After hassling the doorman you finally get inside the Club. Your jaw drops when you walk in. Never have you been to such a place. Around the club, fancily dressed people are sitting around tables eating dinner. At the opposite side of the club you see a stage with a band playing away on their instruments and a beautiful woman singing in French. You stare in awe and ask a waiter who she is, he raises his eyebrow at you and replies “Alys Robi.” He then asks if you have reservations for the Tic Toc. You reply no that you're meeting some friends at Club Lido. He rolls his eyes and points you towards the stairs, “Club Lido is on the second floor.”\n You shrug your shoulders and murmur back “thanks” and [[head to the second floor.]]

Ship hands you two hundred fifty dollars for your decision. You work for Ship five to six days a week either smuggling drugs across the border, working at his white houses running bets, as a bookie, and as a fall guy in other betting houses. Within a month you have enough money put aside to move out of your current neighbourhood and into a nice lower duplex in Cote des Neiges. After two months you open trust saving accounts for your younger siblings’ education. However, it all comes crashing down on September 17th 1946 when Pacifique “Pax” Plante arrests Harry Ship at his luxurious hideout at 1976 St. Catherine Street East. On January 8th 1948, Ship's trial ended with him being found guilty of running a gambling establishment. Consequently he was sentenced to eighteen months in prison. After Ship's arrest Pax Plante vigorously launched his campaign against organized crime and gambling within Montreal. Ship's arrest serves as a wakeup call for you and you decide to leave Montreal's underworld for good. However, working for Ship you've made a bunch of new friends, one of which offers you a job as the manager at his restaurant in the East End. Although the job doesn't pay as much as you were previously making, it still pays better than your job at the factory and is also more enjoyable. After years of saving you fulfil your promise to Bubbe later on in life and pay for your siblings’ education when they get older.\n\nGame Completed. Thanks for playing!

You flag down the next cab and arrive at Club Lido eight minutes early. [[Phew]].

She's skeptical with your answer but understands the need for extra cash around the house and forgives you. However, as you begin to walk out the door she gives you one last final warning. “David, be careful at those downtown restaurants. A lot of hoodlums hang around them. You know men like that Boat man...what's his name...Ship? Anyways men like him are no good. They create a bad name for Jews in this city. Not just the Jews who partake in their activities, but all Jews... even the hardworking ones like us. Those that came here in search of a better life, those who work honest jobs for meager pay just to support our children so that they can have a better lives than we had in the old country. Those who've tried their best to establish themselves and earn recognition in this city, a city in which we were ostracized by both the English and the French because we have a different religion and a different language. Men like Ship threaten the honest hardworking reputation that we've built up for ourselves David....” Her voice fades... [[you're already out the door]].

“Anyways, things are gonna get really hot around here. So before it all hits the fan I got a mission for you kid. I got to get two of these suitcases right here to my New York connection. They're filled with premium and the longer we wait the higher the probability we get stopped at the border is ...Especially with this whole Davis shooting... we need to move asap before they set up road blocks and start searching trains for this Miller fella. I need you to take these two suitcases and this train ticket and hop the 10 o'clock train to New York tonight. There's five bigs ones in it for you if you succeed. Just get off at Grand Central Station and head to The Service Men's Lounge, there you're going to meet Morty Segal, he's an associate of Lansky's. He's a tall fella, with a crooked nose and a scar on the left side of his neck. You'll know him when you see him. Across the lounge you'll see a row of lockers. Here are the keys to locker 321. You'll place the briefcases in there and go wait in the lounge. Our friends at the police station were nice enough to provide us with your mugshot from two years ago. We took the courtesy of sending it to Segal, this way he gots an idea of what you look like. He's going to meet you in the lounge and ask you if yous saw the panda exhibit at the zoo, you's gonna say no then he's gonna slip you an envelope in which you'll find your train ticket back home. After this, you slip him the key to the deposit box. He's gonna go to the deposit box and leave his suitcase at the table. You take his suitcase and catch the next train back. Understood?”\n“Yeah” \n“Joe here is gonna drive you to the [[train station]]. Don't mess this up kid or you'll end up like Davis you hear?” \n

