SICK IN THE HEAD ~ David Barber's Debut in "THE SHADOWS OF OUR NOIR"

Sick in the Head.

By David Barber

Dad, it’s so late.

What are you doing down here

You look a state

Have you been hitting the beer

  

I’ve been waiting for you, son

Did you forget the curfew

You know, it’s not a lot of fun

Waiting and worrying about you

  

This is so lame, Dad,

I’m not a kid anymore,

I’m 21, no longer a lad

I’ve got ‘the key to the door’

  

There’s a killer out there

And I don’t want you dead

Do you think it’s fair

I’m worried out of my head

   

As I’ve just said

I’m no longer a child

I’ve got a good head

I’m not foolish or wild

  

Age is immaterial

To a hunter of the flesh

Be it singular or serial

Be it old or be it fresh

  

Dad, if you want the truth

I went down the pub

I met up with Ruth

I think we’re in love

  

Are you being serious

That slag from The Crown

That’s fuckin’ hilarious

She’s the bike of the town

  

You don’t have a clue

You’re so wrong about her

I’m done talking to you

This chat is totally over

  

You could find another

Not that dirty one

You could do a lot better

Get rid of her, son

  

My ears are sore

And your words are dead

I’m not listening anymore

I’m going to my bed

  

Tomorrow you’re staying here

You hear what I said

There’s a maniac out there

Who is sick in the head

The killer targets females

It said so on the news

And according to the details

Takes away their shoes

  

A guy or a chick

It doesn’t matter, son

If his mind clicks

He’ll strike: job done

  

Wait, how do you know

That the killer’s a he

The news never said so

It could be a she

  

Just go to bed, son

You’ll be safe up there

I’m staying down here

I’ll be sat in my chair

  

I walk up to my room

And close the door

My Dad will be sleeping soon

Of that I’m sure

  

I take out the blade

From my bedside drawer

And walk over to my wardrobe

Slowly opening the door

  

In there are my prizes

On the shelf behind my clothes

All styles and sizes

In nice neat rows

  

Red ones, black ones

Navy ones, too

All expensive leather ones

The best kind of shoe

  

I leave my room

The knife held in my hand

And walk through the gloom

Not making a sound

  

I enter his bedroom

My dad’s still downstairs

In a world of dream

Asleep in his chair

  

I walk to his wardrobe

And open the door

Moving aside a bathrobe

And assess the score

  

I count up the shoes

My dad is one pair ahead

It obviously proves

We’re BOTH sick in the head

©2012 Author DAVID BARBER

Another original DEBUT ~ AT THE BIJOU

for ~ "The Shadows of Our NOIR"

 

Absolutely*Kate sails authors
in all their cross currents

David, David, David ~ 

You are a prince 'mongst mere mortals -- You've let ME pub this FIRST! What a gem - and what a beginning to  beguine a whole slew of variant scenes . . . You've a separate book in the making when each stanza-laden delight strings together what you said your head did not know from where  words hailed . . . Hmm, one wonders what could take over a madman so wise?

This is bountifully brill, but you felt that flow from the first to all the cross currents of stream-throughs ~ didn't you? Each stanza evokes both picture and mood and tucks in phrases all just right, just right, just right. Should I effuse any more you'll either get your noggin stuck in doorways or wonder what's in my coffee. 

DAVID BARBER, "NOIRETRY's" ~ STANZA-MAN ~

 Kate,
  
Well, my head is huge now! You're way too kind! Thank you for enjoying my work, Kate. Poetry isn't normally my thing. Thanks again for the spotlight. It's great to be back submitting work.

Best,
David.

DAVID BARBER
MAN WITH PEN
needing no license

He knows how to use it.

JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM 

David Barber was born and bred in Manchester, England, but after 39 years of city life decided to up sticks and move to  Crieff in Scotland with his wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, Imogen and Melissa.  

Having written for a few years when he was younger, fatherhood took hold and, being self employed, earning money suddenly became more important so mindless scribbling had to take a back seat.

It was after a visit back down to Manchester that his childhood friend and fellow writer, Col Bury, invited him to write something for a magazine he was assistant editor of – the award winning magazine Thrillers, Killers ‘n’ Chillers.  He rattled off a six sentence story called 'Sorry Love' and sent it off.  That piece then went off to win a 2nd place Bullet Award.  

