Cold City (Repairman Jack - the Early Years Trilogy)
“Abe cried as he took in the array of bagels, lox, cream cheese, sliced Vidalia onion, and capers. “For me?”First thing this morning, Jack searched out a kosher deli and had them put together a breakfast platter for four. This was what they gave him. From what he’d learned of Abe over the months, he couldn’t think of a better way to express his appreciation than through food.“The least I can do. You saved my life – literally.”“How? When?”“Yesterday – when you got that call about me.”Abe had... produced a Special Forces knife from somewhere and was already slicing a bagel. “You’re here only a few months and already you’re running afoul of the Mikulski brothers. You managed this how?”Mikulski brothers… so that was their name.“Wasn’t easy.”Abe began smearing cream cheese on the bagel halves.“You’re very lucky I was here. They were thinking bad thoughts about you, and it’s nisht gut to have those two thinking bad thoughts about you.” He slid the knife across the counter to Jack. “Have a shmear.”Jack took the knife and began sawing at a poppyseed bagel. It sliced through so quickly he almost cut his hand.“Sharp!”Abe was positioning a slice of onion on the cream cheese. “I should bother to keep a knife that isn’t?”“These Mikulski brothers… what’s their deal?”Abe shrugged. “I should know? No one knows. Some say Mikulski might not even be their real name. That it’s maybe the name of an abused child who died. What I do know: Like ghosts they move. It’s a name you fear if you involve children with sex. You don’t want those shtarkers to find out, because that’s when you disappear.” Jack mimicked what Abe was doing with the onions and slices of smoked salmon.“Well, I think you saved me from disappearing.”Jack placed the bagel top over the goodies in the middle, making a sandwich. He took a bite and the combination of flavors exploded in his mouth – the saltiness of the lox, the sweetness of the cream cheese, the tang of the onion.“Holy crap! This is great!”Abe stared at him in wonder. “You’ve never had bagel and lox?”“Never.”“Such a deprived childhood you had.”“Hey, you know where I grew up. We were lucky we got mail delivery. I never tasted Chinese takeout till I got to college–”Abe’s expression was horrorstruck. “No Chinese–?”“–and no one was serving lox and bagels in Johnson, New Jersey, I promise you.”“Well, then, welcome to Hymietown.”Jack pointed at him.MoreLess
Read book Cold City (Repairman Jack - the Early Years Trilogy) for free
Write Review:
Guest
Read Also
8 / 10
User Reviews: