Big Trouble Read Free

“Gators,” and one called Eddie, whose T-shirt said “You Don’t Know Dick.” They both wore cutoff jeans and flip-flops, but their feet were black with dirt, so it almost looked like they were wearing socks.
    Snake and Eddie referred to themselves as fishermen, although they did not fish. They did live on a boat; it had been abandoned by its legal owner because it had no engine and would sink if it were moved. Snake’s and Eddie’s actual source of income was standing in front of vacant parking spaces in Coconut Grove, and then, when a tourist car came along, directing the driver into the space, making arm motions as though this were a tricky maneuver that had to be done just right, like landing the space shuttle. Then Snake and Eddie would stand close by, waiting for a tip, which usually the tourists gave them, especially if it was dark.
    Puggy figured that Snake and Eddie must have been to the Jolly Jackal before, because as soon as they walked in, the bartender was coming toward them, pointing back at the door, saying “Out! I tell you once before! Out!”
    â€œNo, no, man, no,” said Eddie, holding his hands up in front of his chest, making peace. “Look, we just wanna couple drinks. We got money.” He was digging into his cutoff shorts, pulling out some quarters, some dimes and pennies, putting them on the bar.
    The bartender looked at the money, saying nothing.
    â€œOK?” said Eddie, settling at the bar to Puggy’s right, one stool away. “OK,” he said again, because he could see the bartender was going to let them slide. Snake sat on the stool to Eddie’s right. Eddie pointed at the cluster of coins, said, “We’ll take whatever much this’ll get us.”
    The bartender, still saying nothing, counted the money, sliding the coins off the bar one by one into his hand. He put out two glasses and filled them with clear liquid from a bottle that had no label, then walked back to the bearded man.
    â€œAsshole,” remarked Eddie, to Snake.
    Puggy, as soon as he determined that the situation was not going to require him to duck, went back to watching the TV, which was now showing pickup trucks racing. Puggy had never thought of that as a sport, but his policy with TV was, if it was on, he’d watch it.
    It was maybe twenty minutes later that he decided to take a leak. He started to pick up his money, and he realized that some of it was gone. He wasn’t sure how much exactly, but he was definitely short at least a ten.
    Puggy looked to his right. Eddie and Snake were both looking at the TV, looking interested, like it was showing naked women, instead of pickup trucks.
    â€œHey,” said Puggy.
    Eddie and Snake kept staring at the screen.
    â€œHey,” repeated Puggy.
    Snake kept staring at the screen. Eddie turned his head to look at Puggy, a hard look.
    â€œYou got a problem, chief?” he said.
    â€œGimme it back,” said Puggy.
    â€œWhat?” said Eddie, screwing up his face, trying to make an expression like he had no idea what Puggy meant, but overdoing it.
    â€œI said gimme it back,” said Puggy.
    â€œWhat the fuck’re you talking about?” said Eddie. Now Snake was looking, too, both of them starting to turn toward Puggy on their stools.
    Puggy knew, from experience, that this was one of those situations where he could get hit. He knew he should give it up. He knew that, but, shit, ten dollars .
    â€œI said,” he said, “gimme . . .”
    Eddie’s punch didn’t hurt so much, because he was still a whole stool away, and the punch caught Puggy on the shoulder. But when Puggy fell over backward to the floor, that did hurt. Then Snake was coming around from behind Eddie, stomping with the heel of his flip-flopped foot, trying to get Puggy in the face. Puggy curled up and pressed his face in where the bar met the floor, not planning to fight, just trying to ride it out. The