\n The year is 1945. You are David Gimple, a 17 year old Jewish boy from Montreal. You live in a cold water flat with your mother, your three younger siblings and Bubbe (grandmother) on St. Dominique near Montreal's garment district. Your father, a Ukrainian immigrant, was killed two years ago in a factory fire. Your mother works sixty hours a week at two different jobs to help support her family. As the eldest of her children, you are the 'man' of the house. You dropped out of high school so that you could work more to support your mother and family. However, even with you helping out at home your family is always strapped for [[cash]].\n\n

You walk to the end of the room where you see a plywood wall. The man fixes his tie and then slides the wall open. On the other side you see gentlemen sitting around tables drinking, smoking, and betting. Before you can even try to venture to the other side, the man slides the door shut. “That's not for you kid. It's reserved for members only. We work back here.” You guys walk amongst the cubicles, sometimes going through more secret plywood walls which lead to more telephones and sweaty men on headsets. The man points to a giant blackboard, it's twenty feet long and ten feet tall. “This is where I work. It's the most spacious area in this dump. I get to run back and forth all day writing horse race results until my shift is up. Luckily for me my shift is up and now you get to run like a chicken with its head cut off writing numbers.” He hands you a headset that's connected to one of the many telephones within the apartment. “Kid this is connected to apartment 321on 10 Ontario West. That right there is headquarters, so you know what they're saying is right. Don't second guess it. Just write down what you hear that's all the marker does. Dial LA8742 and write.” \n Overwhelmed you grab the headset from him. “Well whaddya waiting for? These numbers ain't gonna write themselves kid,” the man says before he leaves. \n You dial the numbers... “Boston, Mayweather post time 5:10 pm, 111, 6 furs, F. Zevhr. Second Race, LA, post time 7:11pm, My Jean, 122,8, D. Richards., New York, post time 9:30pm, Gallon of Gold, 120, 4, J. Craigenstyle.” You write vigorously all day, your hand begins to hurt. You lose track of time. It's past midnight when you finally get to rest. Someone comes over and taps you on your shoulder. “Good job kid. Ship told me he wants you to meet him tomorrow night at some joint he owns with one of his buddies, I think it's called the [[Hawaiian Lounge]] or something. Be there for 6pm sharp. Your shift's done here *the man hands you an envelope* he told me to give you this.” You wipe the sweat from your forehead and leave on your way home you open the envelope to find a hundred dollar bill.\n\n

\tIt's approaching 7:30 pm, you're dressed in your only suit, it's a bit tattered however it'll have to do for the night. You're suppose to meet Joe at the Lido cafe in half an hour, yet part of you still feels a bit uneasy about it. \n\nDo you hop in a [[taxi and go?]] \n \nOr do you decide that you should just [[head home instead?]] You're not really involved with these men, you can still get out before it becomes too late.\n\n

\tYou wake up at 5:30 and rush to work at the factory. You leave around 12:45 and head to Ruby Foos where you'll be meeting Shapiro. He informs that you'll be supervising one of his barbotte houses on Stanley. He hails a cab for the both of you guys and brings you to the gaming house. You see a table full of cards, a bar, some dice for barbotte, and chips. He leads you into a separate room that's completely empty except for an unplugged telephone which is just lying on the floor. “If any coppas come you tell em to padlock this door right here,” he points to the door of a closet in the little room. “Say Shapiro says take this phone. The coppas don't mean no harm they're just doing their job. They'll call at least an hour in advance if they need to drop by so once they call you tell everybody to get out. But remember, you gotta stay, alright?” “Yes Sir.” “Good. “Also David, if Sargent Lavois is there slip him this” he says as he hands you a $100 dollar bill. “Ok.” “I gots to run. Don't let me down kid... and don't cheat me either or I'll come after you like how Davis did to Feigenbaum.” You gulp, “Yes Sir.”\n\n Shapiro introduces you to Saul, the guy who overlooks the barbotte games, Michael, the black jack dealer, Irvin, the bartender, and Irene, the waitress. “You must be an important fella for Shapiro to trust you as his fall guy” Michael says. “Fall guy?” you ask. Michael and Saul begin to snicker. “Fellas be nice on the kid” Irene warns, “don't worry about it kid they're just busting your balls. Just remember if we get booked just play along ok?” [[“Alright”]] you reply uneasily.

