The Life and Times of Cheater Hayes

The First Job

     It was never good when Muggs was running, Cheater had discovered. Overweight and indulgent, Muggs only ran when his life depended on it. If you saw Muggs running, you'd start running too.

     Cheater was standing around, trying to think of another favor he could call in. The place they had been staying for the past three weeks had  kicked them out and they were homeless again. Suddenly, he notices a very sweaty, out of breath Muggs heading toward him at top speed.

    "Cheater!"

    "What, Muggs?"

    Muggs had caught up to Cheater. He gasped out, "I...just got...I just got a call..."

    A call? Cheater thought. Like a job? Finally, Muggs says something interesting.

    "Its from Mona" Muggs exhaulted. "She wants us to...grab Fingers and....and meet us at the...the Crazy Cat...tonight...whoo...I need to sit down..."

    "Mona? What does she want?"

    "Dunno, but its big. Really big. Bigger than me!" Muggs laughed at his joke, a low, loud gwaffah that started him gasping again. Cheater merely stared ahead, his eyes as dull brown as the buildings surrounding the two men. He was thinking.

    "I'm gonna find Fingers then."

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     Fingers, Muggs, and Cheater arrived at the Crazy Cat speakeasy at around 7. The door was open, but no one seemed to be there. The Crazy Cat was the least successful nite club on Brewery Street. The three young men wandered in. Fingers' gun was cocked. Eventually, they navigated the narrow hallways until they had reached the main room. 

    Mona Schlumpgarden was standing alone in the cavernous room. Her face was turned away from the mobsters, but only for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and walked to the empty seats. She started talking, making if she was entertaining all of Manhattan, instead of flickering candles and a wall. Cheater was staring at her. She was wearing a slinky, black, backless dress, with a slit up the side that lifted to her thigh. Her figure was less trendy than most of the shebas of the time, which wasn't a bad thing for Cheater. Women who looked more like men than women wasn't his thing. 

      "Talkin' to yourself again, eh Mona?" Cheater called out, striding out of the shadows. Mona turned to him, and started rubbing the bridge of her nose. Cheater took off his fedora, his light brown hair falling out, looking unkempt.

    Fingers briefly explained how the Brewery Street gang had fallen apart, one by one, and as he talked, her green eyes lit up.

    "In that case, I have a litte job you boys might be interested in..."

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Part Deux! The play that I based this story off of is the property of Tim Kelly and Bill Francoeur. The story is mineee. As always, critiques are encouraged :D