David's Broken Line

After explaining previous business he had done with these guys, he went:

- ‘The man is called Frey, I call him Jaguar because he’s used to drive a burgundy Jaguar car, the guy is all right as long as you don’t fuck about with him I suppose. He’s the first person you’ll meet through Joseph, and the main guy as long as our business deal is concerned. I want you to be good to him, you can trust him, but still you’ll have to keep your eyes open’

- ‘Why is that?’

- ‘Because the man had just finished a life sentence for double murder. He spent twelve years in prison. So, although he looks pleasant enough, he can be as dangerous and cold as a snake. Just be on the good side of him, ok’

- ‘Is he the only person I’ll deal with, or is there someone else?’

- ‘No, there’s also another man, his name is Peter, an Irish man. I call him Oso (bear) and that’s because he’s built like an ox. He’s a hundred per cent reliable in business matters, hundred per cent honest guy, and he likes to deal with people in the same way. He doesn’t take shit from anyone and he doesn’t trust his own shadow. He used to be a professional boxer, and being an Irish guy he won’t hesitate to put a bullet in your head if he smells a rat’

- ‘That’s a comforting thought’ I said with sarcasm. ‘Anyone else?’

- ‘At the moment these are the main guys I want you to acquaint yourself with. Whoever come next doesn’t matter. You’ll be dealing with these two guys mainly. They’re my friends and I want to give them the whole tamale’.

- ‘All right. Now, once I see them what would be the deal?’ I enquired.

- ‘They already know the deal, at the moment we’re dealing in small deals, to keep the financial side afloat, five to ten units (kgs) at the time. But they are up to a big one. We’re talking anything from one to five hundred units. But not just now, it has to be planned and prepared with their people, and of course with us. They have some people in Russia who are interested in working big money. That will come later on. First let’s do the small ones’.

- ‘Yeah, of course’ I said hesitantly. I felt doubtful, thinking that maybe the shoes were a little too big for me, this was dangerous ground.

- ‘Now, they owe me some money from a previous deal, twenty grand. Once you get in touch with Frey you’ll remind him of that, ok. They know how is with the rest; they have to send me three grand in advance for every kilo; two are to pay the tombos(police)at the airport, for their mules to go pass the controls with the drugs, and one grand more is for the transport of the gear to Lima, the pressing workers, etc, a small advance, ok. The rest is on credit until they sell the stuff. Once we deduct the expenses, we split the money in two; you’ll send me my half by Western Union, and that’d be that. No need to say, you’ll keep constantly in touch with me; I’ll let you know how much you’ll take from my part afterwards, ok.’ he said, ending the talks.

And with that we shook hands like true business partners, on a series of deals that were going to change my life forever. I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing dealing in drugs; of course it was not right, but having tried on almost every right thing available and failed, I thought this was the only thing left for me at the time. 

Once I heard a say which I didn’t like, but it struck a cord in me just for being so unpleasant: ‘Beggars are not choosers’ it said, and I felt like a fucking beggar now. I had to take my chances.

 If I was going to play Scarface in real life, I was ready for it.