Since that day his writing has flowed from fingers to keyboard and onto magazines, such as A Twist of Noir, Near To The Knuckle, The New Flesh and Blink Ink.  He has also had the honour of having stories published in print and in e-book anthologies, True Brit Grit, Action: Pulse Pounding Tales, Off The Record and The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology.

He has just ended an 18 month stint as editor of The Flash Fiction Offensive.  During that time his eye for detail has vastly improved and the editing side of the industry has helped his own writing enormously.

He is currently working on a few projects including a novel and an e-book short story collection.  

David Barber can be found lurking at David Barber ~ Writer  

On Amazon, on Twitter at @thetwoblokes and on Facebook

BUT ~ Be these murmurings

FACTS OR FICTION? 

HOT HAYES

"David moved to Scotland only because he's always want to root for the Dunfermline Athletic Football Club and secondly (maybe more importantly) of his (some say unnatural) attraction (and affection) to the famous Scottish Highland Cow. He's a woolly buggar our David is. "

~ AT THE BIJOU Author AJ Fedora Fella Hayes

(scroll around - see him rough his stuff)

POUR ANOTHER, SMITH

"Dave is a tiler who unwinds by going for a night on the tiles. Dave's beauty therapist wife gives him a makeover every Sunday night. "

~ AT THE BIJOU Author Graham Sensation Smith (scroll around -you'll find him)

LADY LAITY

"Fact: David Barber once considered being a barber so he could have a business card that said “Barber, Barber” and planned to ply his trade in Sing Sing or else Walla Walla.

"Fiction: As a wee lad, David Barber starred in frightening public information films to warn children away from the dangers of the then popular sport of cat wheedling, but was found to be allergic to moggies and summarily fired. 

They might both be untrue... "

~ Author shady lady, Kate Laity, taking on all the spotlights she can unshadow for an AT THE BIJOU debut . . . as summer goes to a month of Julys.

MY GODFATHER,
GODWIN

"David Barber used to model himself on Sweeney Todd before he was arrested for stealing pork pies."

~ Good God, it's Author Godwin, Richard Godwin -- yeah, that's him ~ Watch for The Godwin Show of Shows debuting on hot summer nights, 

AT THE BIJOU.

RG: Kate your mischievousness will get you in trouble one day, I am fully prepared for my debut at the bijou, I am having my tux steamed. ~ Richard.

TWO SWINGING BOYS

"David Barber's nickname as a spotty teen was 'Barbs' to some, and he had (still has?) an uncanny resemblance to Depeche Mode's lead singer, David Gahan. Also, our good friend is a Manchester United fan, BUT he was a ball boy for their/his bitter rivals (and my beloved blues) Manchester City back in the 80's, and I was on the front row behind the goal (slightly envious) as he scampered around the sacred grass collecting any stray balls (coughs) for my (his?) heroes. Is he really a closet Man. City fan...? ;-)" 

~ Author of true grit, cool COL BURY, 

likewise making his AT THE BIJOU Debut

... after novel gets to agent!

THIS JUST IN from our AUTHOR!

"Kate,

You're a star. It looks great and has taken me by surprise. I've been a tad busy this past week with my e-book, which is now available on Amazon. Here's the link if you could (by any chance) add to the post." ~ David

Kate (packing yet, packing yet, for 6'am flight to OuterBanks grand seaside all-the-family-in-the-family vacation) -- "GOTCHA COVERED PAL. But -- YOU are the shining star shootin' off all heights!"

Here ya go folks ~ 

BUY THE BRAND SPANKIN' NEW BARBER BOOK 

HOT OFF THE E-PRESSES!

Yep, you can find ~

 David Barber's "The Stranger"

Graham Smith's "Isaa's Island Prison"

Kate Laity's "Chickens"

Richard Godwin's "Savage Sun"

Col Bury's "Gallance"

and Absolutely*Kate's "Angel Tough"

all pulsating in ~

 MATT HILTON'S tumultuous

ACTION PULSE POUNDING TALES,

natch at Amazon, US and UK.

Thanks David for takin' the heat under the spotlights and kleigs ~

* AT THE BIJOU *

~ Absolutely*Kate,

inviting "Come one, come all!"

to ~ "THE SHADOWS OF OUR NOIR"

Sashay or Saunter in every

summer*weekend!

