Free De Niro's Game by Rawi Hage Page A

again: No, no. No more silence.
    I pushed her again. She slapped me. I held her hand and forced her hard onto the dusty floor, and then I walked down the stairs and into the city.
    WHEN I MET NAJIB at the casino, it was morning and the gambling machines were still unplugged. The place smelled of the last night’s smoke, unwashed whisky glasses, and the gamblers’ heavy breath.
    I am George’s friend, I said.
    He nodded as he came from behind the bar and plugged in one of the machines.
    LATER THAT afternoon , Najib and I met on the church stairs.
    He was more nervous now than he had been in the morning.
    I walked past him and asked him to follow me. He hesitated, waited a minute, then followed me down the stairs.
    The church corner smelled of piss and the dew of old city walls. I handed him the money. He counted it, slipped it in his pocket, and abruptly asked me, When are you coming again?
    Friday morning, as usual. Did George tell you to bring me whisky if you suspect anything?
    Yeah, yeah, he told me everything, Najib said. He turned away, bouncing up the stairs in a hurry.
    Friday, I called out after him.
    TEN THOUSAND COFFINS had slipped underground and the living still danced above ground with firearms in their hands. Over the next few days I bought a gun from Joseph, and fixed the house walls. Winter was coming and the migrating winds were no longer welcome. Rain fell and soaked the earth and bathed my parents in soft mud. I smoked all day as I lay in my bed. The house was quiet, and I was alone.
    One afternoon I picked up my mother’s radio and held it in my arms.
    I pulled back the cover. Inside, the wires were green and yellow. The speaker was round and mute, tinny silver metalglued on green plastic sheets. I looked for Fairuz, but she was singing in Paris.
    ON FRIDAY WHEN I went to the casino, Najib was dismissive. He made me wait for my change; finally he injected a small amount in the machine, less than the usual. While I was playing, another young man entered. Through the reflection in the glass of my machine, I saw Najib waving his hand to the man. The man made a sign to Najib and left.
    I cashed my money and left.
    I crossed the street and waited in the doorway of a nearby building.
    I saw the young man going back into the casino. I took a long look at him and I waited. I smoked and I waited. When the man came out of the casino I followed him from afar until he got into his car and drove away.
    THE NEXT TIME I saw Najib, he had new leather shoes, a leather jacket, and gel in his hair.
    We met downstairs under the church. I gave him his half of the money I had made.
    Najib counted it, then calmly said to me, There is more.
    What did you say? I said.
    There is more. You heard me.
    No, that is it, I said. There is no more. I stood closer to him and looked him in the eyes.
    He looked back at me and said, Yes, there is.
    Inject more on the screen and there will be more for you, I said.
    He said nothing but turned and left. When he got to the top of the stairs, he looked down at me and said, Najib always gets what is his.
    I said, Let the little kid Najib do whatever he has to do.
    He will. Najib spat on the floor and walked away with his peacock walk.
    A COUPLE OF DAYS later, I went to King Falafel for a sandwich and a Pepsi. I saw George and Abou-Nahra eating. I should have known they were there by the strip of power cars stretched on the sidewalk, but I was hungry and not thinking. I tried to dodge them, but it was too late; George saw me and called me over. I walked straight to him and we kissed. Abou-Nahra had on his Ray-Ban sunglasses, so you couldn’t tell whether he was looking at you. George introduced me; the commander smiled, asked me to sit, and invited me for a sandwich. I declined, but he insisted, shouting to the boy behind the counter. So I ate.
    Abou-Nahra was surrounded by men I recognized: Kamil, Joseph, and Abou-Haddid, Khalil’s friend, who waved from a table behind us and