Movie Time (Revised)

Ok, so for my final English 398 portfolio I had to do some revisions to my stories from the semster. For this one, there were some massive revisions. Hope everybody out there enjoys it.

Movie Time

(not an excerpt from a longer piece)

I look around the cell, scrubbing a hand through my dark, shaggy hair. The other three men in the cell look back at me, smiling sheepishly. I can’t believe I let myself get in with these idiots.

“Alex, I’m really sorry…” Stephen starts to say, but I raise my hand, cutting him off.

“If you talk again, I’m more than a little confident I will reach over and choke the life out of your body Stephen,” I reply, trying to keep my voice from rising and screaming at him.

“Boomer, Alex. My name is Boomer.” Stephen’s very bad British accent grates on my last nerve, and I can’t stop myself from yelling at him.

“YOUR NAME IS STEPHEN! You are not Basher, or Left-Ear, or any of these characters that you’ve seen in the movies! You’re not Mos Def of Don Cheadle! You’re a white guy from NEW JERSEY!” My chest is heaving from this bout of shouting, not my first one, probably not my last one either. Stephen’s bottom lip starts to quiver, his dark eyes filling with tears. Good one Alex. You made a grown man cry.

“Hey! Calm down in there convicts!” The guard shouts from down the hall, not bothering to even come down and yell at us unless we start killing each other. We haven’t done that yet, but we haven’t been here that long either.

“Alex, it’s not all his fault you know,” Michael stands up, walking over to me, trying to calm me down. Of course it’s not my fault Michael, it’s that idiot brother of yours’ fault.

“Not his fault? It’s completely his fault! If you had stopped him from watching Ocean’s 11 and The Italian Job like I told you to, we wouldn’t be here right now!” I just manage to not shout at my old friend.

“Don’t you think that’s a little unfair?” Daniel has decided to join the conversation. I didn’t know he had the balls.

“No I don’t think that’s unfair. You were there, you remember what happened. It’s not like this was ten years ago. It was last night!” I sigh, dropping my head into my hands.

*

I sat in my apartment, watching the New York Giants lost to the Dallas Cowboys. The phone was ringing in the background, but I refused to answer it. The four messages on my answering machine didn’t make me want to pick up the phone.

“Alex, it’s Michael. I know you’re there and that you can hear this. I’m out in Beverly Hills and I’ve got some work for us. Give me a call. My number is…” I blanked out the number, having no desire to call my old friend back. I knew what kind of work Michael was referring to, and had been hoping to avoid resorting to that kind of “employment.”

Another hour of watching the Giants lose, and the phone rang again. Again I let the machine get it, but it wasn’t Michael this time.

“Mr. Grey, this is Susan down at 32^nd Financial Bank. We really need to talk about your account. Please give me a call at…” C’mon Alex, why are you doing this to yourself. You’re young, well, youngish, and Michael wouldn’t call you unless he really needed your help.

The phone rang again, and this time I answered, the stack of bills and the phone messages from the bank finally swaying my convictions.

“Alex, glad to finally catch you. I was thinking I might have some work right up your alley.” Michael was his usual jovial self, always smiling, always making everything into a joke. He had been born a con-man and would die one.

“Well I appreciate that. I’m sure you know I’ve been having a hard time finding work out here in New York. So…what did you have in mind?” I already knew, but this little song and dance was something we went through every time Michael called me with another “job” opportunity.

“It’s not something I feel real comfortable discussing over the phone. Why don’t you take a flight out here? We can see the sights, talk some business, maybe find ourselves a couple of pretty young ladies looking to have a good time. It’ll be like Vegas, only without the cross-dresser.” Waking up next to woman, dressed as a man, pretending to be a woman had been interesting to say the least. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

“I don’t think anything could end like Vegas. That sort of thing usually only happens in movies and in stories.” I was walking around my apartment, grabbing a few things to throw in a suitcase while we talked. I knew I was going, I certainly wasn’t doing anything else.

“I’m sending you a ticket. It’ll be there tomorrow, it’s a good seat, first class. Come on out, you can see the family, Stephen’s back in town, and we’ll have some laughs. No pressure. Promise.” I sighed, shaking my head at nobody in particular. Right, no pressure. No pressure from Michael is like gravity saying it won’t keep you on the ground.

