Dreams of my father, here is a strange one.

The Case

Of the

Missing Jewelry

By

DARRICK KELHEIN

     It had been a long, hard day at work. All I could think of was getting home and kicking of my shoes and eating a frozen dinner. I had turned on the news and wasn’t really watching, but just looking out the window. I saw that some clouds were moving in and somehow heard them say on the television that some storms were expected.

     A flash of lightening and a big crack of thunder caused the power to go out. It was late and I was finishing my second beer when I decided to take a couple of P.M’s. That should do it, especially after the day I had working in the hot sun. I was day dreaming when I must have fallen off to sleep.

     A knock at the door stirred me. ‘Who in the hell is bothering me at this time of night?’ I thought. I looked through the side window and saw a man that had something in his hand. I figured a salesman, peddling some kind of crap. There had been someone around earlier that had left a flyer.

    I opened the door, “What can I do for you?” I asked. “What you can do for me.” The man said as he gave a sudden push. I fell to the floor. I had just enough time to get up before he came in the door. I went for a baseball bat I had stashed in the corner. “Huh!” I moaned as I was hit from behind by another man.

     When I came to I was bound to a dining room chair. There were two men, both were drinking my beer and that pissed me off even more. They looked like Huey and Louey. One was tall, the other short and rough looking. They both smelled of body odor, eyes were bloodshot red.  The tall one was staring at me, “Hey man he’s awake now.” He said to the other man. “Alright then let’s get down to it. We need you to do something for us.” He said. “Yeah right; what do you two monkey’s want?” I said in a smart ass way.

     “We need you to steal something for us.” The tall one said. “Like what and what the hell for? You don’t think I am going to help you two bozos out, do you?” “Look smart ass you’ll do whatever we say.” The shorter one said as he slapped me across my face. “You see, we have your father and Frank Sinatra. If you want to see either one of them ever again, then you will do as we say. Get it?”

     I’m trying to get my hands free when it hit me, ‘Frank Sinatra?’ Oh no not another dream. Frank was my father’s favorite singer. My father had just passed away these dreams were driving me crazy. “Wake up!” I cried out.

     “Hey asshole, pay attention.” The tall one said and kicked me over, my head hitting the floor with a thump. Still I couldn’t wake up. “So here is the deal. You’re going to go to The Gold and Pawn Shop and you’re going to steal this list of jewelry for us. Then you will call us at this number and we will tell you what and where to go. Don’t get the police involved.” He said as he shoved the paper in my mouth. “You have until midnight, don’t be late.” One of them said as they left me still bound to the chair.

     I could tell this was going to be a long night, I had went to bed early, hoping to get some sleep, but that wasn’t going to happen. I looked at the clock, 9:00 p.m. I had three hours to do the job. Spitting the paper from my mouth, I squirmed myself free of my bindings, drank one of my last beers after watching those two have a party on the others. I took off heading towards ‘The Gold and Pawn Shop.’

     I am driving down some road and realize I have no idea where I am at, when up ahead there is a flashing light from some marque. I get closer and there in the middle of nowhere on a nowhere road is a building with a flashing lighted sign show some kind of forty-niner, gold rush character, then flashing to dollar signs.

     This must be it, I don’t see anyone around. The place looks closed. I pull the car over to one side of the building where it is very dark. I get out of the car, looking around and slowly make my way to the front door. There are glass windows with bars on the inside, the door is glass too with bars. The building looks to be an old Humpty Dumpty restaurant. I slowly make my way around the back.

    I am suddenly shocked as a couple of scared raccoons run from a dumpster. ‘It stinks back here, why is it stinking so bad?’ I wondered. I kept moving just the same. Of course the back door was completely sealed. There was a latter leading to the roof. I climbed and I didn’t feel so secure. I finally made my way to the roof. No entrances up here, but there was a vent that looked as if I could get inside if I could get it off.

     I quickly ducked down as a car went by, when doing so I found a pipe that I could use for leverage. I bent the vent and pried until the metal gave way. ‘Damn, it’s dark in there I can’t see crap.’ I go feet first, pushing my feet to each side and bracing with my hands as well. I make my way down to a level where I feel an opening and am able to kneel. As I get one knee down the rest of me falls. I come crashing down and the vent gives way to the weight of my body and the vent and me falls to the floor.

     The alarms are blaring like a fire engine. Quickly I get myself together and looking around I find the jewels in a case right in front of me. ‘Great!’ I think to myself. I head to the front door and make it out. I hear police sirens in the distance, running I make it to the car.

     I start the motor and someone knocks on the window. It’s some bum, “Hey mister can you help a brother out?” he ask. I step on it and leave spinning the tires in the gravel.

     I’m back on the road again, I don’t know this road, but I driving down it like I know where I am going. Its pitch black, no lights around, just my head lights and I am driving for what seems like hours. I look at my watch and it is almost midnight, when out of nowhere I come to a one horse town. I pull over and call the number.

     The man on the other end tells me to come inside the building in front of me. No are no lights on, I can hardly see where I am going. A few steps up toward the door, I almost trip, I look up and the tall man is standing the doorway. Startled I move toward him, he steps aside and as I walk by he pushes me. I turn and hit him as hard as I can. He disappears into the dark.

     “How nice of you to join us, you made it just in time. I trust you have what we need?” the short man asked. “I’ve got the stuff you wanted.” I said. The short man starts to look familiar. I had seen him in movies, always playing some stupid jerk. He approaches me, “Where are my jewels?” he asked. “I have them right here.” I say shaking a bag. “Look Dad, I found your watch!” I’m hold it in my left had dangling it to show. I am looking at my father and he is smiling. “Way to go kid.” says Frank Sinatra. The short man turns and mouths of to Frank and my Dad. I swing the bag hitting him in the head. The bag must have weighed a lot because the man went down for the count. I approach my father and Frank to free them, when suddenly I hit from behind. I fall to the floor and see my dog, Max licking me in the face. “Time to wake up.” he says.