\tIt's Saturday, July 25th 1946. You just woke up, but you're still exhausted from all the excitement and work you've done in the past two days. Bubbe walks into your room and nags you for sleeping it until 3pm. “It's already 3 pm?!?!” you ask. “Yes David. Oy! What did you want us to do? You were out cold! Little Ira thought you were dead at one point David! He's only 5 you can't be scaring the boy like that.” “Sorry Bubbe, I...uhhh...had a rough night is all.” “You've been staying out of trouble David? I hope you're not running around with any hoodlums again. Remember what you promised me. It'd break my heart to find out you lied to me.” You feel a bit guilty, but slyly reply “Of course not Bubbe! I would never want to hurt you! You're my favorite gal! I was out late because I actually got a second job...yea..a second job working at one of those fancy shmancy restaurants downtown as a waiter. Here, take this it's only a little bit right now, but I'll have more for you next week. Those rich folks throw money around like it's nothing. I even got a hundred dollar tip last night, I want you to have it.”\n You give her the hundred dollar bill. She looks at you skeptically. “I'm telling you the truth Bubbe. It'll only be for the summer anyways. In fall Mr. Zimmerman promised he'd promote me to a cutter at the factory, which means I'd get a raise.” She smiles. “When are you going to go back to school David? Your parents and I didn't come here so you could work in a factory forever. Montreal's not like Crimea. Our people have opportunity in Canada, not like in the old country. On his deathbed, your grandfather, may he rest in peace, predicted that you would be the star of our family in this new land. Why don't you go become a doctor? You'd make us so proud David.” You sigh, “Bubbe, I was never good in school. But Rachel and Aaron are. Bubbe trust me, I promise you that I'll have enough money to send them both to McGill when they're old enough and then they can be doctors or business men or lawyers or clerks or whatever they want to be. And when they're rich they can thank me by buying you and mama a house.” Still smiling you see a tear slide down her cheek. “Bubbala, you always were the one with the biggest heart in this family. You make your grandmother so proud.” She says as she gives you a hug. You smile and spend some time with your grandmother and younger siblings before you leave to [[meet Ship and Shapiro at the Hawaiian Lounge]].

The second floor is more lively than the first. You see a group of men sitting closely around a table, almost all have a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. That must be them. You straighten your back, fix your hat, and stick out your chest as you slowly start to walk towards the table. \n You clear your throat to get their attention, the men look up at you. “What do you want?” one of them barks. “I'm here to see Mr. Ship,” you say, trying to keep your composure. “Harry you know this shmuck?”one of them asks a plump man seated at the middle of the table. “Hey aren't you that rude kid from the barbershop?” Joe asks. “I saw you at Lenny's earlier today if that's what you're asking” you reply. The plump man looks up, “I'm Harry Ship, whaddya want kid. You're interrupting some business talk so it'd better be good.” “I want to work for you Mr. Ship.” * the men begin to snicker* “You got balls kid, do you know who I am? Who these men are?” “I know you're Harry Ship Sir. I look up to you.” The men continue to snicker. \n Ship turns to his left “Max you got any work for the kid? Maybe as a bus boy at Ruby Foos.” “Haha Harry I ain't got no work for him.” Ship continues “Shulkins you guys need anybody? Feldman, Baris, Petner, Silverberg, Frankel? How about you king pin, you need anyone Mr. Davis?” They all shake their heads and answer no. “Harry weren't you looking for another line operator?” Feldman asks Ship. “You gotta admit the kid has balls coming here and asking us upfront for a job.” Barney Shulkin chimes in. “True, for a rude kid he's got balls” agrees Barney's cousin, Joe. Ship sighs and replies “Fine. Kid you seem ambitious. Meet me tomorrow at 3pm at 906 St. Catherine Street East. Don't be late. I got business to do needa attend to a gentleman who's interested in one of my ladies.” Ship gets up to leave. You look at your watch and realize that it's already 1:30 am. Slyly you excuse yourself and [[get up to leave to head home.]]

