Harvey Delivers a Package

Harvey pedaled his bicycle up fifth avenue with a nonchalant ease. It was a sunny day, he was wearing white socks with his sandals, and he didn’t give a fuck. He rode upstream, much to the aggravation to drivers who frantically avoided him while nearly sideswiping each other. He grinned as a Buick sailed past him. Had he been going with traffic, he wouldn’t have seen it coming.

“Why hello there Sandy!” Harvey waves to a waitress at the Thai joint. His mind flashes to Sandy bent over a table pouring water into a customer’s glass. She looks over her shoulder and winks before shucking off her skirt. Soon Harvey is doing her across the table, while the customers in the restaurant cheer. Harvey slaps her tan ass and hollers.

A horn from an oncoming truck snaps Harvey’s mind back to reality. He scoots his bike onto the shoulder and nods his head at the man behind the wheel. A few more spoked rotations and Harvey comes to a stop at an intersection. He wonders what time it is and asks a man walking across the street. The man snaps his wrist and a gold watch slides from his cuff. Harvey would have heard what time it was, but he was too busy wondering how many meals that watch could buy. He figured at least a hundred thousand... half that if he treated himself to nicer places.

The light turns green and Harvey stands on the pedals. It’s slow going when you’re riding uphill, but he only had a couple more blocks to go. He was able to catch the next two lights and before long he had made it to the glass highrise. He hops off the bike and pulls it over to a lamppost.

“Don’t you think about chaining that bike to the light,” a cop says.

“Oh yeah! Nope! Wasn’t thinking about it!” Where did that guy come from, Harvey thought. Harvey grabs the handlebars and walks the bike away. Once the cop had disappeared into a building, Harvey turns around and walks back to the lamppost. “Shit head,” Harvey mutters as he pulls his chain from his backpack and secures his bicycle to the post.

The thick wooden door glides open as Harvey steps inside. It wasn’t that hot outside, but the dark lobby and its inviting use of air conditioning are calming to the point of near sedation. He walks up to the front desk and slaps his hands on the marble counter.

“What’s up Leesa?”

“Harvey,” she plainly replies. “Is it Wednesday already?”

“Nah, it’s Tuesday, but Wednesday came early this week!” Harvey slaps a rim shot on the desk.

“Well, at least you have your health,” Leesa says without laughing. “Go ahead, I’ll send you up.”

Harvey points two fingers at Leesa as he walks to the elevators. “You’re my favorite.” He turns around and smiles. “When are we gonna go out?”

“When Thursday is early for Monday.”

“I’m gonna work on that,” Harvey laughs, unfazed. Sure she seems frigid, but he’ll crack her one day. Crack her in half with his dick.

The elevator dings and he steps inside. The gold colored doors close and soon he begins to descend the four floors. He scuffs his sandals a couple of times to tighten the fit. A bell dings above his head and the elevator doors open into the parking garage.

“I’m here!” Harvey announces as he steps out. There aren’t that many cars that venture this deep underground, and it’s easy for him to spot the white Lexus near the opposite wall. “No no... don’t move! I’ll come to you!” Harvey shuffles across the mostly empty parking garage towards the white car. He’s about halfway across when the driver’s door opens. “Hey man! I was beginning to think I had the wrong place!”

“You are at the right place,” the man says as he shuts the door.

“Yeah, I know! Creature of habit, that’s right!”

The man walks to meet Harvey. “What do you have for me?”

“I’ve got some good stuff man. Good stuff!” Harvey extends his hand to the man. Reluctantly, the man reaches out and grabs it.

“I only have a minute.”

“Sure, sure!” Harvey lays his backpack on the ground and unzips it. “You ask and I deliver.” He reaches in and pulls out a brown plastic shopping bag. “Take a look.”

The man takes the bag and opens it, squinting as he looks inside. Harvey takes a moment and tugs his socks towards his knees before zipping his backpack shut. He stands up and slings it over his shoulder. “You like what you see?”

“It’s fair.”

“Man, you say that every time. You like it... you know you like it.”

“It’s fine,” the man says while tying the bag shut.

Harvey smiles. “Tight man! Then let us complete this transaction.”

The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small tan envelope. “For your efforts.” Harvey grabs the envelope and begins to open it. “It’s all there.”

Harvey pauses and looks around the garage. “It better be all there.” His smile slowly fades as he stares at the man. “Last time you were light.”

“It’s there.”

“If it’s there, then it’s there.” Harvey smiles again. “Yeah, it’s there! Why wouldn’t it be there?” His mind shifts back to the cop and his bicycle. “Same time next week?”

The man had already begun walking towards his car. “I’ll let you know.”

“You let me know.” Harvey walks backwards while keeping his eyes on the man. He gets back into the Lexus but doesn’t crank the engine. He’ll probably be in there for awhile. Harvey spins on his heels and heads towards the elevator. His feet transition from cold concrete to a cheap square of carpet as he pushes the up button. It would be nice if there was a Leesa down here to get the elevator for him, he thinks.

The garage is quiet as he waits for the elevator. It must be up at the lobby. It’ll be here soon. He pulls out the envelope while he’s waiting. He cracks open the seal with his thumb. Its contents spill out into the palm of his hand. “Fuckin’ light,” he says to his reflection in the golden elevator door. His reflection disappears as the doors open. He turns around. The Lexus is still sitting there, and he can make out the man’s silhouette sitting in the driver’s seat.

“Hey man!” Harvey yells across the garage. “Your ass is light!” He begins to jog across the garage. He’d run, but his feet would slide out his sandals.

The Lexus’ engine cranks up and it begins to drive towards him. Rubber on concrete grips better than socks into sandals, and the oncoming car forces Harvey to jump out of the way. He trips over himself and lands on his backpack.

“The fuck is wrong with you man?” Harvey slides his feet out of his sandals and quickly pulls his white socks off. Back on his feet, he stares down the Lexus as it turns around to face him. “You wanna do this here man?” Harvey runs towards the Lexus. The Lexus speeds towards him. He leaps at the last second and pushes his feet off the car’s hood. Harvey notices the open sunroof and grabs onto the lip. He sees the brown plastic bag sitting in the man’s lap. “You gonna give me that bag back fool!”

The man looks up at Harvey and slams on the brakes. Harvey holds on as the car comes to a stop a foot from a concrete pillar. He rolls off the roof before the man can fire his gun. His feet slap onto the gritty concrete as he grabs the door and swings it open. The man turns his gun towards Harvey and fires a shot. This time, the bullet slices through flesh. Harvey wails as his arm is jerked back. Two more shots plug into his chest. He falls back onto the floor. The man leans out the car and empties his clip into Harvey’s face.

One casing bounces out the car before the door closes. The man puts the Lexus into gear and slowly pulls away from Harvey. The taillights turn a corner and ascend up a ramp and out of sight.

Harvey tries to breathe as his eyes water into his ears and mouth. “Mother fucker was light.” The envelope falls to his side. His eyes close.

The waitress is bent over and a waiter is singing an Italian love song while Harvey plugs away like an Olympic athlete.