The night was still, cold, and rainy. Not freezing cold, but the kind of early winter cold that slowly creeps into your skin and goes all the way to your bones. I was on "look-out" close to a guy's house that owed the 'club' money. I was a few hundred feet from his house at a phone booth. I was the one who made the call....the call that started "The Longest Night".
I had been in the rain and cold for about an hour when I saw him drive up to his house, then drive past it. About three houses away, he parked his car and got out, and eased down the sidewalk to his house. This was a tough part of town, even the cops only showed up here if they could get about four cars at once. This man knew he was being hunted, he just didn't count on me....and I underestimated him. A trait that can lead to your death quickly in this part of town. Meanwhile, in another part of town........
The phone rang at the Motorcycle Gang's Clubhouse around midnight. Only two words were spoken, "He's there". The gang's president knew just what to do. The man they were after was very "jumpy" at this point, knowing that he owed a bunch of bikers about ten grand. He was nervous, and rightfully so. These guys had left good men bleeding in the street for far less than ten grand in money. This was a "quiet" operation----no bikes, just cars and pick up trucks. He would never see them coming. Like I said before, cops just weren't a concern.
I saw the first old "beater" car coming, and hopped in with several oversized men already inside. I just moved up from lookout to "enforcer", and I was glad to be warm for a bit. We sat outside, and watched him going around in the house. What was he doing? Who cared? He was through in this world anyway. After tonight he would be just another entry in tomorrow's obituaries in the newspaper.
In the next instant, more cars and trucks lined the street in front of us, and behind us. This was happenning NOW, like it or not. We all got out of the car, and the longest night began. There was a massive explosion in the still, cold air, and it was a few seconds before I figured out it was a rifle round! It missed me, but hit the car right where I was sitting. The round tore through the door of the car like so much butter!! It struck the door with so much force that it shattered the rolled-up window!
I had no idea what he was using, but it was loud, and it was powerful, and I dropped to the ground as soon as I figured it out! Then, something weird happened. One of the guys screamed that I was down, and maybe dead! Seems the way I stood there, then just fell on the ground, had convinced the guy next to me that I was hit. I tried to yell, but my voice just wasn't there! Scared? Shitless! Some of the other guys opened up on this guy, but he was smart, he had already moved, and was now returning their fire. BAWHOOM!!! BAWHOOM!!! That 'street-cannon' he had was a real mutha! I just knew we would have cops on us in no time!
Since everyone thought I was dead, including the dumbass on the street-howitzer, I snuck to the back of the house on my belly. I found some old building materials, and a good old stand-by. A four foot length of 2x4 board. BAWHOOM!!! BAWHOOM!!! BAWHOOM!!! He was at the other end of the house! And with that damn cannon going off every few seconds, he never heard me sneaking up behind him...and he surely NEVER heard the whistling of the board as it came down on the back of his neck!!
The cannon he was firing fell silent. I was shaking all over! But I wasn't cold. I was scared stiff, and mad as hell! This asshole could have blown me in half with that damn thing!!! I was beyond pissed off! I found out later that he was using an old B.A.R. That is a Browning Automatic Rifle. They were popular in the twenties and thirties with gangsters. They are loud as hell, and every bit as mean! That was the only one I ever got to see close up, from BOTH ends!!!
Well, the guy was grabbed, and he had to settle up with some of the guys. What happened to him? I didn't ask, I just went home and drank a full bottle of whiskey with a few beers for effect. It was truly "The Longest Night" for me, and it lasted less than a minute or two!!!
Holla' If You Hear Me!!!
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