You arrive at the Hawaiian Lounge with 10 minutes to spare. Outside you see Feldman anxiously pacing back and forth. “You ok man?” you ask. He stops pacing and looks at you in a confused manner. “Harry it's me...David... I met you two nights back at Club Lido remember?” He pauses and examines your face, “Oh yea...you're the kid. Joe's friend or something. Well shit kid, you picked a helluva day to show up here. It's chaos inside. Everything's going downhill...they killed him!Those bastards killed him!” You can smell the scotch in his breath. Before you can ask any questions Joe and Barney come out. \n “Don't mind him he's just a bit shaken up, him and Davis were close” Barney whispers to you as Joe goes to go calm down Feldman. “What happened? Is he ok? Aren't you suppose to be in New York with Joe? What's happening?” you ask all at once. Joe's managed to calm down Feldman a bit, the two men approach you and Barney.“We'll explain inside,” Joe says. Confused you enter with the three men. You join Shapiro and Ship who are seated at a table in the [[back of the club]].

“Thanks for the heads up kid” says Michael, before he leaves with Saul, Irene, and the rest of clients. Irvin, the eldest of them, stays behind. “Irvin, what's gonna happen” you ask. “The cops are gonna come, you're gonna slip Lavois a bill, then we go to the courthouse where Shapiro will be to pay our fine and then we're free to go.” “That's it?” “Yep. Just don't do anything to annoy Lavois and he won't put you in the holding cell before Shapiro can pay our fine.” “Ok.” A burly man and 6 policemen enter from the front door. “Irvin! How are you doing?” They burly man asks . He then turns to you and asks “C'est qui ca?”. “My dear Lavois, what a pleasure! This is the kid, Shapiro hired him as the 'tenant' for tonight.” “Ah I see, what is your name?” “David” you answer. “Hmm, well gentlemen you know the procedure.” Lavois' men smile and Irvin pours 9 drinks, one for everyone. “Wait,” you yell, and slip Lavois the hundred dollar bill. “What a smart boy” he replies. With his drink in hand he asks you which door they should padlock, you show them the closet door. “Excellent. Men grab the phone from the floor as evidence. Our work here is done.” You all down your drinks then the Sargent and his men escort you to a [[police car]].

Not too far away you see Davis' family mourning and have a flashback of the argument you had at home with your mother and grandmother. “So I heard it went well in New York,” Ship says, “I like you kid. How'd you like to stay with us? You can work with me as I become Montreal's next edge man whaddya say? You'll have the girls, power, and lots and lots of money all in the palm of your hand. You'll never have to work in a factory again. Get good at what you do and hell, maybe one day you'll even have enough money to open up one of your own joints and buy your moms a house. So kid, what's it gonna be?”\n\nDo you chose to [[stay and help Harry Ship become Montreal's next edgeman?]] \n\nOr do you realize the severity of partaking in organized crime after seeing Davis' family in mourning and choose to [[get out while you still can?]]\n \n

You quickly dash towards the back door. However, you're not suave enough and Michael sees you trying to escape. He starts chasing you but you manage to outrun him. As you run away you hear him yelling, "You're iced if I ever see you again kid! Never show your face in this part of town again!"\n\n You ruined your chances of making it in Montreal's underworld. You spend the rest of your life living in fear that Shapiro will send some goons after you and develop paranoid personality disorder. You suffer a mental breakdown and get fired from the factory. You and your family live the rest of your lives in absolute poverty. \n\nGame Over. \n

You finally arrive in New York and meet Segal. He's a terrifying looking man but the transaction goes smoothly. You return to Montreal with the suitcase. Barney meets you at the train station in Montreal and fills you in on how everyone's had to lay low since Davis' shooting since public outcry against vice has forced the cops to start taking serious action against gambling in the city. He also gives you the $500 dollars Ship promised as you after you hand him the suitcase. “You actually turned out to be a pretty good guy” he says before he leaves. \n [[You return home]].