“Alright, I’ll come out, but if this ends up with either one of us drag again, I’m never speaking to you again.”

*

I raise my head from my hands, glancing back across the cell.

“Daniel, take that dress off!” I shout, frowning at him, wondering why they even allowed him to keep wearing that thing when they arrested him.

“I don’t have anything else to wear,” he mumbles, looking to Michael and Stephen for some support. They both just shrug and laugh a little.

“Well you should have thought of that before you let yourself be talked into wearing it. That would have been a good idea, eh genius boy?” My head finds my hands again, unable to bring myself to look at Daniel anymore, though I can hear him sniffling. Two grown men crying…you are a cold bastard.

“Oh come on Alex, at least it was fun getting here,” Michael tries to put a good spin on what is happening. I raise my eyes, giving him the same look that has made Daniel and Stephen cry, hoping for the Hat Trick. It doesn’t work…Michael never cries.

“Ok, so maybe it wasn’t that fun, but you did get to see my mother again, and she did miss you.” I can’t help but sob a little into my hands.

*

The flight out to California was first class as promised, and I even managed to get a bit tipsy during the flight. Dealing with Michael and his job offers was always easier with a little bit of a buzz.

“Alex, so good o you to make it. I take it the flight was good?” Michael came out of nowhere and took my bags, Stephen on the other side of him, grinning that stupid grin of his.

“It was great, thanks for the seat. So, where are we headed?” I watched Michael look at Stephen and then back to me.

“Beverly Hills.” Michael quickly switched my bags from hand to the other as I went to grab my bags and get back on the plane.

“Are you crazy? Beverly Hills? People spend more on their cars then I spent on my first house, and then they spend even more on security to keep it all safe.” I made another grab for my bags, but Michael still managed to keep them away from me, still moving out towards the parking deck.

“You worry too much Alex. We’re not going to bother any of the fine citizens of Beverly Hills in their homes…” I breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing a bit. “We’re going to go and bother Harry-Winston Jewelers.” Michael quickened his step, taking him just ahead of myself and closer to the parking deck.

“WHAT?! Are you completely out of your mind? Harry-Winston? Do you know what will happen to us if we get caught?” Don’t yell in the airport Alex, yelling in airports gets you a cavity search.

“That’s why we won’t get caught. Feel better about it now?” Stephen laughed at Michael’s comment, he always was sucking up to his older brother.

“Geez, why didn’t you just say that in the beginning? I’d feel so much better about the fact that I’m going to prison. Look at me Michael…I’m too pretty for prison…I will not be some guys wife.”

“You’re always so pessimistic. Trust Michael, he’s never let you down yet has he?” Stephen took my bag from David, tossing it in the trunk.

“Stephen…” I turned to the younger man, rubbing my eyes with one hand.

“Actually, I go by Boomer now.”

“Boomer?”

“Boomer.”

“Michael, I told you he wasn’t allowed to watch Ocean’s 11 anymore. And stop with the stupid British accent Stephen, you’re from New Jersey. You need more Bon Jovi, and less Robbie Williams.” I brushed past Stephen and Michael to get in the car, claiming shotgun like it was my birth-right.

The drive out to Michael and Stephen’s house was well over two hours, and the silence did nothing to make the drive feel shorter. I was greeted at the door by their mother, Miss Andrews.

“If you don’t start calling me Mom I’m going to smack you.” Miss Andrews was the all-American mother. Just the right amount of grey hair, always smiling, always cooking, and she always smelled of fresh-baked cookies.

“Sorry Mom. It’s good to see you again. It’s been too long.” I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. She really was the best part of being friends with Michael and Stephen.

“I’ll say it’s been too long. Now sit down so I can feed you. You look like you haven’t eaten in days.” The meal that was forced upon me was nothing short of epic in nature. Four courses and two notches on my belt, and I was stuffed to explode.

“You really are the best cook in the world Mom.” Stephen had dropped the fake accent around his mother, for which I was eternally grateful.

“So, what brings you to town?” Michael and Stephen both looked at me. Miss Andrews had no idea what their sons did for a “living,” and they would have preferred to keep it that way.

