Dangerously - Randy Wong

Irving Ross had been waiting in front of his home for about fifteen minutes. He checked his watch for the fifth time. His potential buy was late. He was about to give up and go back into the house when a large white van pulled up to the curb. Irving nodded to the driver and walked up to the car.

“Hey there! You’re a little late! I’d almost given up on you!”

When the driver of the van stepped out onto the street, Irving did a double take. The driver was a tall, muscular Latino man with very long stringy hair and a handlebar mustache. He wore a black cotton t-shirt with short sleeves that exposed the numerous tattoos that covered his arms. The driver stared at Irving for a moment. When he finally smiled, Irving noticed the gold and black mixed with white in his mouth.

“Um, hi. Are you Manny? I’m Irving.” he stammered.

“Hey,” Manny nodded back. “Nice neighborhood.”

Irving started to get a strange vibe from the man. He stared at the van suspiciously.

“Yeah. Say, that’s an awful big van for just an album collection.”

Manny said nothing for a moment as he looked down both ends of the street with interest.

“I have to take the kids to soccer after school today. You know how that is, right?”

“Yeah … sure.” Irving became acutely aware of the width of Manny’s shoulders.

Manny continued to look up and down the street as if he were looking for something.

“Quiet neighborhood. I guess everybody’s away.”

Irving nodded. “Yeah, all the families are the same, you know? Adults are working. Kids are at school. Heck, I’m the only one here because of you.”

Manny stared down at his feet for a moment and then stared at Irving’s house. “Really? Is that a fact?”

Irving now wished he were anywhere else. “Yes. Though I guess it wasn’t really important for me to tell you that right now. So, shall we get this deal done? The jazz albums are in the garage.”

Manny walked up and put his very large hand onto Irving’s smaller shoulder. “Sounds like a plan, but I would like to see the rest of the house.”

“Wait. What? But … but the albums are in the garage. They’re all boxed up ready to go. No need to see the rest of house.”

Manny smiled his black and gold smile. “I would like to see the rest of the house. I’m interested in the layout. You know, as a potential buyer.”

Irving was slowly being driven down by the sheer weight of Manny’s right arm. “Oh. I see. Thinking of moving?”

“Yeah. Just thinking about it, you know? How much do you weigh?”

“What?” Irving asked after a pause.

“How much do you weigh?”

“Um, about one thirty or so. Why?”

Manny gently pushed Irving thru the front door. “Man, my baby sister weighs more than that.”