1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:05,119 Speaker 1: Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. Heads Up, Everybody, 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: This is not your typical Disgraceland episode where we tell 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: the story of a musician through the true crimes they 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: committed or that were committed to them. For this two 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: part episode on the Velvet Undergrounds Lou Read, we're doing 6 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: something different to honor loose habit of basically lying and 7 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: exaggerating his way through most interviews about his past. We 8 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: examine Lou's origin story in the Velvet Underground through the crimes, 9 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: criminals and transgressive behavior depicted and Lose Velvet Underground lyrics 10 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: to explore what really inspired Lou Read, one of the 11 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: greatest rock and roll characters of all time, to create 12 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: some of the coolest and most influential music of all time. 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 1: All right, let's get into it. The stories Lou Reed 14 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: told and his Velvet Underground songs are insane manslaughter in 15 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: the song The Gift, Sado, masochism in sexual deviancy in 16 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: the song Venus and Furs, drug abuse and heroin, and 17 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: I'm Waiting for the Man, prostitution in the song There 18 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: She Goes Again, and of course, murder in the Murder 19 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: Mystery in the stories Lou Reed told about himself to 20 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: the rock Press. Those were insane too, That he once 21 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: put a rifle to a man's head, That his parents 22 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,199 Speaker 1: forced him to undergo electro shock treatments because he was gay, 23 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: That he graduated from Harvard. Not sure why it would 24 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: brag about that one, but I digress. Lou Reed was 25 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: once quoted as saying, I've lied so much about the past, 26 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: I can't even tell myself what is true anymore. The 27 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: point is, Lou Reed told tall tales bolt in song 28 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: and in real life, and you know what, that's fucking awesome. 29 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: The best rock stars are experts, stewarts of their own myths. 30 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: Lou Reid, like Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Kurt Cobain, 31 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: mastered this skill because he studied the storytelling mastery of 32 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: writers such as Raymond Chandler, Hubert Selby Junior, and William S. Burrows. 33 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: Lou combined their transgressive influence with his own subversive coming 34 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: of age experiences in mid sixties Manhattan as he wrote 35 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: the lyrics for his band The Velvet Underground. Make no mistake, 36 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: this is not a Velvet Underground episode, though. This is 37 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: a Lou Reed origin story that takes place during his 38 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: time in the beginning days of the Velvets, a time 39 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: when lou Reid was making his first great music. Unlike 40 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: that music I played for you at the top of 41 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: the show. That wasn't great music. That was a preset 42 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: loop from my melotron called slow Drag MK one. I 43 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: played you that loop because I can't afford the rights 44 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: to love us here and now you're gone by the Supremes. 45 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: And why would I play you that specific slice of 46 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: stupin the Boss at Motown Cheese? Could I afford it? 47 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: Because that was the number one song in America on 48 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: March twelfth, nineteen sixty seven, and that was the day 49 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: that Lou Reed's Velvet Underground released their first album and 50 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: forever changed modern music. On this episode, a multitude of 51 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: mid sixties Manhattan transgressions, a murder mystery, a sado masochism, 52 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: drug abuse. In the Tall Tale of the Velvet Undergrounds, 53 00:03:33,440 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: lou Reid, I'm Jake Brennan, and this is Disgraceland. I 54 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: was two SIPs into a lukewarm Maxwell House when Marsha 55 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: Bronson's Beauty finally revealed itself. Prior to that, the White 56 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: Light of trauma and the white heat of guilt. Marsha 57 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: wore both like a ghost, and as such she was 58 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: nearly invisible to me. But that was then Here in 59 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: the now, the Sunday morning sunlight shone through her mother's 60 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: long island kitchen window and revealed the truth. I was unnerved. 61 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: She was young, nineteen, but I wasn't surprised. Marsha's mother 62 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: was once a beauty too. Now she was an undiagnosed 63 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: manic depressive, overprescribed on lithium, only two more nervous breakdowns 64 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: away from electroshock therapy. Marsha's father was an old army connection. 65 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: Now he was a bull out at Riker's, a mean 66 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: son of a bitch, and this morning Big Bill Bronson 67 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: was especially angry dog. His boyfriend, Waldo Jeffers was dead. 68 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: His daughter, Marsha Bronson was accused of killing him, and 69 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: if I didn't get her off, her father would put 70 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: me in a box. I owed him. It was a 71 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: large debt, the kindy take on at war, where Jesus 72 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: looks the other way and you accrue debts you could 73 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 1: never pay off, despite your better angels. I had other 74 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: debts too, the KINDI take on downtown, where Uncle Dave 75 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: passes your pony debts off to Italian roughnecks with horse 76 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: cocks and crooked noses. Those guys got paid or else 77 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: I needed money, Except Big Bill wasn't paid for this 78 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 1: piece of work. Like I said, big Bill was collecting. 