\tAfter hassling the doorman you finally get inside the Club. Your jaw drops when you walk in. Never have you been in such a place. The club is filled with fancily dressed people sitting around tables eating dinner. At the opposite side of the club you see a stage with a band playing away on their instruments and a beautiful woman singing in French. You stare in awe and ask a waiter who she is, he raises his eyebrow to you and replies “Alys Robi.” He then asks if you have reservations for the Tic Toc. You reply no and say that you're meeting some friends at Club Lido. He rolls his eyes and points you towards the stairs, “Club Lido is on the second floor.\n You shrug your shoulders and murmer back “thanks” and head to the [[second floor]].

Time goes by quickly. The salon is always occupied. You go around and check that everyone's ok from time to time and make sure to collect 5% of everyone's winnings for the house. \n\n Around 9 o'clock Michael calls you over and points you to the phone. You answer. It's Lavois. He warns you that he and his men will be arriving within an hour.\nWhat do you do?\t\n\n [[Play it cool]]. Tell Michael, Saul, Irvin, and Irene. They end the games quickly and escort everyone towards the door reassuring them that they'll be open again tomorrow. \n\n [[Freak out and make a run for the back door]]. THE COPS ARE COMING! What if Bubbe finds out!? She'll be so disappointed!\n

Montreal Gangster By Night

\tYou hand Harry Ship back three hundred of the five hundred dollars he gave and say that you want out. He says you're making a huge mistake. You shrug and return home. You live the rest of your life where you currently live and work as a cutter at the same factory until you die.\n\nGame Completed. Thanks for playing!

The funeral is on St Urbain Street, over five thousand people attend. However, in a crowd of onlookers itching for a look into Montreal's forbidden underworld it's easy to spot those who are actually there for the funeral. The gangsters are wearing their sunglasses and smoking cigars. You overhear bystanders arguing about whether Davis was a victim of circumstance or not. Others are mumbling in Yiddish that he was a disgrace to the community and that Jews should avoid the likes of men like him, if not for themselves but for the community. Another man is arguing with his wife that Davis was not to blame, but rather Montreal's corrupt police squad since they enabled his actions and had it not been for their lackadaisical attitude towards organized crime Davis would still be alive. A group of teenage boys are speaking of their admiration for Davis as a man who made something out of nothing, an example of how even a Jewish immigrant could make it big within this society. \n\n Amongst the crowd you see Ship and Shapiro. [[You approach them]].

The minute you return home, your mother and grandmother immediately start harassing you with questions the moment you walk through the door. \n“Where were you?! We thought you were dead! Shot down like that Davis fella! No one's seen you since you left here yesterday afternoon!” \nYou grunt, you're exhausted and are not in the mood to deal with either of them right now. “I was just taking care of business. I worked a late shift at the restaurant and then met a nice girl and we hung out by the port till late at night. I lost track of time that's all.” \n Your mother smacks you across the face “You should've called David. You have no excuse. What if something happened to you? Or to one of us? Hunh?”\n “But nothing did though!” you fire back “I work like a slave for this family and this is how I get treated!? Here, * you hand your mother two hundred dollars * I've got us covered for rent for the next two months.” Before they can say anything you head to your room and knock out on your bed. \n You spend the next two days working at the factory yet the repetitive work, lousy conditions, long hours and meager pay irritate you. You miss the fast easy money you were making only two days ago. You also miss the thrill of hanging out with gangsters in exclusive bars and lounges. On your way to work on the 28th you hear that Harry Davis' funeral will be held later that afternoon. [[You make an excuse and leave work at noon to attend the funeral]].\n

The cops stop at your seat. They ask for your papers, passport and boarding pass. You seem innocent so they buy your story and wish you a safe trip to [[New York]] before they leave.

The man signals his hand for the barber to stop and slowly turns his head towards you. “Hey kid stop eaves dropping...*he then mutters in Yiddish* kids these days have no manners.” You stare blankly at the man. Lenny, the barber, turns to you and shrugs his shoulders. The man, annoyed, gets up and pays. Lenny:“Joe,what about the change?” Joe “Keep it.” You turn to Lenny, “Uncle Len, who was that?” Lenny: You ask too many questions David. That's Joe Shulkin. You should watch yourself around him. He's connected to the Boy Plunger, Harry Ship.” “The Harry Ship?! The gambler Harry Ship?!” Lenny sighs, “Yes, David. Every Thursday night after work they go scope for broads at Club Lido.” “Hmmm isn't today Thursday?” “Yes David, but...” before Lenny could finish [[you get up and leave.]]

