Unhooking the Moon (20 page)

The celebrity life style was having its effect on the Rat. She was definitely going over to the Dark Side.

It was night when we got back into the limo.

‘You kids have a good day?'

‘We had a great day Ice! Julian took us to lunch and we were interviewed by journalists. But I never told them anything, Ice. I promise. And a man from your record company gave us iPods. Even the paparazzi were nice to us. It must be great being a celebrity.'

‘Believe me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. But I'm glad you had a nice day, Marie Claire.' Ice looked tired.

‘You OK, Ice?'

‘Yeah, Bob. Thanks for asking. I'm just … hungry. You kids hungry? Karl, take us to that French place that sells lobster. What do you kids say to lobster?'

‘We say yes,' said the Rat. But I don't think we'd ever had it.

We pulled up outside a ground-floor restaurant on the West Side. It had large windows and we could see people sitting around candlelit tables. And didn't they all look over to see who was getting out of the limo. Karl held an umbrella over us, because the rain had come back, and, making our way inside, we were greeted by a grey-haired guy who snapped his fingers for the servers to come to attention. ‘A table by the window for Monsieur Ice!'

A buzz ran around the restaurant as we were led to our table. Some of the diners smiled at Ice while
others looked at him wondering who he was. As we sat at our table the busboys busied themselves around us, snapping napkins and positioning plates, while the grey-haired guy looked on for any mistakes. Then a waiter appeared.

‘Hey man, just bring us three lobsters,' said Ice handing him back the menus. ‘We'll think about dessert when we're done.'

‘Ice, what's your first name?' asked the Rat.

‘No one's asked me that in years. Thanks, Marie Claire. It's Michael.'

‘Michael, that's so divine! I knew it would be something like that.'

When Ice laughed, the Rat took the opportunity to ask him about his life. Nothing personal, of course: ‘Did you really shoot a man when you were sixteen? Were you really a gang-banger? Do women really send you their underpants in the post?'

I would have stopped her, but for a man who'd answered questions all day, Ice didn't seem to mind. He even seemed to enjoy it.

Three giant lobsters were brought to the table. They were served with fresh bread rolls and a crispy salad. My lobster looked like it could do battle. But I picked up the nutcrackers and snapped off a claw.
Well, I fell in love with lobster from the first bite. It was like a delicious cross between crab and duck and I couldn't crack it open fast enough. When the lobster was finished, we moved on to dessert. We opted for the chocolate cherry cake, spiced with orange brandy, and caked in a thick chocolate sauce. It was as close to chocolate heaven as you get.

When we were done, Ice and the Rat started joking around. But I was content to watch the rain lash against the windows.

‘Coffee, sir?' asked the waiter.

I looked up to make sure he was talking to me. ‘Sure,' I said. I needed coffee. I was feeling a little light-headed after the brandy in the cake. But then I sat bolt upright! Who stopped in front of the window? None other than Tommy, the hustler, Mattolla.

Of all the windows he could have stopped in front of, he stopped in front of ours! He's got his suit collar up around his neck and his hands are clutched around it. He looked down the street as if wondering whether to continue. Then he turned and looked in the restaurant. I froze. The rain's running down his face pretty good. I don't think he could see us. He looked around a bit and then he turned to go.

Go on, I'm thinking, keep going!

If I hadn't been staring at him the way I was, he would have carried on going. But that hustler instinct must have kicked in because he stopped and looked at me. Then his eyebrows rose, he had me. Then he saw the Rat, he had her. He looked around the restaurant, puzzled, as though wondering how we could afford to eat there, and then he turned his attention to Ice. A few seconds passed before his eyes widened and then he disappeared from the window.

I could already see him dripping in front of us, shaking hands with Ice and ordering a drink he couldn't pay for. But it never happened. All I heard was some commotion coming from the reception and then I heard nothing. They hadn't let him in. I watched the window waiting for him to reappear, but he didn't.

‘Come on then, kids. Let's go.' Ice put some bills on the table and we headed out of the restaurant.

I was even more surprised not to see Tommy outside. I was relieved in a way. I mean, I liked Tommy, he was fun to be around. But I knew he'd embarrass us in front of Ice. Still, I felt a little guilty as we drove away. But as we came alongside Central Park, the Rat's face reddened.

‘Stop the car!' she screamed.

‘What is it, Marie Claire?'

The limo pulled up and the Rat jumped out. She was nearly knocked down as she ran across the road. Ice jumped out and I followed. Then I saw what she saw. A group of guys had Tommy on the ground. They were kicking him.

‘Get away from him!' screamed the Rat. She threw herself between the men and Tommy. One of the guys pushed her and she fell to the ground.

‘Hey!' I shouted.

