Friday morning – Early May
“Who ya like tonight? Mikey asked Billy.
“Red Sox.”
“Nah man, I mean Nets and Hawks,” Mikey stressed.
Tonight started a big weekend in the sports world. Yankees were going to Fenway to take on the Red Sox. It was A-Rod’s first visit to Fenway Park since his suspension was lifted. The Nets were home against the Atlanta Hawks for game 6. Tomorrow was the Kentucky Derby and later that night was the big fight, Pacquiao versus Mayweather. They were asking for a hundred dollars on pay-per-view.
“I like the Nets tonight, I like them at Barclay’s. I’m going to the game.”
Mikey looked at Billy a bit surprised.
“WHAT…YOU GOT TICKETS FOR GAME 6?”
“Hell yeah,” Billy answered as he sipped on a cup of coffee from Pynn’s deli.
“I dunno, Hawks are giving 4,” Mikey barked as he checked himself out in the front window of Farrell’s.
Billy and Mikey were Local 40 ironworkers but were out of work.
“I hope something breaks soon,” Mikey declared as he pulled out the New York Post from his back-pocket.
“Yeah, I was down at Timboo’s last night and Red Duffy said they got a big building going up on third avenue.” Billy explained as he sipped some more coffee.
Mikey and Billy were excellent ironworkers and they loved their craft. But right now things were slow. They were waiting for the next job.
“Fuck man, they should give us season tickets to the Nets game, I mean we spent almost a year down there putting that shit up,” Mikey cried.
Billy laughed. Both him and Mikey were partners bolting up on the Brooklyn Nets new arena.
“They don’t give a shit about us,” Billy growled.
“Yo they really cleaned up that area,” Mikey reminded Billy.
“You’re right man, remember back in the day you had to carry a pistol if you were down there?” Billy mocked.
“Remember that time I was walking home from a bar on Flatbush avenue and those clowns came up to me asking for money,” Mikey pointed out.
Both guys laughed.
“Those motherfuckers ran so fast when I pulled my twenty-two out of my bag,” Mikey boasted.
“Two of them, right?” Billy acknowledged.
“Yeah, they thought they were tough guys,” Mikey declared.
Once again both guys laughed.
“First off you were crazy for walking home from down there,” Billy reminded him.
“Nah, it was a beautiful night,” Mikey noted.
A sanitation truck pulled up to empty the trash can on the corner of 16th street.
“Yo Joey, what’s up bro?” Mikey screamed out to their friend who was working for the city. Joey had been a sanitation worker for ten years.
“What’s up Mikey. When you taking the test?” Joey asked.
“Nah fuck that, I’m gonna work the iron until I die,” Mikey added.
Joey walked over to the steel can, picked it up and emptied it in the back of the huge, white truck.
Billy and Mikey watched him closely.
“Imagine picking up people’s shit?” Billy cited as he watched Joey put the can back on the corner and hop on the truck.
“Yeah, fuck that,” Mikey emphasized.
The truck pulled away and went straight for the trash can on the next corner.
“Yo Mikey I gotta head over to the city to see this chick,” Billy said as he started to walk down 16th street for the subway.
“Alright man, see you soon brother.”
About a week ago Billy had met a pretty girl while hanging out in the city. He had a lunch date with her.
“Be careful betting the Nets tonight,” Billy shouted out as he crossed 16th street.
Mikey stood on the corner outside Farrell’s watching Billy walk down the street.
He needed the Nets bad tonight. He was down five-hundred dollars.
-Red
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