Heads You Win

Dimitri didn’t reply immediately. “About three hundred dollars,” he said eventually. “There’s not a lot to spend your money on while at sea.”

“How would you feel about investing it?”

“In what?”

“Not in what, but in who,” said Alex. He filled the sink with warm water, and by the time they’d finished washing up, he’d explained why he needed three hundred and twenty dollars, and why he would be getting up at four in the morning.

“How does she feel about this?” was Dimitri’s only comment.

“I haven’t told her yet.”

* * *

Alex found it difficult to concentrate in class the following Monday, but as there were only half a dozen boys who could keep up with him when he was half-awake, no one noticed except his teacher.

When the bell rang at four o’clock, Alex was the first out of the classroom, and he ran all the way to the market. He headed straight for Bernie’s stall. Once he’d caught his breath, he began firing questions at the old trader while he served his customers.

“If I rented the stall,” said Alex, “would you be willing to go on working?”

“I’m trying to get off the treadmill, and you’d only want to speed it up,” grinned Bernie.

“But if I always went to the market in the mornings, you wouldn’t have to start work until eight, and I could take over after school.”

Bernie didn’t reply.

“I’d pay you forty dollars a week,” said Alex as Bernie handed a customer a bag of grapes.

“I’d have to think about it,” said Bernie. “But even if I agreed, you’d still have a problem.”

“What?” said Alex.

“Not what, but who. Because there’s someone else who will have to go along with your plan.”

“Who?” demanded Alex. “Because I’m not going to tell my mother until you agree.”

“It wasn’t your mother I was worried about.”

“Then who?”

“The man who owns my stall, and most of the others in the market. You’re going to have to convince Mr. Wolfe that you’re good for the money, because only he can grant you a license.”

“So where do I find this Mr. Wolfe?”

“His office is at 3049 Ocean Parkway. He starts work at six every morning, and never goes home before eight in the evening. And let me warn you, Alex, he’s one mean son of a bitch.”

“See you same time tomorrow afternoon,” said Alex, before setting off for home. “By then, I’ll own your stall.”

Dimitri winked when Alex dashed in and joined him at the kitchen table. They chatted about everything except what was really on his mind, while Alex waited impatiently for his mother to leave for work.

“You’ve barely eaten anything,” said Elena, checking her watch.

“I’m just not that hungry, Mama.”

“Are you working tonight?” she asked. For a moment Alex thought he’d been caught out, and then he realized what she meant.

“Yes, I’ve got to write an essay on the Founding Fathers. I’m learning about Hamilton and Jefferson, and how they came together to write the Constitution.”

“That sounds interesting. If you leave your essay on the kitchen table I’ll read it when I get home tonight,” said Elena as she put on her coat.