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Pov of German-American Thug
9-July-1921
''If father were watching us, he would be turning in his grave seeing how low we have fallen'' my brother said while looking at the floor and the bar music sounded around us.
''It is the only thing we could get, Albert, so stop complaining so much. Father would be proud that at least we tried to earn our bread honestly and that, unfortunately, we ended up as criminals. But this would not have happened if they had not forced us to sell the family business… Father had the easy way out, while we are the ones who have to keep the family alive'' I said while keeping one hand on the revolver inside my coat at all times.
Life had treated us rather badly lately. We had temporarily lost the right to vote in local elections, since we were considered part of a traitorous culture and servants of the Kaiser. While the Supreme Court reviewed the case, we had not received any kind of suspension of that measure, so we continued being a marginalized group among the Americans.
And nothing was improving with that damned full-blown recession across the country. Work was scarce and even scarcer were companies capable of staying afloat, much less those willing to hire descendants of Germans, since many considered us untrustworthy people.
It did not matter that we had once run important successful businesses. The Government had expropriated them when they approved those laws that practically reduced us to people without rights, leaving us at the mercy of others.
When I thought I had finally found honest work for myself and my brother, and that we could finally climb out of the hole the family finances were in, I discovered that the mill and bakery looking for workers ended up offering us work as thugs instead of as laborers. Apparently, they had realized we were German brothers because of our clearly German names, names they had tried to force us to change, but which so far we had refused to abandon.
But, knowing we were desperate, they preferred to give me a job taking care of stupid things instead of offering me one where I did not have to keep looking over my shoulder every moment. Father had taught us to shoot, so, adding that to the fact that I knew how to use a pistol, they ended up hiring me to protect the interests of a criminal group.
And although I did not like that at all, I needed the money because they paid much better than normal jobs. I only had to be willing to beat someone to a pulp without even asking questions.
''Gunter, can you get that one out of here? He is already going too far'' the bar owner said, pointing at someone who was already too drunk to even stay on his feet.
I nodded and walked toward the drunk.
''All right, sir, too much for today. Let me escort you to the exit'' I said, taking him by the coat and starting to push him out of the place.
The guy smelled like hell, with breath that could easily knock someone down. Besides, he seemed not even to really know where he was and, although he tried to do things to stop me from throwing him out, my brother opened the door and I took him out of the bar.
''These guys who cannot simply drink a beer calmly, but have to drink until they vomit'' I said between my teeth while feeling that pungent smell in my nose.
''How much longer do we have to be here?'' Albert asked, trying to look at the clock, but from here he could not see it properly.
''A couple more hours. The city dies around three in the morning and then we go back home'' I replied while sitting down again and observing the chaos inside the bar.
It was something I completely disliked, the excess of everything, people drinking alcohol. Not because of drinking it, but because the Government continued its streak of stupidity by listening to the damn women who said it was better to control the use of alcohol because some Irish pig beat his wife while drunk, which almost seemed like a national sport among the Irish, and with that they condemned all of us to not being able to get alcohol… of course, unless you were rich and had filled your reserves before Prohibition.
But this had gotten out of control. One only had to look at how bars had become places of devil worship: prostitution, alcohol, women getting along with men in ways that would make their mothers faint if they saw them.
It was a terrible job, but unfortunately well paid.
Three light knocks, followed by a scraping of knuckles against the door and then by three hard knocks, sounded at the entrance and it did not take me long to open the bolt to move part of the door and see who was outside.
''Yes?'' I said, observing a group of men in dark clothes carrying several boxes.
''Shipment'' one of them said.
''Open'' I said, looking at my brother.
Albert opened the latch and the locks and the door opened, letting in the workers who brought a pile of boxes loaded with alcohol and several barrels.
''Whisky, rum, brandy, bitter beer, lager beer, mild beer, caramel and pecan moonshine'' said the one leading the group while handing a clipboard to the tavern owner.
''Hey… hey… I pay for quality. I do not want to work with that garbage that can leave my clients blind'' the owner said, pointing toward where they had the moonshine.
''It was distilled by someone trustworthy. The shit is good, try it'' he said, handing him a corked bottle.
The owner audibly uncorked it and took a sip of the moonshine.
''Right, yes, it is good. I will see if I can sell it, but people with money come here mostly, so it may be a little harder. They want the usual, a glass of good-quality whisky or brandy. And what about the beer? Is it good?'' the owner asked, pointing at the bottles and barrels.
''Bavarian recipes. It is the same maker as that, guaranteed quality'' he said, pointing again at the clipboard.
''Jerry, come here'' the owner said, calling me.
''Yes?'' I said, a little annoyed.
''You drink more of this, do you not? Try it'' he said, handing me a bottle.
Removing the cork, I gave it a sniff and realized it was a bitter beer. When I drank it, it had a smooth flavor that lingered on the palate, leaving that bitter aftertaste, but afterward there was a caramelized flavor that had to come from the malt.
''He has a good hand. Who made this?'' I said, savoring the aftertaste.
''The distiller has two university degrees in chemistry and excellent-quality machines, so… are you buying everything or not? Remember that I give you the discount if you buy everything'' the group leader said.
''Fine, give me a moment'' the bar owner said, and it did not take him long to return with several envelopes full of bills. ''Everything should be there. You can count it over there if you doubt anything is missing'' he said, pointing at one of the empty tables.
''I trust your word. Any problem with our boys?'' he asked, pointing at us.
''The Jerries? No, quiet and obedient, nothing to say. But there are only two of them. I would like to have four. Sometimes groups form that are too large for only those two to drag out by force. People have money and all, but sometimes they go too far with the girls and, when both of them are busy throwing out drunks, no one watches the door for me and you know the problem'' the owner of the place said.