The popcorn's better buttery,

and the hits?

Heck, they just keep comin'!

WHATTA LINEUP!

WHEN AN AUTHOR

 MEETS AN AUTHOR,

COMIN' THROUGH THE WRY,

you'll next spy ~

the thrill of PAUL BRAZILL

good God, it's GODWIN

shady lady, KATE LAITY

and more,

so very sure

 and shadowy more 

"Be there

or be square, Bub.

You too,

Toots.

Our Katie puts on

absolutely

killer shows."

" WHATTA LINEUP "

WHATTA LINEUP!

WHEN AN AUTHOR

 MEETS AN AUTHOR,

COMIN' THROUGH THE WRY

Psssst ~  Word around WebTowne is  ~

"The Shadows of Our Noir"

are summer-sizzlin' 

~ with ~

DAVID BARBER

PAUL BRAZILL

RICHARD GODWIN

KATE LAITY

GRAHAM SMITH

and

ABSOLUTELY*KATE

from the 

MATT HILTON

ACTION: PULSE POUNDING TALES 

a u t h o r  c r e w   o f   r e n o w n

{ Psst ~ Click title above ~ Get the palpitating book yet? ~ You read my tough tale, "ANGEL TOUGH"? ~ Whatcha think? ~ You read Barber's & Brazill's & Godwin's & Laity's & Smith's & Hilton's of course in the course of your heightened awaresness that this book is so hot it *sizzzzzles*? After that, there's but 30 more in store . . . gonna go twist their elbow for an AT THE BIJOU show next. You'll see. }

* AT THE BIJOU *

Sashay or Saunter in every
summer*weekend!

The popcorn's better buttery,

and the hits?

Heck, they just keep comin'.

Dateline ~ JUNE 17th . . . NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS

The 17th of June ~ 


The Battle of Bunker Hill
The Watergate Break-In thrill
OJ Simpson's unglorified white Ford Bronco ride
  
~ And this year, once again,
my Birthday and Father's Day side by side by side.

In childhood days, Mom's mastery with aqua icing put a ripple right smack dab down the middle of our cake. Chocolate cake, buttercream white, piles of happy lovin' laughin' ~ sharing day and life with my hero, my Dad ~ THE ultimate delight.

My Dad is why 

my Spirit is undauntable.

My Dad is why

 I believe in believers,

and that those whose lives we touch or reach or jostle with jazz are the true enrichments of 

our Life's greater show.

Dad's my heaven on earth today.

We'll share a cup of coffee, together, some way.

And having my cake and eating it too?

Same cake, same aqua ripple ~ an act of love of the love o'my life . . . He knows ~ that what matters in the soul of how you got to be who/how you are should always matter.

Happy Celebrations to Dads

 and fellow Gemini charmers 

Such Thanks to all of you . . . *AT THE BIJOU*

as our interactions shine through and true.

~ Absolutely*BirthdayKate,

~ sharing Father's Day . . . once again

with my Dad, the star in my firmaments,

knowing great shows of Life always go on

( Cue music ~ Hit it Mr Berlin )

I love you Dad.

Thanks . . . for letting me know 

people who love people are the

luckiest people in this here world.

~ Absolutely*Kate

Oh, you did so good Kid ----

Proudly Presenting ~ "NOVEMBER, 1955" by Leon Jackson Davenport . . . back AT THE BIJOU for "THE SHADOWS OF OUR NOIR"

November, 1955

By Leon Jackson Davenport

She was beautiful. Tall and slender with dark-brown eyes, (the kind in which one can lose his soul); her light skin was perfect, her smile mesmerizing, and her taste in clothes impeccable. She was the kind of woman, we all dream of attracting, one that will be the envy of both genders; the women want to be like her, and men need her to love us.

It was November 1955, and I was still basking in the glow of the Dodger’s victory over the Yankees in the World Series. It was made even sweeter because the Dodgers did it with so many Negro players: Joe Black, Don Newcombe, Roy Campanella, Jim Gilliam, Sandy Amoros and the man, Jackie Robinson all played pivotal parts in helping the beloved team from Brooklyn win.

