“Hey Luke, have another,” said Calvin, hanging from the edge of the bar, barely standing up.
They’d arrived there after a night of unsuccessful gambling, hoping to find some action
“Sure, why not.” Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty.
He pushed it toward the bartender. “We’ll have another,” he said, tucking his wallet back into his jeans.
The bartender looked him up and down.
“I don’t think so, your buddy’s had enough for tonight.”
He slid the twenty back across the bar toward Luke.
“You might want to take him back to the hotel.”
“Awh, you’ve been great, keep it,” said Calvin.
Luke stepped in and propped him up and they made their way to the door.
Spilling onto the street they realized it was raining hard.
The wind was blowing gusts of rain up underneath the awning, and they were soaked in minutes.
The streets were dark and wet, but there was still traffic, even though it was late.
It was Vegas, after all, the city that never sleeps.
“This way,” said Calvin and started them off down the sidewalk.
Luke hurried to catch up, buttoning up his coat against the wind.
He hoped it was the right direction.
At this late point in the night, he had no idea where they were and he didn’t much care.
They were on their own and he didn’t have to worry about anyone else.
As they reached the intersection a man pushed up against them from behind.
He deftly relieved Luke of his wallet while muttering a quick, “sorry, man.”
He continued to push past into the crosswalk and was soon lost in the crowd.
It had been a fun night.
They had dinner in the casino, then did some bar hopping with a couple of crazy girls they’d picked up along the way.
Some dancing at the disco on the top floor of the hotel, and then one of the girls wasn’t feeling well so they parted company, which was fine with Luke.
He wasn’t interested in babysitting anyone tonight.
He smiled as he realized he was doing exactly that.
When they reached their hotel, Luke reached into his pocket for the keys.
“Damn," he said, patting his pockets, "my wallets gone".
"I think that guy that bumped into us must have taken it.”
“I still have mine,” said Calvin, producing a room key. “Maybe you dropped it. We should go look.”
“No, it’s fine Calvin, I’ll be fine. You crash and I’ll be back before you know it.”
After settling Calvin in for the night, Luke returned to the lobby and went back out into the stormy night.
He retraced their steps, carefully watching for a dropped wallet.
“It’s unlikely anyone would have seen it in all this rain,” he thought.
Luke found the bar and the doors were locked.
He started pounding on the door,
“Hey, it’s me, let me in. I need to talk to someone. I’m looking for my wallet.”
The next thing he knew, two police were cuffing his hands behind his back, and they pushed him into the back seat of a cruiser.
“I’m innocent,” said Luke, “I haven’t done anything.”
He was feeling more sober by the minute, what with the long walk in the rain and now being arrested.
“Sure, that’s what they all say,” said the woman officer, a short stocky woman with dark hair and skin.
“I lost my wallet and went back to find it.
They locked the door and wouldn’t come out to talk to me.”
“I can’t imagine why an upstanding young man like you. You were causing a disturbance, and the neighbors called us. You’re lucky we don’t charge you with an attempted break and enter.”
“I was just trying to get my wallet back. Where are you taking me?”
“To the drunk tank, to sleep it off. They’ll let you out in the morning.”
At the precinct, they processed him, taking down his name and the name and number of his hotel.
“Don’t I get a phone call?”
After several attempts to call Calvin, he left messages, realizing his friend was likely out for the night. He’d have to tough it out until then.
“shshshsss,” said the guy in the next bunk when they let him into the cell.
“shush yourself,” said the guard, indicating a low bed along one wall. “Sleep it off, we’ll be back to let you out in the morning.”
Luke stood by the door, waiting for the guard to leave.
He was quiet, wondering if the other guy was awake.
He finally made his way to the low bunk and sat on it carefully, sliding his back up against the wall in the corner, ready to defend himself.
He'd just started to relax when a voice said “So, it’s your first time, eh?” half-joking, half knowingly.
“I don’t suppose you have a smoke, do you?”
“Yeah,” Luke pulled a pack out of his coat and shook one out for the guy.
“They took my matches though.”
“That’s ok, I’ve got a lighter,” the older man pulled it out and lit one for them both.
Luke took a drag squinting across at the other bunk.
It was hard to tell in the dim light, but he could see he was wearing a dark suit.
It was rumpled and there was a mark on his pant leg, probably dirt.
His shirt had once been white and his tie was hanging loosely around his neck.
Luke could see he’d folded his jacket and put it carefully at one end of the bunk.
“So, what happened to you?’ he asked, then realized that was probably against some prison code or something.
“I mean, if you want to tell me, that is.”
“Probably about the same as you I guess. Had a bit too much to drink, then someone rolled me, took my wallet, but they left my shoes, thank goodness."
"I think they saw my cross, you know? Ever since I started wearing one, they go easier on me.”
He fingered the small silver chain he was wearing around his neck.
He closed his eyes and said a small prayer as he made the sign of the cross.
"These shoes are worth a pretty penny but they didn’t take them this time."
"One time I woke up in an alley with no wallet, no shoes, and no pants. Now that took some explaining to the missus.” He continued, chuckling.
“This time I was talking to this guy about some girls, you know, young ones, not those old used up hags on the street. And he brought me to this place around in the back of the hotel."
"He showed me this cute little one, so sweet, you know?”
All Luke could think of was his sister at home.
He was sickened by the thought.
“No, I wouldn’t know,” he said, trying to keep his voice neutral.
“Well, that’s when I realized my wallet was gone."
"Someone must have taken it in the bar. And I tried to get them to listen, but they just called the cops.”
“And you ended up here. That was lucky.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, I mean lucky for the girl.”
“Oh, you’re not one of them, are you?
“One what?”
“One of them namby-pamby types. I should’ve known, just looking at you. I’ll bet you’ve never even kicked a dog, have you.”
The guy was getting riled up, spit was flying out of his mouth.
He looked like an old-time preacher, working up to a sermon.
“Oh, you mean a nice person, you know, caring or something? I ought to tell them what you just told me.”
Luke’s patience was wearing thin.
“Well, you wouldn’t get very far with that. I’m an important man in this town. They’ll be here soon, once they figure out who I am.”
Sure enough, in about ten minutes, a guard came down the hall, rattling his keys.
“You,” he said, nodding at the man in the suit. You’ve made bail.”
“Took them long enough,” the man said, taking a moment to tie his tie and put on his jacket.
He looked respectable, not at all like someone you’d find in the backroom of a bar, buying young girls.
“You take care now.”
“Mmhmm, you too. I’ll be keeping an eye out for you, “said Luke.
“Maybe I’ll run into you and the Missus one day.”
He smiled politely but there was a look of steel in his eyes.
The man carefully backed toward the cell door, then stepped through, not taking his eyes off of Luke for a moment.
As the guard escorted the man down the hallway, Luke leaned against the wall of the cell.
He folded his hands behind his head and thought of home.
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Background to the story/prompt
This is a microcosm interaction that sets up the call to adventure. This scene plants the seed in a maturation/society story. Luke is taunted by the responsibility he is trying to get away from.
Luke was the oldest of five kids, responsible for them all. His mother died when the youngest was born and his father left two years later when he was 15. (The kids were aged 10, 9, 7, 2)
He managed to keep them all together and has been acting as their father and mother since. He’s now 21 (16, 15, 13, 8) He’d lost his girlfriend because she didn’t want to take on the responsibility.
He’s angry at his father, tired of being the responsible one, and just wants to get away from that role and live his life, without having to worry about everyone all of the time.
He’s gone to Vegas with a friend, they’re busting loose.
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