79 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: That meant I was hustling for him until I got 80 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: his daughter off. If only Waldo could have done the same, 81 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be in this mess. And that was Waldo's problem. 82 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: He waited for it his whole life. He never took it, 83 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: so when the time came to go out and get it, 84 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: Waldo wound up dead in a box. Waldo descended from Locus, Pennsylvania. 85 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 1: He met Marcia at college in Wisconsin. When semester broke, 86 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: Waldo had it back to pa and Marcia, after a 87 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: brief rendezvous with Waldo in Manhattan, returned to her off 88 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: campus apartment in Wisconsin, rather than spending the summer with 89 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: her parents out on Long Island. Marcia swore to Waldo 90 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: she'd be faithful. She lied, Waldo bought it. Marcia called, 91 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: but only twice. She wrote too, but again only twice. 92 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: The way Marcia saw it, Waldo's insecurity and imagination got 93 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: the best of them. He was the jealous type anyone 94 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: could see it, and prone to nightmares. Marcia said he 95 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: couldn't sleep, said this was just the type of dumb 96 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: love struck, shittheel thing Waldo would do too, but that 97 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: he wouldn't have done it alone. And if I read 98 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: mont Alan Lewis Ace to my friends, Ace Lewis to 99 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: my clients, if I was worth the income a private 100 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: dick's license, that I could prove O Waldo had a conspirator, 101 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: not just an accomplice, someone who put him to it. 102 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: And if I could prove that, then I could shift 103 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: the blame away from Marcia, and Big Bill would be satisfied. 104 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: And I well, I could get back to my ponies, 105 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: make back my roll, and put some space between me 106 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: and no nos nuncio. But back to Waldo never wanted 107 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: to sit at the head of the class. The idea 108 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: was too simple for him to come to alone and 109 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: too daring for him to do on his own without prodding. Waldough, 110 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: despite mowing and edging the Edison's lawn for a dollar 111 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: fifty every other week, was broke and there was no 112 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: way he could afford a bus to get to Wisconsin 113 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: to surprise Marcia. So the idea was to mail himself 114 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: there in a cardboard box a staple gund and pactaped 115 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: delivered to the attention of Marsha Bronson, care of the 116 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: Clarence Darrow Post Office, Madison, Wisconsin, all the way from 117 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: the great state of Pennsylvania. When Marsha opened the box 118 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: upon delivery and Waldo emerged from inside, they'd be reunited 119 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: and overtaken by love, Or so Waldo thought the night 120 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: before he arrived in a box via the US Mail, 121 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: Marcia spent the better part of the evening in the 122 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: back seat of a sixty six Mustang fighting off a 123 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: boy named Bill's octopus arms. She liked him, but with 124 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: that name, he couldn't help but remind her of her dad, 125 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: and for her dad, she put up a fight, resisting 126 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: young Bill's advances, but eventually the Dakeeries won out and 127 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: Marsha gave up the fight and submitted to the caresses 128 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 1: of sexual oblivion. This morning, she didn't regret it, but 129 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: she did regret her hangover. When the package arrived, with 130 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: Waldo her boyfriend hidden inside. Beaming with desperation, Marcia and 131 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: her roommate Sheila struggled to open it. Inside, Waldo choked 132 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: down an excited squeal. He was on his knees, perched 133 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 1: like an obedient puppy in anticipation of a treat. Marcia, 134 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 1: with some regret, noted the return address was from Waldo. 135 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: Sheila asked Marsha while she still bothered with that schmuck. 