It's 7:30, you're dressed in the best suit you can find and sprayed yourself with the last of your father's cologne. You want to look sharp to impress Shulkin and Ship tonight. You catch the next taxi you see and [[head to Club Lido.]]

As you get up to leave for the washroom two cops stop you before you can fully get out of your seat. “And where do you think you're going?”one of them asks. You nervously stutter “to the bathroom officer.” One of the cops raises his eyebrow and asks for your papers, passport and boarding pass. The other asks for your name. In the heat of the moment you yell “David Gimple, Sir.” The second officer realizes that your answer doesn't correspond to your documents. You're detained and your bags are searched. The officers find 6 bags of heroin within your suitcases. You're arrested and condemned to 20 years in prison. \n\n\nGame Over.

Irvin winks at you and nods his head towards the back of the court, where you see Max Shapiro chatting to some cops. “Mr. Gimple you are sentenced a fine of $200 and Mr. Schwartz you are sentenced to a fine of $25. Good day.” Both of you follow Shapiro to the police station to pay the fine. \n “Good job kid. I'll be sure to tell Ship later about it.Here this is for you * he hands you a hundred dollar bill * don't spend it all at once now. Meet us tomorrow at Feldman and Ship's place, the [[Hawaiian Lounge]], for six at night. Don't be late.” Shapiro and Irvin leave. You head home. \n

\n The man signals his hand for the barber to stop and slowly turns his head towards you. “What's it to you?” he snarls, “you a copp-ah?” Your face becomes flush, under your breath you mutter “forget about it” but before you can continue the barber cuts you off “ Joe give the kid a break! I've known him since he was little, he don't mean no harm he's a good kid, stop busting his balls.” Joe sighs and re-directs his attention towards you, “What's it to you anyways?”.\n“ I can use the spare cash is all.”\n“Ha! Can't we all? If you're serious about it meet me at [[Club Lido]] for 8 o'clock tonight. And kid, try not to look so shabby.” Joe hands some money to the barber “Here Lenny, clean him up nice and keep the change.”\n\n \n

“Inno-” but before you can finish Irvin jabs you in the side and glares at you. From the corner of your eye you can see Shapiro and Lavois glaring as well. You gulp and then yell guilty. The judge fines you $200 dollars and Irvin $25 dollars. Shapiro, although infuriated with you, pays both Irvin's and your fines but warns you to never show your face again in any of his establishments, nor those of any of his friends. You've lost your chance to make it big in Montreal's underworld. You spend the rest of your life in poverty struggling to make ends meet to support your family. \n\nGame Over.

\n It's a warm Thursday afternoon in July and you're sitting in a barbershop waiting to get your hair cut. While waiting you overhear a man bragging about some money he won betting on horses. You're in financial trouble and could use some quick cash to help out at home,but you promised Bubbe that after your stint at Neighbourhood House a couple years back you'd stay out of trouble with the law.\nWhat do you do?\n\t[[Ask the man about how you could partake in some of this action and get some quick cash to help out at home.]]\n\t[[Briskly look away and act as if your didn't hear anything.]]\n\n

You are brought to the police station and charged with owning a gambling establishment. Irvin is charged with being in a gambling establishment. “Just remember, keep your mouth shut and plea guilty” Irvin whispers to you. “Guilty!?” you reply. “Ya guilty. So we just get fined and leave. If you plea innocent you'll start a beef with Shapiro and the police department and no one wants that now do we?” Hesitantly you reply, “No sir.” \n“Friday, July 25th 1946, Mr David Gimple and Mr Irvin Shwartz vs the district attorney. One charge of owning a gambling house and one charge of being present within said gambling house. How do the defendants plea?” The judge asks. \n“Guilty” Irvin replies.\nWhat do you say?\n [[“Guilty.”]]\n [[“Innocent!”]]\n