Ice never shouted anything. He dropped that guy with a solid right hook. ‘Touch her again and I'll kill you!' Suddenly one of the guys swung at Ice, but Ice ducked and dropped him with a body shot. Then this really big guy threw a wide right hook. Ice ducked again, but a follow-up punch caught him on the chin. Ice staggered but he didn't go down. Then all the guys came at him. But Ice was on fire. He stood his ground and threw a drum-roll of clubbing left and right hooks. One guy went flat out, one fell on his butt, while another bounced off a tree. But then this slim sneaky-looking guy jumped on Ice's back. He couldn't move. Another man started punching Ice in the stomach. Then I heard a battle-cry and Karl charged forward. He smashed into three of the guys forcing them to the ground. Ice
threw the guy off his back and it turned into one big brawl. ‘Come on, Ice!' shouted the Rat. There were punches and kicks and people being thrown in all directions. There were snarls and shouts, cries and groans, and the sound of Ice's suit jacket ripping up his back. I was just about to get involved but the battle turned in our favour. Ice dropped two guys with a left-right combination. And Karl slugged the biggest guy putting him flat out. The remaining guys backed off.

‘Hey, we don't want no trouble!' said one of the men. ‘But that creep was bothering us!'

‘I'll bother
you
if you don't go away!' said Ice.

And of course the Rat was there to back him up. ‘Go on, you big bullies, before Ice really loses his temper!'

The guys helped their friends to their feet while me and Ice pulled Tommy from the ground. There was a cut over his right eye, but he wasn't too bad.

‘You OK, Tommy?' asked the Rat. ‘Ice is here! He won't let them hit you no more!'

‘I've been beat-up worse than that! You call that a beating?' shouted Tommy to the retreating men.

‘I'll get the car,' said Karl.

Tommy cringed with pain, but realizing what the
Rat had said he sneaked a side-glance at Ice. Then he stepped right back into character. ‘Marie Claire! Bob! Where have you kids been? I've been worried out of my mind!'

‘Oh shewer, Tommy,' said the Rat doing the same.

Tommy looked at Ice with this dramatic look in his eyes. ‘And who's this gentleman? How can I ever repay you, good sir?'

‘You know who this is, Tommy!' said the Rat.

Ice looked bewildered. Tommy and the Rat were bewildering him.

Tommy's eyes widened. ‘It's … it's the Iceman!'

‘What happened?' asked an overweight couple crossing the street.

Tommy froze. Then it came to him. ‘Mugged!' he shouted. ‘I've just been beaten and mugged!'

‘Oh my God!' said the women.

‘They took my money but they couldn't take my life! Thanks to this man!' said Tommy pointing at Ice.

‘Hey I know him!' said the guy. ‘He's one of those rappers!'

‘You've got a camera!' said Tommy. ‘Take our picture!'

Tommy put his arm around Ice and the man took his picture.

‘This rapper has just saved this guy's life!' shouted the woman to some passers-by. More people came to the scene.

‘I saw the whole thing!' said a guy pulling up on a horse-drawn carriage.

‘Me too!' said the guy clicking away with his camera. ‘Ice saved him all right!'

‘Good. I have witnesses!' said Tommy. ‘We'll go to the
Times
, the
Post
, and the police, in that order. And we're gonna need some cab money.'

‘We've got money!' said the overweight woman. ‘Don't worry about that!'

Ice shook his head. ‘Come on, kids. Let's go.'

The limousine reversed towards us and Ice opened the door. Just then Tommy pulled us towards him. ‘Listen, Marie Claire, Bob! My girlfriend kicked me out! I haven't eaten all day!'

He wasn't on the hustle now. He was really desperate.

‘Here, take this,' said the Rat handing him what money she had. Tommy tried to smile but he looked sad. ‘You're too good to me, kid!' And he sounded like he really meant it.

‘Ah forget about it. We're partners, ain't we?'

‘You gonna be OK, Tommy?' I asked.

‘Sure I am. Here, Bob. Take my card. Call me tomorrow and I'll buy you kids breakfast.'

‘But you're broke.'

‘Are you kidding? The Iceman has just saved my life. The papers will pay good money for that story.'

‘Come on, kids. You're getting wet,' said Ice.

Tommy walked us to the limo. ‘Listen, Ice. If you ever need a chauffeur I'm an excellent driver. Or a bodyguard. I'm out of shape right now but give me a week. Or a PR guy. Tommy Mattolla has worked for some top people.'

‘Beat it, hustler!' said the Rat, sliding into the limo.

‘Is that any way to talk to your Uncle Tommy? After everything I've done for you!' Then he turned his attention to the people. ‘OK folks, gather round. Now, who witnessed what?'

I looked back at Tommy as we drove away. And then I looked at his card: Thomas Michel Mattolla, Disbarred Attorney at Law. Tommy was a hustler. But he never pretended to be anything else. And I liked that about him. I really did.