136 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: Waldo took it like a bullet to the gut, and 137 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: Marsha tugged at the box's flat and it refused to open. 138 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: She shuffled into the kitchen for some scissors, and those 139 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: didn't work either. She remembered there were old tools in 140 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 1: the garage. Marcia settled on the first large capable tool 141 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: she could find, an old sheet metal cutter. It was 142 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: pre war, just like me and Marsha's dad. It was 143 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: special vintage. Its shear stretched eight inches. Waldo in the 144 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: box was so excited he could hardly breathe. Marcia tried 145 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: cutting into the taped edge of the box, but the 146 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: sheet metal shears were too old and offered a little action, 147 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: and with her hangover calling the shots, Marcia stood impatiently 148 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: above the box. She raised the sheet metal cutter over 149 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: her head with two hands, and brought it down in 150 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: one giant stabbing motion with the entire weight of her body, 151 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: right through the middle of the package, through the masking tape, 152 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: through the cardboard, through the packing cushion, and straight to 153 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: the top of Waldo Jeffer's head. When they found the 154 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: old Waldo in that box, the sheet metal cutter was 155 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: sticking straight out of his skull. The two sides of 156 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: his head had split slightly, just as a watermelon would. 157 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: Waldo was dead. Marcia killed them, and if I didn't 158 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 1: prove that she didn't, I'd be dead too. In nineteen 159 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 1: sixty seven New York City, the avant garde rock and 160 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: roll band The Velvet Underground recorded the song The Gift, 161 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: about the troublesome death of Waldo Jeffers at the confused 162 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: hand of his college sweetheart Marsha Bronson. The Velvet Underground's 163 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: main singer songwriter Lou Reed, found his inspiration for The 164 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: Gift and the story of Waldo jeffers death depicted in 165 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 1: the Daily News. The details of the true crime screamed 166 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: off the pages of the new newspaper at the student 167 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: poet come musician. It was the exact inspiration the twenty 168 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: three year old needed upstarts. The Velvet Underground were at 169 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 1: the time, in nineteen sixty five, in need of an identity, 170 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: and Lou found it in the gritty cracks of mid 171 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 1: century Manhattan, with all of its grime, vice and beat 172 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: Nick's subversiveness. Lou read embodied the city he called home, 173 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: and he knew how to hustle inspiration from the pages 174 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: of a daily rag into one of his songs. The 175 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 1: Velvet Underground were on their way to where I didn't know. 176 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 1: All I knew was that Lou was the perfect Patsy, 177 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 1: and when I was done with them, Marshall would be free, 178 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: and Big Bill and me we'd be square. They smashed 179 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: my head face first into the dirty window of the 180 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: Union Squared diner. That's when I saw him, sitting at 181 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: the counter. He saw me, too, briefly, and then he 182 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: looked away, as did the other patrons. But Lou looked 183 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: back at his newspaper, and the others just stared off 184 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: in a sweet, nothing caffeinated vacant. I could tell him 185 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: that instant that Lou was different, alive outside beardless. Harry 186 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: turned me around and stood me up straight, backed my 187 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: shoulders into a lamp post and let loose with a 188 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: wild left. It was half of what he was good for. 189 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 1: I'd get the rest in three days if I didn't 190 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: have Nunzio's vig. Harry delivered his promise with his trademark stutter. 191 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: I understood him better than most. Harry didn't want to 192 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: deliver on his promise. He was just doing his job, 193 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: but he'd be back and he'd make it worth his 194 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 1: cab fair next time. I believed him on that account, too, 195 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: Harry scatamooched. I shook it off, collected myself, dragged the 196 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 1: heat of the New York night into the diner with me. 197 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: I counted two absent glances from the nighthawks and not 198 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: one from Lou. I slid into a booth with an 199 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: easy sight line toward the counter, close enough to read 200 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: the large print on his daily news, but far enough 201 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: away where I couldn't discern the smell of his lucky 202 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: from the rest of the smoke hanging under the low ceiling. 203 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: Lou wore the quilted collar of his leather bomber up 204 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: high against the neck, as if to say, don't bother me. 205 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: I took my cue. I was content to observe Lou 206 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: was like a cool breeze, even sitting there in the diner. 207 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,439 Speaker 1: He iced out the bustle and somehow charmed the waitress 208 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: with the stony glare as she refilled his cup. The 209 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: Puerto Rican busboy, a real swishblade type named Jesus, sweated 210 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: over the way Lou filled out his Levi's there on 211 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: the vinyl top bar stool. Lou was aware of the attention, 212 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: and he welcomed it. Some jungle rhythm that I couldn't 213 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: pretend to understand poured out of the jukebox under the 214 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: high pitched squeal of a doper horn. I cringed, but 215 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 1: Lou played easy, tapping in time with the exposed steel 216 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 1: toe of his elevator boot against the bottom of the 217 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: stool stand. The frozen pat of butter on the edge 218 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: of his knife hit his mouth minus the toast, and 219 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: didn't stand a chance. The butter was all he needed, 220 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: all he could really stand. And my hunch was confirmed. 