“Just out visiting. I hadn’t been out to this side of the country in a while, and since it’s colder than a well-diggers’ ass in New York this time of year, I thought I would finally take Michael and Stephen on their offer to come out and visit.” Michael and Stephen both nodded their thanks to me.

“Well, we’re glad to have you. How long will you be staying with us?”

“Actually, we’re going into Beverly Hills for a few days to see some old friends Mom. But we knew you want to see Alex too, so we made sure to bring him to you first.” Michael piped in around a bite of apple pie.

“Well, so long as I get to see you again before you leave.” Miss Andrews smiled at all three of us and began to clean the table, shooing me away when I offered to help.

*

“Have you called your mother yet?” I looked up at Michael, trying not to smirk at him.

“No, I didn’t want to bother her with this. You know she’s not as healthy as she lets on, and it would break her heart to find out we were in here. Besides…she’d just blame me for dragging you and Stephen into this. She always did like you two better.”

I can’t help but laugh at him. He scowls at first, but then breaks into a smile. Soon he’s laughing too, and so is Stephen. Daniel is still sitting there, wiping away tears with the corner of his dress.

“Oh cheer up Daniel. It could be worse. You’re mother could be here.” We all laugh at Michael’s comment…even Daniel.

*

The next morning I got into the car with Michael and Stephen again, and we headed into the city. The drive to their Beverly Hills hotel takes the better part of the day, and it’s still quiet while we drive, making it feel longer.

The hotel room was nice: two bedrooms, three beds, a pull-out sofa, small kitchenette. It was more than enough for the three of us, but then, when we stepped inside, we were no longer three.

“Daniel, it’s been a while. Your mother still dressing you?” I tried to hide the contempt from my voice. I hate momma’s boys.

“Mother tries to make sure that I’m presentable. You know I’d be a wreck if I was left to my own devices.” He tries to put some bass in his voice, but it just isn’t in him as he dry-washes his hands on the front of his pressed chinos.

“Right, you’re a wuss. Got it.” I turned back to Michael and Stephen. “I’m taking a nap, and when I wake up, we’re going to discuss exactly what you think we’re going to be doing.” Before they could answer, I had snatched my bags and gone into the bedroom with the single bed, closed the door, and flopped into the bed, falling asleep not five minutes later.

*

“Hey, convicts, your lawyer is here.” The guard bangs his stick against the bars, trying to act like Denzel Washington even though he looks like Don Knotts.

“Lawyer?” I look at Michael and Stephen, both of whom shrug back at me.

“Hello Daniel. I see you’re still hanging out with the same bad element.” That voice, the condescending one that every boy knows until he makes his mother know that he’s not six years old any more. Unless of course that boy is Daniel.

“Hello Mother.” Michael and I both groan.

“Daniel, how many times have I told you that hanging out with these hooligans was going to end with you in jail? You’re far too smart to be trying to steal diamonds for a living. You should be at MIT, finding a wife and starting a career.” Miss Sorty crosses her arms over her chest, tapping her foot in that special way that only a mother can manage. C’mon Daniel, stand up to her for once in your life.

“I know Mother, I’m too smart to be hanging out with these hooligans, but is there any chance that you could bail us out of here, and that we could discuss this at home?” Daniel walks towards the bars, sticking one arm through, trying to take her hand in his. Way to cave Daniel, let her know that she does own that spine of yours.

“Yes well, this time you’re on your own. I’m done trying to keep you out of trouble. I just wanted to come and let you know that. Good-bye son.” She turns and walks out, head held high, her steps quick, somehow conveying her unhappiness.

“We’re so screwed.” Daniel’s head bangs against the bars, his arm still stuck through.

*

The nap did nothing to make me feel better about a conversation that I knew would only give me grey hairs. A shower and shave found me sitting on the couch, Daniel, Michael, and Stephen standing in front of me like they were about to present a new product to a potential investor.

“The job itself will be easy. Daniel and myself will go in before hand as a couple looking to purchase some jewelry. Of course Daniel will have on a camera so that we can map the place out, pick our enter and exit points. Once we have that video, we pick the best date, get in, get out. It’ll be real easy, and we’ll be gone before they even we were there. We’ll be in Mexico by the time they realize what happened.” Michael smiled, so self-assured. He was so sure his plan was fool-proof.

