”

            “You can’t do that to me, Syd. Don’t you have any more sisters, Ariella?”

            “She has two older sisters, but they are both married and her younger sisters are both in high school.”

            “Seems like I came at the wrong time in both cases,’’ Cal said and laughed as the both finished eating.
            Ariella started to take up the dishes.

            “I have some nice cousins,’’ she said and both Syd and Cal laughed.

             Read the full story in 'Taking a short-cut Home'.