221 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: In my business, most times, all you have is a hunch, 222 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,559 Speaker 1: your gut, and my gut told me that if Lou 223 00:13:57,559 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 1: Reed didn't do it, and I knew he didn't, then 224 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: he sure a shit could have done and besides either way, 225 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: that little Long Island pisson. It was guilty of something, 226 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,839 Speaker 1: and surely that had a matter somewhat. But whether or 227 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: not he did or didn't conspire with Waldo Jeffers to 228 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 1: pull that cocamane stunt that wound up Olwaldo in a 229 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 1: box didn't matter to me. What mattered to me was, 230 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: like I said, that he could have conspired with his 231 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: former childhood neighbor to do such a thing. It was 232 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: the potential. That's where the percentage was. Odds were Lou 233 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: was thinking the same thing right now, reading his daily news, 234 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: sipping his sludge, meditating on Big Bill's Beauty Queen and 235 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: all that baby, Baby, Where did our love go? Horseshit? 236 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: They sell soft and nickel Seeberg's like the one in 237 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: the corner. I hated the noise, but was still able 238 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: to settle into the familiar calm with the greasy spoon. 239 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: And just when I was beginning to see the light 240 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: of a future without downtown debts, my past blew through 241 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: the diner door like an uptown Adrian. She collapsed into 242 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: my booth and grabbed my cup of Joe, brought it 243 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: to her lips, took a loud slurp, and never once 244 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: broke eye contact with me. She put the mug back 245 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: onto the saucer, got no kick. What's it morning to you? 246 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: The post midnight hour made it smartass? A slight curl 247 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: of her lip made it all right, nah, I said, 248 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: I'm working. She looked around made Lewin, an instant leather 249 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: boy at the counter, Ding ding ding, Dorothy, we have 250 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: a correct answer. What did he do? She asked, doesn't matter? 251 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: I responded, what do you want? Money? She said, what 252 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: does she ever want? And I owed it to her. 253 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: Whether or not the kid was mine, it was coming 254 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,239 Speaker 1: one way or another. And she was just a kid too, practically, 255 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: no next to kin, no no one, just me and 256 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: an old pimp on the outs. Took that queen for 257 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: a day thing too far and now went by the 258 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: name do Run Ronda. He couldn't even pimp right, So 259 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: young Pearley may here Stephanie was her name. When she 260 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: was off the street, She who was maybe the soon 261 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: to be mother of my child, was out of a job, 262 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: and it wasn't as though she was employable anymore anyway, 263 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 1: So money was the least I could do for her, 264 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: I said to her. I got an idea. We want 265 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: to play cops and robbers, toned her mouth into a scowl. 266 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: For old time's sake, I said, you that broke, she asked, 267 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: twice as much. How bad she wanted to know, Not 268 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: so bad as I need to take it on the arches. 269 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: I've got something I'm working. Leather boys got bread, she said, 270 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: nodding to Ulu at the counter. How do you know, 271 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: I asked, A girl's got a ease, she replied, at 272 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: least he's got bread At the moment he's about to 273 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: blow his wad. I stared at her and sip my coffee, 274 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: and when I was done, I let the silence work. 275 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: It's gravity on what I was about to say next. 276 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: I ain't no hustler. The streets are your game. I'll 277 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: help you out as best I can when I can, 278 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: And now I ain't one of those times when I can. 279 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: But all tomorrow's parties are lined with silks and linens 280 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: of yesterday's gowns. That you help me out now with work, 281 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: and I'll help you out when I land this bucket 282 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: of bolts. She grabbed my coffee cup again and drained 283 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: it in. Won go. Do I have a choice, she asked, 284 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: not if you want to eat tonight, you don't. I 285 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: pushed my plate over to her side of the table. 286 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: She set about devouring to dry toast and runny eggs 287 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: and called for the waitress to bring her a tomato juice. 