“A couple? I know this is California, but I’m not sure anybody is going to believe you two as a gay couple. Neither one of you is in that kind of shape.” Or has a good enough fashion sense. I couldn’t help but smile, fairly certain I knew where this was going.

“Well, Daniel’s going to have to wear a dress. We couldn’t find one that would fit me. Besides, the dress we found will bring out those baby blues of his.” Michael nudged Daniel, chuckling.

“Thanks, really appreciate that.” Daniel managed a smile, obviously uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a dress.

“It’s so nice to be working with proper villains again.” Everybody looked to Stephen.

“No more Ocean’s 11for you, and that’s final.”

*

I lean back against the wall, laughing as I look over Daniel, sitting on the bench opposite me, his legs crossed at the ankle, trying to be proper, even while wearing a dress.

“You really do look terrible in that dress Daniel. Michael lied to you, it does nothing for your eyes.” I try not to laugh at the younger man, a bit of smeared lipstick making him look more like a clown than a man in drag.

“Yeah well, me in a dress isn’t the reason we’re in here, now is it Stephen?”

“Boomer guys, it’s Boomer.” Stephen managed to whine even with that stupid British accent he was using again.

“SHUT UP STEPHEN!” Well all yell at him, our nerves finally frayed beyond reason.

*

The recon went fine, though we had to stick Daniel in flats unless we wanted him to break an ankle. Three hours later, and a sprained ankle despite the flats, and we had the video that we needed.

“We’ve got to do this quick. The holiday season will be starting soon and the inventory will go down hill quick.” Michael spread out a map of the building as he talked.

“How quick is ‘quick?’” I softly asked, leaning on the table as I looked over the map.

“How’s three nights from now strike you?” I couldn’t help but whistle through my teeth.

“That’s soon. Maybe too soon. Do you think we can be ready?” I looked over at Michael.

“We’re going to have to be, because in three days, all those beautiful jewels are going to a lot of different peoples’ homes, and we already said we weren’t going to bother them at home.”

“Fair enough. Alright, let’s get to it then.”

“This will be great mates. Absolutely great.” Stephen was sipping tea and munching on a crumpet he had found.

“You’re an idiot Stephen.” I was really trying not to hit him. It wasn’t easy.

“It’ll be easy. Stephen, you, and I will go in through the roof. Daniel will stay outside and make sure that the cameras only show what we want them to. If the police find out we’re in there, he’ll let us know before they even get close, and we’ll get out of there. No worries.” Michael leaned back in his chair, hands going behind his head, green eyes dancing with amusement. So self-assured.

“Ok, so we’re in and out in ten minutes. Only grab what’s in the display cases, and we don’t even look at the vault. We hear one peep about police and we’re out of there and in another country. Deal?” Michael extended his hand towards me.

“Deal.” I shook his hand.

*

I nudge Michael, trying to hide a smile.

“I still hate you by the way, and you’re very much not getting a Christmas present from me this year.” Michael laughs, shoving me lightly.

“You don’t hate me. If not for me you’d still be in New York watching the Giants and Yankees suck. You should thank me for keeping your life interesting. Besides, you’d miss me if I didn’t call you once in a while.”

“Oh yeah, the same way I miss getting a prostate exam once a year.” I shoved him back, laughing.

*

The van was parked across the street from the store, Daniel wearing the dress again, his reason vague and oddly strange. Something about keeping up the illusion that he had been shopping here. It was jus weird to me.

We were all dressed in grey, black being too conspicuous, repelling harnesses already on, each with a rope and a bag full of equipment slung over our shoulders.

“Once we’re inside, it’s ten minutes to get what we can and then we get out. We don’t take anything we can’t lift from the sales floor, we don’t break any glass, and we don’t touch the vault. We’re all clear, right Stephen?” Michael looked right at his younger brother.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re clear.”

“Good. Now, once we’re on the roof Daniel will let us know when to go. We repel down, fill our bags, climb back out. It’ll be like taking candy from a baby. A very rich baby.”

Forty-five minutes later found us on the roof, Stephen more than a little out of breath.

“Alright, I’m going to open the skylight. Alex, you find a spot to secure our lines. And make sure it’s something sturdy, I want to repel, not sky-dive.” Michael turned, already pulling tools out of his pack to open up the skylight.