Ice sat there bewildered. ‘Sleeping rough in the park, street fights and shady hustlers! I'd hang out with you kids more often if it wasn't so dangerous.'

But that was the Rat for you. She'd most likely get
us killed one day, she really would. But for now we'd got away with it, and so I sat back and enjoyed the ride … while it lasted.

After the long day and the big brawl we sat at the dining table drinking hot chocolate. I don't think Ice was speaking to us in a way. He looked at us every now and again and shook his head. Then he went back to drinking his hot chocolate. It was a little uncomfortable to tell you the truth.

‘Is your hand OK, Ice?' I asked.

‘Yeah, it's OK.'

‘How's your jaw, Ice?' asked the Rat.

‘It's good.'

The Rat looked at me and then back at Ice. ‘Did you enjoy the fight, Ice?'

Ice gave her a look. ‘No, I didn't!'

‘They were real meanies,' she mumbled. She went back to drinking her hot chocolate but she stared at Ice over the cup. ‘Are you sure you didn't, Ice? Because you looked like you enjoyed it.' Ice tried not
to laugh but he did. ‘But you weren't scared, Ice. You were brave. I knew you'd be brave. And it was a good fight, wasn't it? I liked the way you dropped those two guys at once. That was my favourite part.'

Ice laughed out loud. ‘You have a favourite part already?'

‘Sure, Ice. But it would be better if we had it on video. Then we could watch it over and over.'

‘Don't your friends come here, Ice?' I asked.

‘If Mia throws a party, they do. But I don't really like people coming to my home.'

‘Why not?'

‘Because when they do, they usually want something.'

‘We don't want nothing from you, Ice,' said the Rat.

‘No, that's because you're real friends. But other people pretend to be friends. I've done more favours for my so-called friends than I care to remember. After a while it's like they expect you to take care of them. And when I say “no”, they turn traitor. They run off to the newspapers with stories about me that aren't true. I swear, I can't tell my friends from my enemies these days!'

The Rat frowned seriously. ‘Ice, would you like me to tell you the Native legend about the Bear and the Windigo?'

That's what Ice needs. He's bewildered enough and now he's going to get one of the Rat's legends to bewilder him some more.

‘What's a Windigo?'

‘Well, Ice, a Windigo is a monster. Some people say they used to be human, but they got trapped in the snow and turned to cannibalism. They grow as big as a house, their eyes become blood red, and their fingers turn into claws,' said the Rat clawing her fingers. ‘They become addicted to human flesh, but children are their favourite. They like their meat tender. Once upon a time a Windigo was stalking a Native village. It waited until nightfall and, pouncing, it ate five children. The next morning the villagers packed up and moved away as far as they could. In frustration the Windigo started killing the animals in the forest. Some he ate for food. But mostly he killed them for spite. Windigos are very evil. It snapped the antlers from the deer, squashed the squirrels and ripped the fur from the rabbits. And so in desperation all the animals went to see the great grizzly bear. “Will you help us, great grizzly bear?” asked the bunny rabbit. “We need protecting,” said the beaver. “The Windigo has no humans to eat and he's taking his rage out on us!” said the squirrel. “If you
fight and kill the Windigo,” said the owl, “we will be your friends forever.” All the animals agreed with the owl. “We will be your friends forever,” they said. The great grizzly bear agreed and the next morning, along with the rest of the animals, he charged down the mountain to fight the Windigo. They came to a clearing and drank some water from a stream. Suddenly there was a mighty roar and above the treetops they saw the head of the Windigo. All the animals ran for cover. “Good luck, grizzly bear,” they shouted. Then the Windigo let out a horrific scream and came charging at the grizzly bear. But the bear stood his ground. The Windigo bit the bear's back and tore at his eyes. Then he got him in a headlock and started to strangle the grizzly bear to death! Suddenly the grizzly bear threw the Windigo over his shoulder and bit his throat with his sharp teeth. Blood ran into the river. The Windigo was dead. All the animals stood on the dead Windigo and cheered for the grizzly bear. We'll be your friends for life, they said. But the grizzly bear had been injured in the fight. “I have been injured,” said the grizzly bear. “I will not be able to hunt or search for food. Will you fetch food for me?” Of course said the animals. But later that night they met in the forest. We could have killed that Windigo
ourselves, they said. We didn't need that goddamn grizzly bear. And now he wants us to feed him. Let him fend for himself, they said. We are far too busy to get food for him. So for the rest of the summer the grizzly bear went hungry. When winter came he hibernated. And the following spring he came out with his wounds healed. He ate plenty of salmon and he grew strong. One day he was taking a bath in the river when all the animals came running toward him. Please help us they said. There's another Windigo in the woods and he's so terrible. “Please help us!” said the beaver. “Please help us!” said the little bunny rabbits. “We'll be your friends for life!” said the owl.'