Free Shmucks by Seymour Blicker

a little stoppage in his smoking habits. It’ll help clear out his lungs.”
    The girl smiled wryly at Levin’s attempt at humour.
    â€œYou’re right,” she said and turned her attention back to the music.
    She was moving her shoulders in half time to the beat of the song. She brought her top teeth down over her lower lip and closed her eyes.
    A cold lust was rising up in Levin’s belly. At the same time, he tried to ignore an emotion which he recognized as shame. He suspected there was something a little wrong with the intense passion he was feeling. The girl was so young. . . . Her air of youth and innocence could not be concealed despite the distinct aura of awareness about her.
    He tried to push his horny thoughts out of his mind. The girl was now moving her hands in a sensuous counterpuntal rhythm to the beat of the music. Levin felt that he could get to the girl.
    The hunger ache in his stomach finally diverted his thoughts. What the hell was he doing in that alley? It was insane. He ought to go immediately, but the moment he visualized himself actually driving away from the scene, he felt a righteous anger well up inside him and he knew he couldn’t leave.
    The hunger pains persisted. Perhaps the girl would go over to Moe’s for him and bring back a few smoke meat sandwiches.
    â€œWould you mind doing me a small favour?”
    â€œDepends.”
    â€œI’m hungry. I’ve been sitting here for hours and I haven’t eaten anything since noon. Would you mind getting me a few sandwiches at Moe’s?”
    â€œSure, okay, but I can’t understand why you just don’t drive over there. I mean I know you and that guy are having some wierd kind of hassle but it seems a little strange. I mean, wow, just sitting here.”
    â€œYeah, well, the guy’s a nut and he needs to be taught a lesson.”
    The girl shrugged. “What would you like?”
    â€œTwo lean smoke meat; a french fried and a Pepsi. Put a lot of vinegar and salt on the chips, okay?” he said.
    â€œOkay. Have you got some money?”
    â€œYeah, here.” Levin took a ten-dollar bill out of his wallet and handed it to the girl. She looked up at him with raised eyebrows.
    â€œAren’t you afraid I might rip you off for this money?”
    â€œIt didn’t really enter my mind. Would you like something to eat?”
    â€œI wouldn’t mind.”
    â€œOkay, get whatever you want.”
    â€œI’ll be back soon,” the girl said and got out of the car.
    Levin smiled as a warm feeling moved up his spine. He observed the girl through the rearview mirror as she went up the lane. He watched her until she turned right on Peel Street and disappeared from view.

CHAPTER 8
    PELZIC SAW THE GIRL GET INTO THE CAR and began to feel slightly uneasy. He felt quite certain that the girl would make an exit momentarily; but what if she didn’t? What if the man in the car succeeded where he had failed?
    He felt something constrict in his stomach and a slight sensation of nausea moved up into his chest. A sudden violent image flashed through his mind. He saw himself leaping out of his cab, charging down the lane, dragging the man out of the car, and begin pummelling him mercilessly. That would teach him to start with Gabor Pelzic!
    He wondered what the girl was up to.
    He couldn’t see anything and thought of putting on his lights but it occurred to him that he might anger the girl as well as appear stupid to her. He wanted those cigarettes. If he angered her perhaps she wouldn’t bring them. Maybe if she returned he would try and approach her in a different fashion. Maybe on the way to the store she would think about the sight of his exposed member and become excited. Perhaps she would return with a better attitude.
    Pelzic glanced anxiously at his watch. She had been in there for almost ten minutes. What was going on?
    He sat there for several minutes speculating