I was drinking Jack Daniels, in a little bar near my office, which I frequent, just to be sociable, and to keep up on what’s happening in the neighborhood. The combination of good reliable information, a quick right hand and a ready smile usually gets me what I want, I’m not bragging just laying out the facts.

She walked over to me, gliding as every eye in the place watched her.

“Mr. Gunn? Mr. Jacob Gunn?”

“Yeah, I’m Gunn. What can I do for you, Miss, ah?”

“Jones, Amanda Jones.”

“What can I do for you Miss Jones?”

“I’d like to talk to you in private Mr. Gunn. Can we move to that booth over there in the back?”

“You’re new here aren’t you?” I said smiling. “That booth belongs to Tommy Brown. He runs the numbers in this neighborhood. Nobody sits in Tommy’s booth, not even me. Lets go over there,” I say pointing to a booth next to Tommy’s, a little closer to the back door.

“It is quiet, and we can talk.” She led the way, and every head in the bar turned to watch.

She told me about her predicament: a former boyfriend was threatening her, and she was scared. All she wanted was to be left alone, and she asked if could I pay him a visit and convince him that the best course of action, for him, was to move on. She made it very plain, that it was all right with her, if he was slapped around a little in the process; after all, he slapped her around, more than a few times, over the three years they were together. I asked if she had a current boyfriend, and her answer was vague. I figured she did and he must have been white and married. He couldn’t get his hands dirty, or he didn’t know about the old boyfriend; however, the old boyfriend knew about the brand-new boyfriend, and he was threatening to louse up her new life. I told her that I’d talk to him. She slid an envelope across the table. In the envelope were three $50 bills and a card with a name and address along with a picture of the gentleman in question. She said there would be another couple of hundred in it for me when I completed the job. I told her I’d have something to tell her in a couple of days. She gave me her thanks, a smile and then disappeared into the night.

~ ~ * ~ ~

The next morning I went to the address on the card. It was a prewar apartment building with black-and-white tiles in the lobby, high ceilings, ornate moldings, and grand archways; it was a beautiful building. I wondered if they had any vacancies, I would have liked to live there. Then I thought about the business I was about, and I decided it was only a pipe dream; I was going to kick the snot out of one of my perspective neighbors, not a good way to introduce yourself.

It was an elevator building without a doorman or front desk, so, once I got someone to buzz me in; I could go right up. I had a photo of the target, and as I walked by, a guy resembling my client’s former boyfriend came walking out the front door. He had a lunchbox and was wearing coveralls with his name on one side and “Quality Auto Repair” on the other.

While he was gone, I decided to go upstairs and make myself at home. The guy I wanted, lived on the third floor near the back. The front door was locked, but I knew from experience, with a little patience someone will let you in. It could be a teacher going off to work; or a factory worker dragging in after third shift; a kid off to school or a mom off to buy groceries. Sometimes it would take a nice smile and nod of the head, but someone will always let you in.

Today it was the teacher; she eyed me up and down, noticing how sharply I was dressed. I wore a fedora; brim pulled low; neatly pressed tan pants with a white dress shirt, light starch and a blue blazer with gold buttons and my shoes shone to a high gloss. I smiled; that confident, friendly, useful smile that has gotten me out of more scrapes than I could count.

“Thank-you ma’am.”

“That’s miss.”

“Oh, thank-you miss.”

“Gloria, Gloria Powell, from 4C. Are you new to the building?”

“I’m thinking of moving in. Do you know of any vacancies, Miss Gloria?”

“I think 2D is moving. But check with the super and don’t let him swindle you, he sometime tries to add $10 or $15 to the rent for new people.”

“Why, thank-you Miss Gloria, with that information, I’ll be ready for him.”

“Hope you get that apartment.”

“Me, too. Thank-you Miss Gloria, have a nice day.”

“Good-bye Mr.?”

“Gunn, Jacob Gunn.”

“Good-bye Mr. Gunn.”

I offer my hand, and she takes it.

“Please, Miss Gloria, call me Jacob.”

“All right, good-bye Jacob,” she pulls her hand away teasing my fingers. I hold open the door and watch her walk down the street and around the corner; she didn’t look back, but you could tell she knew I was watching.