''Good, if you need more, let me know. Try to sell more of the beer and the moonshine, and listen to suggestions. We can produce it quickly and in large quantities and we can keep your cellars full with relative regularity. Just be careful with the Irish'' the group leader said while putting the money into a briefcase.
''Gunter, Albert, come here for a moment'' the leader said while preparing to leave.
''Be careful with the Irish. This is serious. In the last few days they stole two trucks from us and tried to rob one of our warehouses, so they may try to hit the businesses we defend. If you see someone you think is Irish, do not let him in. Large groups either. That may affect our protected businesses' profits a little, but it is what has to be done. We do not want them dead'' the group leader said, stopping to speak with us while stuffing our wages into our pockets.
''But… eh, are you not going to do something? I mean… we have weapons and all that. We could watch those trucks'' Albert said after swallowing.
''No, no, no. The boss does not want blood, so do not fire your weapons unless it is absolutely necessary. I am telling you because we will need people to strike back at the North Side gang, but we require trustworthy people for a small job. So, if you want to earn easy money, stay alert because, sooner rather than later, we are going to teach those guys a lesson'' the leader said before leaving, handing me one of the envelopes.
''If the police show up here, give this to the oldest man in the group. Our service now includes bribing low-level police officers. The one who watches this area is already bought, just hand it to him and say nothing else'' the leader said before leaving through the door accompanied by all his boys.
''That is bad, is it not? I mean, if they are robbing them right to their faces and they do nothing, will that not make them look weak? And we are working for them'' Albert said, looking somewhat worried.
''I do not know, just work… Look, these British pay well'' I said, looking at the many bills they had handed me.
My brother nodded and we kept working, letting people in and out until we finally heard some words from the other side of the door.
''Police! Open the door!'' we heard a voice shout from outside while they struck the door.
''Open the door'' I told my brother and it did not take long for us to see four policemen appear, three young officers and one older man who looked quite serious.
''Looks like we caught a whole lot of lawbreakers here'' the policeman said while moving his club in one hand and the other officers began moving their hands toward their handcuffs.
That was when I took out the envelope and offered it to him.
''Oh… right. All the alcohol here is legal, bought before Prohibition. How stupid of me'' the policeman leading the group said while opening the envelope.
It did not take him long to count the money and distribute a part among the other policemen, who put their bills inside their coats once they finished counting them. They could barely hide their excitement at the amount of money they had received.
''How about it, John? Give me some good whisky. Life has been very good to us'' the policeman said, and it did not take him long to lean on the counter along with the other officers.
''That easy?'' I asked almost in a whisper.
''Looks like it'' my brother replied while scratching his hair, both of us watching the whole thing.
The policemen remained observing the place, talking with the women of the night who worked in the bar and drank a shot of whisky before leaving.
The night continued calmly while we watched as the bills did not stop reaching the owner's pockets, who carried them to the back while sending them off to be counted.
A few hours passed like that until closing time arrived.
''Oh, Gunter, as serious as always. Why do you not smile a little? And before we leave, we could go somewhere to be alone'' said one of the workers, who was a little drunk.
''No touching, easy girl'' I said, removing her hands from my coat. ''Come on, Albert, what she wants is to take what you earned'' I told my brother.
''Jerries, come here'' the bar owner said.
''I am not opening tomorrow. I have to make inventory of everything that arrived today, divide the portions and all that, so I do not need security tomorrow. Tell your bosses. Good work, see you next day'' the owner said.
We nodded and soon left the place, securing the door and leaving through the back.
''Four hundred and fifty dollars… more than double… shit, why do they pay so well? It is going to be difficult to find a better-paying job than this'' I said, clenching my teeth.
''With this we have nine hundred. We earned quite a lot'' my brother said while counting his earnings.
''Hey, Germans, come here'' we heard someone say from a dark street.
''Yes…?'' I said, looking toward the stranger while moving one hand toward the revolver.
''Do not make it so obvious that you have a weapon, Gunter'' the unknown voice said.
''Boss?'' I asked, looking into the darkness.
''Yes. Look, I told you we would have to act… well, we have it today… in a few hours. My question is: do you want to earn quick money?'' said our boss, who had something covering his face.
''How much?'' I asked, swallowing.
''More than you normally earn. It is not dangerous either. You only have to distract the police, nothing more. You are the insurance for the insurance. The policemen we have bribed who watch the area will be busy dealing with a street fight that will happen in an hour. Only policemen from other areas could arrive and your duty will be to distract them if they appear'' our boss said while approaching us.
''So we just have to… bother the police'' I said, looking at our boss.
''Yes. We are going to teach those Irish a lesson. We will try to do it without blood, but we are going to give them one hell of a scare… so, are you joining?'' the boss asked.
''Yes, we have to gather money for our sister's wedding, Gunter…'' Albert said while taking a step forward.
''Come'' the boss said while beginning to walk toward an alley where there was a truck covered with a canvas.
When I reached the back, I was left breathless when I saw that it was full of men armed to the teeth.
Machine guns, rifles, shotguns… it was military weaponry.
''The revolver'' the boss said while extending one hand, and both my brother and I handed him the weapons they had given us.
''Done, better that way. Ideally, if the police appear, do not try to play heroes. You must look like recently paid workers who wanted to return home and ended up trapped in a conflict between gangs. Your story is simply that you wanted to get home and got caught in the middle of everything, worried because you might lose your job. Nothing more than that. We will take care of the rest'' he said while climbing into the truck and extending his hand to us. ''Is that clear?''
''Yes'' I said while climbing into the truck and observing the eyes of the other men, which were the only thing visible of their faces.
''Yes'' Albert said while also climbing into the truck.
Then the vehicle's engine roared.
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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