Totally Clueless

Chapter 59

Josh found the gym the very next day.

Fighters needed to work out. He mused.

He began going to the gym everyday after that. As soon as his brother left for work on monday, off he went again, with a plan to follow the trail like Dorothy on the yellow brick road.

The week rolled into Wednesday.

Josh desperately wanted to get himself on the inside, because there had to be an inside.

Making a friend with the ones who always seem to know, was the most logical thing to do and so he did it. That very wednesday he befriended the youngest guy they called Cory.

They already spoken on previous days but now Josh made sure the conversation built as they moved from equipment to equipment. From talk about different kinds of exercises, to different kinds of equipment, to different fighting styles. Josh steared the conversation the exact way he wanted it to go. He navigated it right into who was fighting that night, and before you knew it Josh knew about the fights. Not where they were held, but who was in charge and where to find him.

With no time to waste. He headed to the Neon Nights, a bar smack in the center of the town, to ask for Digorno.

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Thud. Thud. Thud.

Josh wondered if anyone else heard the violent pounding of his heart. He didn't know whether or not he was strolling into his agonizing death, but he strolled anyway.

Today I will laugh in the face of danger. He told himself.

He pushed the door and walked in as if he belonged.

Shiny tiles, lights of all types and country music low in the background were among the first things he noticed. At first the bar didn't appear to be crowded. A few people scattered here and there. A few at the bar, a few ducking away in the leather seats of the boothes and a few in the game area near the back, playing darts or by the pool tables either playing or just standing around. He had walked passed the bar now, and headed to where the games were being played. He glanced around, studied the area, the faces, the seats against the wall, the neon light signs and the pictures of dancing girls that hung.

He took a deep breath. 

He approached the pool table and pretended to be interested in the double bank shot a player had made. But as soon as the name Digorno left his lips the crowd seem to close in from every direction.

He had gotten the attention of more than ten men in a split second.

"No Digorno here," A tall slinky man with dark hair replied.

"I know he's here I just want to talk to him."

Unknown to Josh Digorno watched in his office behind the tinted glass window and could see everything.

"Says who?" Another asked.

"A friend of a friend who knows I can
fight."

"Dont know what you're talking about kid." The talk slinky man said.

Another man came out of nowhere and whispered into the ear of the man who spoke. Whatever he said to him forced him to pause the dialogue and give Josh a once over.

"Look, I dont know what type of games you think we play around here boy, look around, no jungle gym, no slide, no swing set and that's all you look old enough for... It's time for you to leave,"

"I will, as soon as I speak with Digorno."

The man crushed out his cigarette in an ashtray on the edge of the pool table.