disappearing act

“did you find the guy?” “yeah, i found him.” maury plopped himself down in his favorite chair as the big guy glared at him. “then were is he?” the big guy asked. “he didn’t want to come. he wants you to come to him. he says he’ll talk to you, though.” “well, isn’t that nice of him. you didn’t try to persuade him to come see me?” maury shrugged. “i could have. i made a command decision, in the field. it just did not seem worth it. i think you should go see this guy. it won’t kill you. you should get out more, anyway.” “you think?” the big guy glared at maury, then laughed. “all right, see him where? some bar? where did you find him?” in a dunkin donuts. on third avenue. that’s where he hangs out.” “this guy hangs out in a dunkin donuts? i would have expected someplace a little more … mysterious, you know? or out of the way.” “it’s where a lot of people hang out these days. america runs on dunkin. by the way, there was one thing he wanted me to tell you.” “and what was that?” “he said there were plenty of guys who could do what you wanted. “ “yes, well he was the guy i was told about.” “so, do you want to go see him?’ the big guy sighed. “sure, why not?” he got up and grabbed his hat and put it on. “let’s go see this magic man.” * the magician was still sitting where maury had left him, in a corner of the dunkin donuts, beside a window where he could watch the world go by. an ordinary looking little guy, not getting any younger. he wasn’t wearing a cape or a top hat or anything to show he was a magician. a small empty styrofoam cup sat on the table in front of him. the big guy sat across from the magician at the little square table, and maury grabbed a chair and sat down between them, facing the window and the street. “this is the gentleman i was telling you about, “ maury said. “the one interested in your services.” the magician just nodded. “you understand what i want?,” the big guy tried to look the magician in the eye. “i think so. you want to make somebody disappear. “ “exactly. totally disappear. i don’t want any body, i don’t want any blood or guts or evidence, or screaming or shouting, i just want this guy to disappear into thin air. can you do that?” “easily. and you could go over to joe’s joke shop on thirty-seventh street and find a dozen guys who could do it, too.” “you don’t say so.” “i do say so.” the magician looked down into his empty styrofoam cup. “then if it is so easy who don’t you ever hear about it being done?” the big guy asked. “because there is a problem - a possible complication.” “ah. a possible complication. and what might that be?” “there is no guarantee you won’t make the whole universe disappear. you might not, but you might - the whole universe and everything and everybody in it. me, you, the pope, the king of spain, everybody.” the big guy nodded. “i can see where some people might not want to take that chance.” “but what about you? “ the magician asked. “are you willing take the chance?’ “listen,” the big guy answered, “i have wanting to get this guy for forty years. he did me dirty, like no man was ever done dirty before. thinking about him has been eating away at me every day for forty years, like a cosmic green cancer, like a mountain of red ants whose ravenous hunger can never be appeased. yes, i’m willing to take the chance.” the magician nodded. “does this person have a name, you got a picture or something…?” “i got this.” the big guy handed the magician a small photo, a black and white polaroid at least thirty years old. the picture had been taken at a beach, and showed an ordinary looking man in a bathing suit with a little smile, an ordinary looking woman in a bathing suit with a big smile, an ordinary looking little boy in a bathing suit with no smile, and a dog. “you need anything more?” the big guy asked. “no, this is all i need.” the magician put the photo down on the table. “so, you’ll do it.” “yeah, i’ll do it. i just want one thing.” “and what is that?” “a frozen strawberry banana smoothie.” “coming right up!” the big guy nodded to maury. “get the man what he wanted.” “which was?” a frozen strawberry banana smoothie, ” the magician repeated. maury got up and headed for the counter. “so how soon can you do this?” the big guy asked the magician. “as soon as i finish my smoothie. but i want to make sure i get every last drop.”