The Heartbreak Lounge by Wallace Stroby

on a muscular, tattooed black man. The sound was turned off.

    Lindell opened the refrigerator, took out two Michelobs, nodded at a wooden chair near the window. There was a single desk in the room. Atop it were a half dozen DVD cases, the women on them in various states of undress.
    He opened the beers, handed one to Johnny, then sat behind the desk. Johnny pulled the other chair closer, sat down. He nodded at the cases.
    â€œWhat are those?”
    â€œDVDs, man. Get that shit free. One of the perks of the job.”
    He moved a newspaper aside, found the remote.
    â€œVideo was better, though. This digital technology is no good for porn, man. Lets you see all the lines in these bitches’ faces, pimples on their ass. It’s depressing.” The screen went gray, then black.
    â€œI wouldn’t know.”
    â€œYeah, I guess you wouldn’t, being away all this time. I should have thought of that.”
    Lindell put the remote down, sat back.
    â€œYou talk to the man yet?” he said.
    Johnny shook his head.
    â€œFigured I’d talk to you first, see what the situation was.”
    Lindell nodded. “Smart.”
    â€œFunny, though. Last time I was around here, ‘the man’ meant someone else.”
    â€œThe times has changed. That man is re tired. And those times ain’t never coming back, I’m happy to say.” He took a sip from the beer. “No shit, Johnny. Things are good and gonna get better. Joey been waiting for you to get out, help him get busy.”
    â€œI called the store. They danced me around. Then they gave me a number for you. No one answered. I was starting to feel like people were avoiding me.”
    â€œEverything’s mobile these days, dawg. I ain’t never in one place for too long. Got your message and got back to you soon as I could, though, didn’t I? I knew you’d be ready, hungry to get down to it. And as far as the store, man … Joey don’t hardly go there no more. He still got the office
upstairs and all, but mostly does his business elsewhere. Couple different places. Keep a jump on the suckers, you know? But here, I got something else you gonna like.”
    He reached into a pocket, came out with a small vial of cocaine, waved it once in the air, put it on the desk. The vial was sealed with a metal screw cap, a tiny spoon inside.
    â€œTake a blast of that,” Lindell said. “Shit will open your eyes but good.”
    Johnny shook his head.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhat? You used to love that shit, dawg. Suck it up like an Oreck.”
    â€œNo more.”
    â€œI hear you.” He slipped the vial back in his pocket.
    Johnny took a sip from his beer.
    â€œYou looking lean and mean, man,” Lindell said. “They make you cut your hair inside?”
    â€œDid it myself.”
    â€œGot yourself an early release too. How that happen?”
    â€œMy lawyer pulled some strings. Made it work. Walked out of there with nothing but my kick-out money, though. Spent most of it getting up here.”
    â€œI hear that.” He stroked his goatee.
    â€œI could use a little of what’s owed me.”
    Lindell shrugged.
    â€œHey, that’s up to Joey, man. I mean, the man’s business is his business. I don’t question how he runs it. But if you asking me, ‘Lindell, do you think he owes me money?’ then I gotta say yes. But it ain’t up to me to give it to you.”
    Johnny said nothing.
    â€œNow, some things have changed since you been away, that’s true. Most of those old fucks, they long gone. Ain’t no OGs left among the spaghetti benders, man. They in the pen or they headed for the pen or they in the ground. What we got now is a wide-open market. No more bullshit, no more hogging the tit. These days everybody get paid.”
    â€œThat’s good to hear.”
    â€œNo doubt. And you gonna get your share too. Ain’t nobody
gonna keep it away from Johnny Too