288 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: Stephanie spoke in short grunts and the microseconds between chewing 289 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: and swallowing, leather boy, he's got a Jones, I figured, 290 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: I said, he also likes the vasiline voice. I also figured, 291 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: But that's besides the point right now. Why is that 292 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: I wanted to know? She finished my plate and then 293 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: she said, because in about four seconds, that pretty young 294 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,479 Speaker 1: waitress over there is about to make change for your 295 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: man that is going to lay that change on the 296 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: rest of his short stack, and that stack is going 297 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: to total twenty six dollars in his hand, and then 298 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 1: your man is going to head uptown to wait for 299 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: his man. I smiled at her, and then I said, 300 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: remind me again why we ain't married. She responded by saying, 301 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: you're a degenerate gambler and I'm out of work working girl. 302 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I said, She smiled. The leather boy collected 303 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: the smokes and hit the street, and we ditched on 304 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: the bill and hustled out behind him. We'll be right 305 00:17:51,359 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: back after this. We're we're, we're Lexington Avenue in one 306 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty fifth Street. The morning sun was in 307 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: the sky, but it only wanted to shine on the 308 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: better half of Manhattan. Lou leaned uneasy on a lamp post. 309 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: That bohemian cool breach stick played differently up here in 310 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: herm Hey, white boy, what are you doing uptown? We 311 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 1: hung back in a doorway across the street and watched 312 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: him try to worm his way out of the question. Nothing, 313 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 1: just waiting on a friend that ray. The local just 314 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: stared with menace. Lou shifted awkwardly in his tight cuff denim. 315 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:36,479 Speaker 1: He chasing our women around furthest from my mind, and 316 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: then Lou laid it on a touch too thick, finishing 317 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: his sentence with sir, fuck you call me white boy. 318 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: The local pulled his blade. I started to step out 319 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: of the doorway and toward the street to intervene and 320 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 1: what would most certainly end with me lying in Saint 321 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 1: Luke's like a stuck pig. Stephanie braced me with one arm, 322 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,439 Speaker 1: stopping my progress, leveling a steady hand in mid air 323 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: as to say, cool out, and she never took her 324 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: eyes off Lou. The local hold up, She whispered, Lou's 325 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: cool and he was. Lou grinned at the locals knife. 326 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: His smile combined with the matter of fact tone of 327 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: his voice, cooled the heat on the street. I'm just 328 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: looking for a dear friend of mine, Lou said. The 329 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: local lowered his knife, cool and waltz down one, two five. 330 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 1: Luke kept his lamp post, lean strong and stared down 331 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: the street. I could practically hear his spine stiff. And 332 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: when he saw his man, and there he was, all 333 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: dressed in black pr shoes, big straw hat. Lou checked 334 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 1: his wristwatch. His man was right on time, never early, 335 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: always late. They traded quick nods for hellos and bounded 336 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: up the Brownstone stairs. Lou merged ninety minutes later, noticeably 337 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,160 Speaker 1: groggy and staggering his steps over to Lexington. He descended 338 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: down the subway steps for a downtown train. Stephanie and 339 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: I gave loose chase. Lou's senses were adult. He wasn't 340 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: gonna make us, so we stayed closer than normal. I 341 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: was two bodies behind him on the train, hanging from 342 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: a subway strap, and I could practically smell the innocence 343 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: on him. He was young, naive, and clearly mixing himself 344 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: up in the kind of city danger that forever leaves 345 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: of mark. He wanted it, though I could see it 346 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: in his dope smacked eyes. Stephanie nudged me and nodded 347 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: for me to follow her to the back of the train. 348 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 1: We moved into a couple of empty seats, close enough 349 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: where I could still clock Lou, far enough away where 350 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: he couldn't hear us over the subterranean rumbled and squeal. 351 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: She got right to the point, what do you want 352 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: with him? He got a client likes him for something. Something. Huh, 353 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: let's just say it's something in the realm of transgressive possibilities. 354 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: This little shit here would evolve himself in When did 355 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 1: you become a wood a kind of man? And that's 356 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: stun In my business, you rely on gut, the certainty 357 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: of your gut, not on percentages, not on possibilities. That 358 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: was the lawyer work, weasel sweat. I gave it to 359 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: her sideways. I became a wanted man downtown when I 360 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: became a WOA coulda should have just might maybe be 361 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 1: a father type of man. Bullshit. She scowled, looked away. 362 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 1: Look I said, the kid's dirty one way or another. 