Chapter 25: Slowly Staring to Unravel

My phone buzzed.

Rose, it's Gary, read the text.

Three little bubbles appeared.

Listen, I was wondering if you could do me a favor, read the next.

I waited for more bubbles.

I need a car, because I need some way to get around to different gigs. I've been looking at cars on Craigslist, and I think I found one that could work.

Ok, where do I figure into this? I wondered.

Can you lend me the money to buy it? I swear I'll pay you back. The title will be in your name and everything.

I thought about it for a bit.

How much? I responded.

Eight hundred.

I thought about my Crown Royal bag, full of dancing cash. I could make that up in a week, I thought.

Sure, I sent.

The next week, I went with him to pick up some piece of junk car that had approximately 800,000 miles on it and an engine that coughed its way through existence.

"Thank you so much," said Gary. "You're really helping me out. I promise I'll pay you back week by week."

I never heard from Gary again.

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