You wake up at 5:30 and rush to work at the factory. You leave work early around 12:45 to head home to pick up a quick bite before you go meet Ship on St. Catherine. Just as you're about to leave your house you hear Bubbe yell out “David!”. You freeze, your body tenses up. You slowly turn around to see her standing behind you. “David where were you last night? I heard you come in late.” “I was out late with some friends Bubbe.” She glares at you “David, as the man of this house you should act more responsibly. Staying out late galavanting throughout town on a Thursday night * she shakes her head* what if you would've overslept and woken up late for work today? Then you would've been fired and next thing you know we'd be out on the street next month since we wouldn't be able to afford the rent.” You sigh. “I hope you weren't doing anything mischievous David. Remember what you promised me? That'd you stay out of trouble. Don't disappoint me David.” You sullenly reply, “I won't Bubbe.” She whispers that she loves you in Yiddish as you repeat to her that you'll stay out of trouble. Before you leave she chirps “Also, David I want you to come to synagogue tonight with me. It's Shabbat you shouldn't have any plans for Friday night anyways.” \nWhat do you do:\n [[Lie]] and say you can't tonight because you're starting a new job at a restaurant downtown but that you'll go with her next week.\n Feel super guilty and [[say Yes]].\n

You gulp, and follow Joe to his car. He drives you to the train station where he drops you off and hands you a fake passport and papers. “Remember kid your name is Trevor Smith. Don't get in trouble with no coppas. Our connections ain't that strong outside the city.” You nervously reassure Joe that you won't mess up. You look over your papers and board the train. \nOn the way to New York the train gets stopped for a police search. \nWhat do you do?\n [[Casually kick one of your two bags under your chair and hold the other in your lap as you try your best to remain calm and collective and pretend that this is just a routine search]].\n\n [[Freak out and leave the bags as you run to go hide in the bathroom]].\n

You rush to St Catherine Street to meet Ship and arrive just on time. “The hell happened to you?” He asks. “Nothing just was talking to my Bubbe and lost track of..” He cuts you off “Kid. To be honest I don't really care. Just don't be late k?” “Ok.” You walk into a large apartment building. As you guys walk up the stairs he turns to look at you and says “ You see kid, a lot of people in our community got mixed views on what we do. Some call us crooks, they say we're ruining the community's name..that the French and the English will just look down on us even more than they do already because of what we do. But to these skeptics I ask, what have they done for us? Nothing. We need to look out for our own. Who do you think built our first hospital? Our synagogues? The YMHA? Jews, David, Jews. We look out for our own. What I do is not so different, David. We reinvest some of what we get into the community. It's a cycle. Not only that but we also offer smart men a way out of 90 hour weeks working for pennies at shmata factories. It's a gamble, yes, but isn't the pay off worth it?” \n You finally reach an apartment. Ship smiles “Welcome to one of my many 'white houses'. This is where you'll be working.” He opens the door. “Do what they say and if you don't screw up I'll be seeing you tomorrow.” The stuffy room is subdivided into cubicles. The heat within the room is almost suffocating. It's so hot that men are walking around in their underwear with their headsets on. A man in a suit approaches you “Welcome to Le Club Alexandre.” “Club?” you ask. “Yeah, you see where we're standing is only part of the club. All the fancy stuff is on the other side. We're just here to take down numbers kid. Here come with me [[I'll show you]].”\n

Just as you're about to head home you see your ex-girlfriend Roslyn. Roslyn's been trying to get back together ever since you guys broke up over a year ago. You're really not in the mood to talk to her so you catch yourself hailing the next cab. You just avoided a potentially really awkward situation. [[Phew]]! Looks like you're going to Club Lido tonight.\n\n