363 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 1: Look at him. He could barely stand guy. I know, 364 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 1: dear friend, his daughter's just a kid like you. She's 365 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: on a thread. DA is gonna pull that thread. She's 366 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: gonna spend her early twenties and the rest of her 367 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: life behind bars. She has no business being behind it. 368 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: Behind bars, Our boy, Lou here is destined for her anyway. 369 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: She gave me a look of disgust and said, if 370 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 1: you say so, I do say so. She then said, well, 371 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: if that's the way you want to play it, you 372 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 1: better be ready for what comes next. What's that? I asked? 373 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 1: And then the train screeched to a stop. We hit 374 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: the street farther back than I would have liked. Lou 375 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: was moving fast. He quickly ascended the stairs and then 376 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: headed down Saint Mark's place and eventually to a Saint 377 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,919 Speaker 1: Mark's apartment building. We went in behind him, but he 378 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 1: was gone. Every door in the hall was black, except 379 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 1: for the one in the back. White light exploded from 380 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: its crease. We opened it slowly, and the white heat 381 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: from the bodies inside smacked Stephanie and I in the face. 382 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: Music blared. No one noticed us. The space was completely open, 383 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 1: no rooms, just open space. Couches lined the walls, peppered 384 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 1: with young, beautiful, androgynouts entangled bodies. There was a band 385 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: against the far wall, making excruciating noise. Apparently I was 386 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,640 Speaker 1: the only one whose ears were bleeding. A more white light, 387 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: this from film projectors blasting images onto the band and 388 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: the wall behind it. Grotesque hedonistic images bodies writhed on 389 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: the dance floor, mirroring the celluloid action. A man in 390 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: a white wig and dark glasses, who reminded me of 391 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: one of those port side shore leaf buoy toys, seemed 392 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: to be in charge of everything. Where the hell was I? 393 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 1: On the makeshift stage, A tall, icy blonde gently tapped tambourine. 394 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: Three members of what looked like the Adams family made 395 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 1: their instruments scream for help behind her, while a little 396 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: boy with a penny haircut banged on a disassembled drum 397 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 1: kit spread out on the floor. I turned to Stephanie 398 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: and screamed over the music into her ear. Someone out 399 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: to call the bureau a child welfare. Nodding to the 400 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: little boy playing drums, amidst the intensely adult buccanalia. Stephanie 401 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: yelled back informing me that the drummer was actually a 402 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 1: full grown woman, not a little boy. I thought of 403 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: Joe Namath A repressed the urge to spit. Recognize anyone else, 404 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: Stephanie asked, I did our boy loop on stage? Black sunglasses, 405 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: it doubled as a blindfold rap electric guitar hung high 406 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: up on his chest. He used it to assault the audience, 407 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: and at the same time he spoke softly into the 408 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,120 Speaker 1: microphone in a manner that suggested singing, though I couldn't 409 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: really be sure. The band tightened up and brought it 410 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:57,400 Speaker 1: down loose. Words were shocking, as it makes me feel 411 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 1: just like a man when I put a spike into 412 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 1: my vein the dance floor in front of him opened 413 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: up one man, if you could call him that, A 414 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: real mess Hall beauty queen went into full performance mode 415 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: and leather chaps. He seduced the disinterested audience with a bullwt. 416 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: It was all show, a big howdy duty production, a 417 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,400 Speaker 1: bunch of kids whose parents didn't give him enough love, 418 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: crying out for attention. But in the shadows back against 419 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: the wall, things were darker what Lou copped up in Harlem, 420 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: what Lou sang about up on that stage, was what 421 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: a number of couch criminals were currently jamming into their 422 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: arms with real life spikes and nodding off into sweet 423 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:36,679 Speaker 1: nothing on. Those who had already come out on the 424 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: other side, worked out their kernel energy on one another 425 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,880 Speaker 1: right there in public, writhing on top of each other, 426 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:45,879 Speaker 1: licking boots, grinding heels into flesh, and back on the 427 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 1: dance floor mess Hall Mary mock crucified him, slash herself. 