I walked up to the third floor and tried the lock; it was open, amazing in this day an age, that people still left their front doors open. I looked around the apartment. Mr. Little lived simply; a small black-and-white TV was on a table in the corner, and the radio on the kitchen counter was tuned to a jazz station. The living room was furnished with a couch, and an easy chair placed in front of the TV; a cheap turquoise dinette for two was next to the counter separating the kitchen from the living room, no pictures, not of him, my client or his parents, he’s a loner or maybe an orphan. In the single bedroom, he had made his bed; he was most likely a military man, judging from the Spartan furnishings and the shoes shined and placed neatly in the closet; one, no two nice suits, they looked tailor made, no women’s clothes, no clothes that didn’t belong to him. He was a big guy 52 long; most of the clothes came from Macy’s, there was one suit with a fancy Italian label probably a gift, but from whom? The client dropped a hundred and fifty beans without batting an eye. Maybe she gave it to him; she was the kind of woman who would want her man to look good if she was going to be on his arm.

I found his checkbook and savings passbook; he has a balance of $318.76, really $328.76 in the checking, (he forgot to carry the one) and $1521 in savings. That seems like a lot of money for a mechanic, he could be saving for a car, he could almost buy a new Chevy, or Ford, but if he wanted a Pontiac, he was a few hundred short. I wondered if he earned it the old-fashioned way, or if it was a payoff to keep silent.

Well, I got the lay of the land, and it was time to go; I put everything back the way I found it, because I was going to come back tonight and have a talk with Mr. William Little. I checked the hallway; no one was around, and as I closed the door, I thought “Mr. Little it has been a pleasure getting to know you.”

~ ~ * ~ ~

He left for work around 8 am. So, I figured a half-hour on the subway, arriving at work about 8:30 am; eight hours working; a half-hour for lunch means he’d clock out at 5 pm; another half-hour on the subway home, arriving around 5:30 pm; add another hour to clean up and eat he should be ready for our little chat around 6:30 pm tonight.

I came back around 6 pm just in time to see him leaving. I admit I was curious how Mr. Little spent his evenings, so I followed him. He stopped at a payphone and made a call. It was a local call because he only put in one nickel. I was too far away to hear to whom he was talking or what was said, but I could see that he was very upset. A minute or two into the call he began to strike the side of the telephone, over and over, harder and harder, faster and faster; like he was beating out a message, suddenly he shouts something into the telephone and violently hangs up.

“I bet I know where he is headed next,” I say out loud.

The name of the bar was Kate’s, it was a nice neighborhood bar that served food, which looked and smelled good; it had my favorite beer on tap, Schlitz, and if you were of a different mind, Budweiser and Miller High Life. The prices were reasonable, Kate was friendly, and the other patrons were into minding their own business.

I took a seat near the back, ordered pastrami on rye and a beer, and watched Mr. Little drown his sorrows.

It seemed that Mr. Little preferred Budweiser, which was the only thing I found, so far, that wasn’t likeable, well, except that he likes to slap dames around. I couldn’t do much about the former but the latter I was going to address later tonight.

I finished my sandwich and left a healthy tip for Kate; and then I went to Mr. Little’s apartment and waited for him to return. Again, he left the door open, and I slipped inside. I sat in the living room chair with the lights off thinking I’d surprise him; he was a big guy and even after a few drinks, he could be hard to handle.

By the time he got home, he was tight, not drunk, but you could tell he was feeling it. Fumbling with the door, he managed to get it closed and was feeling around for the light switch when I spoke.

“Mr. Little?”

Startled he hit the light switch and spun around.

“Who are you and why the fuck are you in my living room?”

“Mr. Little I have been asked by a young woman, Miss Amanda Jones, that I believe you know, to ask you to stop bothering her. She feels that your time together, while somewhat amusing, is over and the smart thing to do would be to have no further contact with her.”

“What business is it of yours? That is between me and Amanda.”

“I was asked, by Miss Jones, to deliver this message to you.”

“Right, like I give a good God damn.”

“Mr. Little, you should give a damn. I’m here to deliver the message; and come to an equitable accommodation; so, I can overlook your unfortunate outburst, but understand I will protect my client's interest, vigorously.”

“Okay, what’ll she pay?”

“I’m not authorized to discuss that with you.”