“Who do you think did it?” Shapiro asks Ship. \n “Probably one of them Italians!” Feldman slurs “That's what happens when you're into the dope trade, you never get out” he sobs. \n Ship rolls his eyes. “Bobbemyseh! Harry, my I-talian connections tell me they gots nothing to do with this. Shit for all we know it could just be a delayed revenge killing for Feigenbaum.”\n “Over ten years later? I doubt it” Joe replies. \n “Wait, Harry Davis is dead?” you utter.\n “Where have you been kid? It's been all over the news. He was iced this afternoon on Stanley in his own betting parlor...barely a block away from the Mansfield street club.” Ship answers.\n “The same place where that bomb exploded on the roof less than a week ago?” you ask. \n “Yeah yeah that place.” Barney chirps.\n “Either way, we's gots our men all over the city tonight. Coppas and goons alike are keeping their eyes and ears peeled. The city's going to be a shitfest.” Ship sullenly smirks. \n “Yeah, with Davis gone these no-name gangsters think they can run things now. We gotta keep them in their place.” Shapiro added. “You know, now that there's no edgeman there's no real rules for these shmucks.” \n “No edgeman for now you mean.” Ship cooly states. “The city needs a strong man, an established man with a name for himself to keep these jerks in place. And gentlemen, I believe that man is sitting right in front of you right now.” \n “Feldman?” Barney asks.\n “No you shmuck! Me! Feldman's got his wife and two kids, and he doesn't want anything to do with narcotics, and that my friends, is where all the money is. I got connections with the cops, the I-talians, the politicians, everyone. Max, yous a nice guy and all, but you're too low key. And the rest of yous, yous aren't made for it. I'm next in line.” Everyone nods silently in agreement.\n Just then a man comes running in. Still panting, he directs his attention to Ship “Hey boss, I just got word on who killed Davis. Some guy called Louis Bercovitch also known around the block as Joe Miller.” \n“Bercovitch...”Shapiro ponders out loud.\n“Greco do you know where we can find this S.O.B?” Ship asks. \n“No clue boss. But we've got eyes and ears on every corner.” \n“Keep me posted Greco.”\n[[“Sure thing boss.” the man replies then leaves.]] \n

Rebecca De Sanctis

The second floor is more lively than the first. You see a group of men sitting closely around a table, almost all have a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. One of the men looks up and motions for you to come and sit with them. When you get closer you realize it's Joe. “Guys this is the kid I was telling you about today. Kid what's your name again?” “David.” “You cleaned up alright David.” he turns his attention back to the men “Len said he's a clean cut kid. He wants in on what we do. He's an ambitious one this kid I tell you.”\n The men turn their attention to a plump man sitting in the middle. The plump man lowers his cigar from his mouth and looks up at you, examining you up and down. “Why should I hire you?” You quickly reply, “Why shouldn't you? I've got street smarts, I'm ambitious just like you guys...and I need the cash, Sir.” The plump man raises his eyebrow at you “Sit down right here boy.” He waves down a waiter and orders two scotch on the rocks then gives you a cigar. He goes around clockwise introducing everyone at the table. “This here is Max, Max Shapiro. That's Harry Davis *he whispers in your ear* he runs everything...That over there is Joe, you already know him..and that's his cousin Barney, there's Harry Feldman, Harry Baris, Louis Petner, Julius Silverberg and that shmuck in the corner, that's Joe Frankel.” The men all laugh amongst themselves. Listen kid Barney's gotta go outta town for a week with Joe, Baris and Silverberg, you know to discuss some things over in New York. I'm gonna need you to help out at one of our establishments. How does that sound?” “Yes sir...thank you.” “Loosen up a bit boy, you can call me Harry, cut this Sir shit out.” “Thanks Harry.” “Tomorrow you're going to meet Shapiro at his restaurant, Ruby Foos, it's on Decarie. Be there for two o'clock.” You gulp down your excitement, “Understood.” “I need to go. Someone seems to be interested in one of my ladies for tonight, I need to handle some business. Don't screw up tomorrow and I'll see you soon.” You finish your scotch and look down at your watch to see that it's already 1:30 am. You say good bye to all the boys and head home and pray that you'll get at least 4 hours of sleep before work [[tomorrow morning]].\n

You know lying to Bubbe is wrong and that she'd be devastated if she ever found out that you were involved with Harry Ship. You decide to kiss the inklings of the beginning of your gambling escapade goodbye and stay at home and spend the rest of the day with your grandmother helping around the house. \n\n\nGame Over