428 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: I'd seen enough. The band wrapped, Lou plopped onto a couch, 429 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: and I needed a drink. He wasn't going anywhere, so 430 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: I hit the door behind the makeshift stage and search 431 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: something wet. What I got was darkness, more bodies, more 432 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:09,120 Speaker 1: insufferable noise passed off as music. But this vibe was different, 433 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 1: more subdued, thick, with something that could put a chill 434 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: on your spine. Someone handed me a drink and I 435 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 1: thought nothing of it and threw it back. I felt 436 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,119 Speaker 1: it quick, a million tiny bullets speeding up my blood 437 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: stream and moving through my brain, messing up my mind, 438 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:27,679 Speaker 1: and that tickled down to my toes, just like the 439 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 1: South Korean pet pills we took in the war with 440 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 1: times a thousand. The feeling was familiar, but you fork. 441 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 1: Suddenly nothing mattered, not Lou, not Bill, not for nothing, 442 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: no nose, Nunzio, neither nor maybe baby Stephanie. They all 443 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 1: drifted away, and I stumbled onto a sofa. I felt 444 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: a man fall down close to me. He was snug 445 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: against my side. I could barely see through the vapors 446 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: and trails of the spinning room's light revolutions. On his chest. 447 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 1: The golden nameplate hung from a gold chain in cursive letters, 448 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: it read Jesus. Jesus stared into my pinprick eyes. He 449 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: was not forgiving me for anything. I felt a sharp 450 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 1: steel against my belly, a little switch no doubt your wallet, motherfucker. 451 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 1: I heard him, but I was powerless to move. Whatever 452 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: speed was working through my system at the moment, it 453 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: was cut with something debilitating to bore down on my 454 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,119 Speaker 1: shoulders and help me in place with fear, paranoia, and psychosis. 455 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,960 Speaker 1: It was Lou. He took his cool hands off my shoulders, 456 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 1: circled around the couch, and squeezed in between me and Jesus, 457 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:33,400 Speaker 1: diffusing the switchblade drama. In the process, Jesus wandered. Lou 458 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 1: looked at me with eyes I couldn't place, familiar, but 459 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: so far away, like an old actor's name on the 460 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: tip of your tongue. Then mess Hall Mary arrived fresh 461 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: off the dance floor and squeezed in between Lou and I. 462 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: Lou grabbed my eyes with his, He swung his arm 463 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: around Messhaw Mary pulled him, slash her in, locked lips, 464 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: engaged in one of those overacted, big Hollywood kisses, and 465 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: never once broke eye contact with me. When the room 466 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: went black, I woke up in blackness. I saw nothing, 467 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 1: but I could hear their screams, women and children, their 468 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: flesh burning right off of their bones, the result of 469 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: our American gi torches. The ones we couldn't burn though 470 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: we drowned. North Korea was no beach blanket bingo, and 471 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: they never stood a chance. The ones we couldn't throw 472 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 1: from the sock Tang bridge we held down underwater with 473 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: their bare hands the so On reservoir. Then there were 474 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: the wild dogs. Can't take credit for that one, and 475 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: frankly I would have preferred to have avoided that whole mess. 476 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: Some South Korean brask at bad idea, Jesus Christ's sun. 477 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: What a fucking mess, he thought. People feared being burned, 478 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 1: alive or drowning. Nothing brought more instant horror than a 479 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 1: pack of wild flesh eating dogs, teeth bared, starved for 480 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:28,400 Speaker 1: days and willing to do anything except skip their next meal. 481 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 1: They tore through civilian skin and bone, women and children. 482 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: First Commis had no sense of honor, not even in defeat. 483 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 1: Their screams never stopped, not then, not now. My headache 484 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 1: was familiar. It was more of a reminder than anything else, 485 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: a reminder of the impending pain about to come, the sweats, 486 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: the chills, the body aches, the nausea, the uncontrollable twitching. 487 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: Lou wasn't the only one. My own Jones hadn't felt 488 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 1: it since just after the war. But there it was, 489 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: back to say, hey, ho, let's go a little buddy. 490 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: It's been a bit of a moment and you thought 491 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 1: you had me licked. But I'm always here waiting for 492 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: the right moment to make an appearance, to show up 493 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: and let you know, just toombs boss in that moment 494 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: was now my South Korean pet pill habit During the war, 495 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: a habit picked up to stay awake on long overnights 496 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,479 Speaker 1: discharged me as a real American, and fetamine archie couldn't 497 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: live without those little beauties when I got home. But 498 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: cold turkey set me straight last night. Though whatever was 499 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: in that drink, speed was definitely the top of the list. 500 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: And now my jones was back triggered by the juice 501 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: job whipped up by one of those fire Island aheads. 