“Then why am I wasting my time talking to you? It is like I told her on the phone tonight, she gives me what I want or I’ll tell her fine, married, white boy, not only she isn’t white but (here is the cherry on top): I was there first; big, black, me. I’d bet that little cracker will run for the hills or back to his wife’s bed, if she’ll have him, and Amanda will be left out in the cold.”

“Mr. Little, I‘m here to see that doesn’t happen.”

“Who’s going to stop me? You?"

”Yes.”

He was three inches taller and 35 or so pounds heaver and well muscled. I was a star football player in college, starting at fullback and linebacker, and I was the place kicker too. I never did mind a little scrap; I enjoyed it occasionally; it felt good besting another man with fist, knife, or gun, it didn’t matter to me.

Mr. Little charged me; I stood up and relied on a skill learned on the gridiron. I gave him my 35-yard field goal kick, right in the balls, which dropped him to his knees. A quick left, left, right, and he was done, curled up on the floor holding his nuts and trying to regain feeling in his face.

I sat back down in the chair and waited until he could talk. After a while, he spoke.

“You son-of-a-bitch! I’m going to rip your balls off.”

“Really? That was my 35-yard place kick; you know I made field goals from 40 and 45 yards, too. Would you like me to demonstrate? I usually don’t like to kick a guy in the nuts, (there is something unmanly about it), but for a guy who likes to slap dames around, I will make an exception. So, Mr. Little are you going to leave my client alone?”

“No way! She tossed me aside. I was saving up for a ring. We could have been happy, next month I start with the Transit Authority, that is a real good job; it pays well, and we would have had a good life. I just don’t understand, why wasn’t that good enough, why wasn’t I good enough?”

“Get off the floor, Mr. Little and sit over there,” I say pointing to the couch, he groans, rises and sits gingerly on the couch.

“You got a hell of a kick mister. I guess this is where you tell me that if I don’t stop you will come back and show me that 40-yard kick, huh?”

I nod.

“You won’t have to come back, I got the message. Mister, would you give her a message?”

“What is it?”

“If it don’t work out for her, she can come back. Tell her, I‘m sorry I hit her and it won’t happen again. You are right; I was listening to a man on the corner from the Nation who said, “If you berate and beat your women you damage yourself,” he was right. Tell her mister, please.”

“Alright Mr. Little, good-bye.”

As I closed the door, I looked back, at the broken man sitting with his head in his hands. Like I said before, she was the kind of woman we needed to have love us, so, imagine the heartbreaking pain, to have her, and her love, and then lose it.

©2012, Author Leon Jackson Davenport

for ~ "THE SHADOWS OF OUR NOIR"

*AT THE BIJOU*

Photo Cred: Kate's Bar is really the Houndstooth Pub on 37th in NYC,

but hey, Kate so dug Leon dubbing her a bar, she picked one she liked.

LEON JACKSON DAVENPORT ~

Crime time author and all around good guy, but don't let that ruin his tough image. Leon's an Emmy nominated TV editor, fine art photographer and one of the booming voices you'll recall aboard this season's sailing of HARBINGER*33, manifesting authors' destinies. He's a smooth, wry storyteller who's gonna bring you back for another shot of this Gunn character . . . Watch for him where shadows come out to have their say.

That Leon, he don't say nothin' he don't mean, huh? And our Katie sure knows how to pick'em -- Youse writer-guys are aces in a stacked deck here AT THE BIJOU.

The Shadows

of Our Noir

 -- are runnin' fast as slick getaways on rainy nights you never saw comin'. 

Katie's gonna celebrate her national holiday, that birthday hoopla she does come Sunday, then she's cornered a bunch o'hoodlums that wrote with her in that crime-time book from hot shot Matt Hilton, you know, the bestseller, feller. What's it called again? Yeah, yeah ~ ACTION: PULSE POUNDING TALES. Catchy title Hilton. You're no slouch.

So Toots, brighten your peepers next for ~ 

Absolutely*Kate . . . Matt Hilton . . . 

Paul Brazill . . . Richard Godwin . . . 

with somethin' you never 'spected ~

David Barber turnin' noir to poetry.

 {Hey, I can't make this stuff up - Katie absolutely writes my lines anyhow). 

Be there or be square ~ 

*AT THE BIJOU*

"Where Writers' Raves are Readers' Faves"