Solly’s was Dutchy’s second stop of the day where he would take a Peers Grape Soda out of the large unplugged horizontal coke cooler which was filled with blocks of ice. These were brought each day by Monsieur Lamotte who carried them on his shoulder using his ice tongs. He got paid with a Dow Lager. Duchy’s arrangement was different. It was in keeping with a tradition begun many years before with Solly’s father who always refused to let Dutchy pay. They were good friends who more than occasionally played pinochle together in the back room when business was slow. Which it usually was. And they would both drink; Peers of course.
Dutchy’s first stop of the day was Dionne’s Fruit on Park Avenue where he would walk the aisles sampling the fresh fruit produce. Peers was really his desert.
There was an added benefit in not having any customers. No need to order supplies. Except of course for Peers Grape soda. This was just fine for Solly. Though he wished that Dutchy would pay for his drinks.
Life continued this way for several months until one day that same long black car with tinted windows stopped at the store. Yup, Big Barney. Again. Whom no one called Beryl. He told Solly, again, that it was to be his lucky day. Solly was going to get a promotion and become a “middle-man”. Someone who delivered “gifts” to politicians, police and other officials. Anyone who was on Big Barney’s payroll. Solly was not happy. Not at all. Nor did he feel particularly lucky. He didn’t want a promotion. He was happy, at least somewhat, with things as they were. But to refuse would be a mistake. A very big mistake. So Solly did what he was told and soon he was making regular “deliveries” for Big Barney. Which made him uncomfortable. Very very uncomfortable. What’s the next thing he’d be asked to do? He knew the answer. It would not end well. Not well at all. Solly also knew that he had no choice but to do exactly what Big Barney asked. No choice at all. Unfortunately.
After several restless days. – and nights- the idea came to him that perhaps he needed an “insurance policy”. A kind of protection in case things began to go badly for him. Something he was certain would happen. Sooner rather than later. He decided to keep a record of all the “deliveries” he made. Everything. Dates, names, amounts. Everything. Just in case. As an insurance policy. Just in case.
He recorded all of it in a ledger which he kept in an empty Lowney’s chocolate box in his candy counter. With no customers coming in, it was sure not to be disturbed.
(Note to reader: The rest of this story is conjecture and has never been verified. Those of us who knew Solly believe it to be more than feasible. You be the judge)
One night, several weeks later, an event took place that was to also change Solly’s life. Profoundly. This time it did would be for the better. Alone in his flat. As usual. Solly fell asleep in his easy chair. The same chair that his father had usually fallen asleep in. It had still not been moved from its original spot in the living room. The placement of the chair hid warped floor underneath it. Not from the weight of the chair, Abe would insist, but due to the inferior materials used by the original building contractor. Abe’s wife disagreed.