502 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: So my new reality was this. If I wanted to 503 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: get my head straight, I had two options. Number one, 504 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: sweat out the jones and waste two or three days 505 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: crashed and drying out. Number two, grab a pill, speed 506 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: my headache into oblivion, and get back on the case 507 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: without wasting any real time. Option two was clearly the 508 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,560 Speaker 1: best option. I'd take half a hit, just enough to 509 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: kill the jones, then gradually reduce my intake from there 510 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: until I saw this thing for Big Bill and be 511 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: done with the pills after that. Option number two is 512 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: problem number one. I had no speed, and I had 513 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 1: no idea where to get any speed. Maybe Lou did, 514 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: though Heroin seemed to be his game. Maybe one of 515 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: his bandmates did. They certainly looked like speed freaks, well 516 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: most of them that blonde fem fetale with the tambourine 517 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: was strictly downers. I tried opening my eyes, but they 518 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: wouldn't cooperate, and they were kate shut. And that's when 519 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: the smell hit me, and the taste, that smell, that taste, 520 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: the feeling of whatever was kicking my eyes shut. It 521 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: was the Sinshown massacre all over. It was blood. I 522 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: sat up with a shot, took my fingers and peeled 523 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: my eyelids back. The slight crinkle of separating flesh gave 524 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: way to a darkened vision. I gagged and spit up 525 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 1: someone else's blood. I snorted in air to my nostrils, 526 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 1: pushing more blood down the back of my throat and 527 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 1: then out of my mouth in heavy sprays. I looked 528 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: around the loft from the previous night's party, Darkness all around, 529 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 1: the only illumination coming from the space between the front 530 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 1: door and the hallway white light. Up close to that light, 531 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: I could partially make out a figure sumped against the wall. 532 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: I stumbled the fifteen or twenty feet or so over 533 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: to it. My shoes slipped on something slick. I hit 534 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 1: the floor with a thud. I was now rolling in 535 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 1: blood covered in the irony molasses. I gagged, I heaved 536 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 1: my head ache, screamed. I got up. I fell down again, 537 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: more blood on my face, on my palms. I pressed 538 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 1: myself to my hands and my knees and crawled through 539 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 1: the pool to the slumped figure against the wall. Oh sweet, nothing, 540 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: don't let it be not now. We were so close. 541 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: But there she was. There they were Stephanie and her 542 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: unborn child, my unborn child, both damned. A switchblade stuck 543 00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:59,960 Speaker 1: straight out from her chest. Her torso was as per 544 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 1: fraidd as a pasta strainer. Her blood pooled all around her, 545 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: And despite the instant horror, I remained calm. Trauma always 546 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: slowed my world down, and right now, with my head, 547 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: it's exactly what I needed. Besides, I'd actually seen worse, 548 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 1: much worse. I grabbed Stephanie and pulled her close. Even 549 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: though she always said she's not afraid to die, the 550 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: fact that this was our last embrace still stung. I 551 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: patted down the frizzy locks on her head. I whispered 552 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 1: to her and mangled our father and caressed her cheek. 553 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:37,240 Speaker 1: That's when I felt it, something unnatural in her mouth. 554 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 1: I felt my stomach drop. I pried open her jaws 555 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 1: and reached in with my hand. I pulled out a 556 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: lot of bills. Stephanie, in addition to being stabbed, full 557 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: of countless holes, had been gagged. I closed my eyes, 558 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: but it didn't help, and the tears came quick, and 559 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 1: my diaphragm sputtered and my chest heaved as I sobbed uncontrollably. 560 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:00,080 Speaker 1: I opened my eyes and looked down at what I 561 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: pulled from Stephanie's mouth. Twenty six dollars my hand in 562 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: this murder mystery. In this episode of Disgraceland, this to 563 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 1: be continued. Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly and is 564 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 1: produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for this episode 565 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 1: can be found on the show notes page at disgracelamdpod 566 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 1: dot com. If you're listening as a Disgraceland All Access member, 567 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,800 Speaker 1: thank you for supporting the show. We really appreciate it. 568 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: And if not, you can become a member right now 569 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: by going to disgracelampod dot com slash Membership members can 570 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,840 Speaker 1: listen to every episode of Disgraceland ad free, plus you'll 571 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 1: get one brand new exclusive episode every month weekly unscripted 572 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: bonus episodes, special audio collections, and early access to merchandise 573 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: and events. Visit alampod dot com slash membership for details, 574 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: Rate and review the show, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, 575 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:10,359 Speaker 1: and Facebook at Disgraceslampod and on YouTube at YouTube dot 576 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 1: com slash at Disgrace Slampod Rock a Roller. He's the 577 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 1: bed Don Man.