Another ten minutes and we had our opening, lines secured, and we were ready to drop into our own little diamond heaven.

“Alright Daniel, kill the security. I don’t want any pressure sensors, silent alarms, or cameras.” Michael motioned to Stephen and me, letting us know it was safe to repel down.

I made it down my rope without incident, touching down softly, no pressure sensors being tripped. Good job Daniel. Before me lay a sales floor with more diamonds than I had ever thought to see in my life. A grin found its way onto my face. Happy holidays Alex. You deserve this.

“There’s enough money here to support a small country for years.” Stephen’s eyes were as big as saucers.

Michael came up behind us, already taking to Daniel over walkie-talkie. “We’re in Daniel. Pull the truck around back. We’ll let you know when we’re coming out.” Michael motioned to us. It was time to go shopping.

We went in different directions, each using everything at our disposal to get the cases open without shattering the glass. In a twist of irony, I used a diamond-edged glass cutter to open a hold into a number of the cases, reaching in and helping myself to the diamonds within.

Ten minutes passes quickly when you’re having fun, and soon we were all lugging around very heavy sacks.

“Alright guys, I think we’ve got more than enough to support ourselves for quite some time. Let’s get back up those ropes and get out of here.” Michael cinched his bag shut, heading back to the ropes, smiling all the way.

“Hey, what’s in here? I’ll bet this is where they keep the good stuff.” Michael and I turned to look at Stephen, who was standing in front of the very large safe.

“That’s the safe. The safe we said we would not be touching. Now come on, let’s go.” I waved him over, more than ready to be out and on my way.

“Oh c’mon. I’ll bet I can get it open in two seconds.” Stephen reached around into his bag, quickly pulling out a block that looked like nothing so much as a small, square piece of grey molding clay. He pushed it onto the safe, sticking two cords coming out of his bag into it, then ran away, diving behind a desk.

“Michael, tell me that’s not what I think it…” I turned towards Michael, and was then pushed into him as the explosion took me off of my feet and launched me towards the other wall, with Michael along for the ride.

The ringing in my ears gave me an idea of how bad it was. The layer of debris on top of me confirmed my suspicions. I managed to climb out from under the layers of rubble that had been dropped on me. I’m going to kill Stephen. Kill him until he’s dead.

“Michael, you alive?”

“Yeah, I’m alive. Is Stephen? If not, I’m going to kill him.”

“Michael! Alex! What was that noise?” Daniel came across loud through my walkie-talkie, which had managed to survive the explosion.

“It was Stephen. Who let him have plastic explosives?” Michael snatched my walkie-talkie, his lying in pieces on the floor.

“Stephen! Are you alive?!” I started making my way towards the last place I had seen him.

“Michael, the cops are on their way. They’re going to be here any minute now. What do you want me to do?” Daniel was starting to hyper-ventilate.

“Get out of here, we’ll find out own way out. No point in all of us being caught.”

“Stephen! Where are you?! Michael, I can’t find your brother.”

“I’m here!” a voice from under a pair of tables drew us both. We quickly managed to dig him out, and then had to fight over which of us would strangle him first.

“Guys! I didn’t think it would be so bad. It’s never that bad in the movies.”

“You used plastic explosives on a jewelry store safe! That’s so far beyond overkill that I don’t know where to start!” I shoved Michael to the side, my hands reaching for Stephens throat.

Sirens surrounded us, and the cops were soon piling into the store, pulling Michael and me off of Stephen before we could kill him.

*

Stephen sits down on the cell bench next to me, and I have to clench my hands into fists to stop myself from strangling him again.

“I’m not sure how many times I can say I’m sorry, but I’m sorry.” He squeaks out another apology, flinching against the attack he knew I was fighting back.

“Don’t speak Stephen. Don’t even look at me.” I still have my hands clinched.

“Seriously guys, I’d really like to be called Boomer…”

My hands find their way around Stephen’s neck, taking him to the floor so that I can really apply the pressure.

“Don’t kill him Alex! Just rough him up a little!” Daniel and Michael egg me on, shouting names at him. This time, the guard doesn’t come to break us up. We probably won’t kill him. We haven’t yet.