Cogan's Trade

“You’re not having any more of those things,” Cogan said. “You’ll fall on your ass if you do.”

“I can handle it,” Mitch said. “I was drinking before you got out of your father’s cock. Don’t tell me what I do.” He signaled the waiter. He pointed twice at Cogan’s empty stein. “Nobody knows anything about kids,” Mitch said. “But, it’s really hard on the kids. I think it was that, probably, what did it to them, the way they hadda be and all. They’re no good. Oh, they’re good enough. My daughter’s all right. But my son, he won’t have nothing to do with me. And I think, this’s the fu

“I thought she was all right,” Cogan said, “we’re down in Florida, there.”

“She was,” Mitch said. “Look, when I was down there she was all right. When I went down there. She really was. I believed it. But see, that was the first time she was all right, and since then, I seen what happened. I talked to some guys, everybody that’s got somebody like that, and the first time they shake it, you know, you always think they shook it and that’s the end of it. They always think that, they think that themselves. But they never do. Nobody like that’s ever all right again, ever. I came back, there, I was home about a month and we’re going at it left and right, this and that, well, look, I du

The waiter brought two steins of dark. He set them both in front of Mitch. Cogan said: “Check.” The waiter nodded. Mitch drank half of the first stein.

“It’s a terrible amount of shit, you got to go through,” Cogan said.

“Hey,” Mitch said, “look, you know? What can you do? Do the best you can. Think I’m go

“We got this,” Cogan said, “we got two guys. There’s actually four guys, but one of them’s probably not around and I’m not sure, we really want the other one. So, we got two guys, for sure, and one of them knows me, so here you are.”

“Well,” Mitch said, “am I doing a double or what? These guys hang around or something?”

“Uh uh,” Cogan said. “Well, I mean, you wa

“I could use the dough,” Mitch said. “I’m go

“Well,” Cogan said, “you want the two of them, it’s fine with me.”

“I oughta take you up on it,” Mitch said. “But I think, I’m not supposed to be up here, you know? I’m restricted, New York and Maryland and that stuff, I’m supposed, I’m not supposed, go any place else unless I ask them. Well, I didn’t ask. So I probably shouldn’t hang around here any longer’n I absolutely have to. And, two’s risky, too. No, I better stick with the one.”

“Okay,” Cogan said. “Now, here’s the thing: that’s go

“He got friends?” Mitch said.

“One of the guys that we might do,” Cogan said. “He’s a kid, he could be around. He’s a fairly tough kid, too. The other kid, he’s the guy that’s apparently not around. So, there might be the one.”

“We go

“Right now,” Cogan said, “it depends. I honestly don’t know. See, the other guy, I got him in mind for tonight. And a lot depends, what happens after that.”

“The fuck happened, anyway?” Mitch said.

“One of them fuckin’ things,” Cogan said. “There’s this guy, got a game, all right? And he got some guys, one time, knock it over for him, and then, well, he got away with it. So, and then everybody says: ‘Okay.’ Then this other guy comes along, and he gets these two kids, and they go in and they knock it over again, right? They think he’s go

“Dumb shit,” Mitch said. He finished the first stein.

“Right,” Cogan said. The waiter brought the check. Cogan paid it.

“On your way back,” Mitch said, “you think you’re go

“No, you can’t,” Cogan said to the waiter. He took the second stein. “I’m go

“Hey,” Mitch said.

“Hey yourself,” Cogan said. “I’m go

“I won’t be able to sleep,” Mitch said.

“Watch television,” Cogan said.

“I probably won’t,” Mitch said. “You’re go

“You gotta have that?” Cogan said.

“Shit,” Mitch said. “I’m not working tonight, right?”

“Nope,” Cogan said.

“And I’m probably not working tomorrow night, either,” Mitch said. “We got to set this thing up, and all. Who’s go

“I got a kid,” Cogan said. “He’s not the sharpest thing I ever seen, but he’ll do what you tell him. You want him to drive, he’ll drive. Anything.”

“Is he go

“Look,” Cogan said, “this kid’d tear a fuckin’ car in half with his bare hands, you asked him. He’s very dependable. But you got to tell him. You tell him, he’ll do it. He’ll go through a fuckin’ building, he’s got to.”

“I personally,” Mitch said, “I’d rather have a guy that’d see the building and go around it. I can’t afford, I don’t want no guy that’s go

“Look,” Cogan said, “the guy’s name’s Joh

“How much does this kid know?” Mitch said.

“Ke

“I don’t want him,” Mitch said.

The waiter brought Cogan’s change and the coffee.

“I don’t want that, either,” Mitch said.

The waiter left.

“I didn’t say you wanted it,” Cogan said.

“I don’t want no fuckin’ nutcakes, either,” Mitch said.

“Well,” Cogan said, “look, I mean, you got to tell me what you want, then, right? Because I don’t know.”