Three

Jimmy tossed and turned all night as he tried to sleep. His nose hurt like an iron spike driven through his skull and he was covered in anxious sweat.

Money. He needed money. How was he supposed to make more?

He’d already sold any of the farm tools he figured he could do without. He’d done small jobs for his neighbours. One paid with money, though not much, and the other paid with a week’s worth of frozen meals. Though nice, they didn’t help his situation.

The money his mother gave him, he knew that was his leverage. He had to turn a profit by Friday as well as pay for a date.

The warbled cry of Jimmy’s prized rooster woke him up the next morning. His head pounded a vicious rhythm and his eyes pulsed in pain.

Jimmy dragged himself from bed and brought himself to the chicken barn and started his morning rounds. His rooster followed him around with his chest puffed out in pride.

Jimmy then tended to his mother. He helped her change and brought her to her knitting chair.

“Are you going to work on the roof today? It seems like this gloomy weather might hold off for a bit. I was so cold last night.”

“I plan to this afternoon. I’ve got some errands I’ve gotta do around town first. Hopefully they don’t take too long, and I’ll be back before you know it. Is Mrs. Smyth coming around today?”

“Oh, of course. She’s anxious to find out the answer about this Friday. Are you going to get a nice hat or something?” Jimmy’s mother looked at him with hopeful eyes.

“Yeah ma, I wanna spruce myself up a bit. Thankyou so much for the money. Tell Mrs. Smyth I’m excited for this Friday.” Jimmy smiled and leaned in to give his mother a hug.

“Go do a good job of it Jimmy. See you when you get back.”

Jimmy’s mind raced a million miles a minute the whole drive into town. He was certain he’d figured a way to make money in no time, and he knew who he had to see.

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Jimmy pulled up near a local park and walked a short distance to a convenience store. It was the kind of shop that had everything and specialised in nothing.

Jimmy beelined for the back of the shop and found Scott O’Malley, the owner of the store and an old school friend.

In school, Scott found any means necessary to make a quick buck. His father’s cigarettes and his mother’s whiskey were favourites among the schoolkids.

Scott suffered from a harsh onset of early baldness and a crooked nose from getting into one too many fights. Everyone thought he looked like shit, but nobody told him.

“Oi, if it ain’t me old mate Jimmy. What can I do for you on this fine day?”

“I need to do some moneymaking business.” Jimmy leaned in close and whispered as quietly as he could.

“Say no more. Oi dad, I’m just going out the back with Jimmy for a sec. Make sure no one steals nothin, yeah?”

“Huh?” His old man had been beaten down to nothing working in the old steel factory. His back was forever hunched, and his hearing was shot. He was an older father than most when Jimmy was growing up, but he looked and behaved as though he were absolutely ancient.

“Daft prick.”

“What?”

“Be back in a sec dad!” Scott’s face had become beet red.

“Yeah, alright then I s’pose.”

Scott led Jimmy through the supply room and out the back door, into a dank alleyway that had many other doors back onto it.

“Yeah, so what is it you need mate?” Scott lit a cigarette and offered one to Jimmy, who took it in hopes it would calm him down.

“I’ve got a little money from me ma. I need to make it a lot more by Friday. I’ve got to pay someone off as well as a date.”

“Oh shit. That sounds like a bit of trouble. How much you got, and how much do you need by Friday?”

“I’ve got,” Jimmy pulled the money out of his pocket. “I’ve got twenty quid, and I reckon I’ll need about three hundred to cover both the date and Mister Walsh.”

“Are you kidding me?” Scott broke into random and aggressive gesticulation. “Are you shitting me, Mr. Walsh?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that who you owe money to?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Are you a fucking mad man or what? You must have a death sentence on your head mate. Is that why you look like shit?”

“This? Oh no. Well, yeah. But it’s the work of two people, not just him. Or his lackey really.”

“You’re in for a real uphill battle if you want that much so quickly.”

“I know, I know. But come on, you know I’m struggling for money. Ma’s not in a good way and Pa left us in a bad spot.” Frustration began to show on Jimmy's face.

“Look, I know. But surely there was somewhere else you could’ve turned to for money?”

“Everyone else turned me away.”

“You’re gonna hafta come underground for this. Come, I’ll take ya.”

“What, right now?”

“Of course. We can’t waste time.” Scott smiled.

“What about your shop?”

“Ah, dad’s fine. He’ll look after it.”