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Bourbon On The Rocks #11

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"I'm on the run, Jakey. I can't exactly check into the Hilton."

I chuckled, "Can you afford the Hilton...Milton?"

His clothes looked like they had been wadded up and tossed into a wagon of borax that a team of 20 mules pulled across the desert.

"Come on, Jakey," he said, embarrassed.

I turned around and pointed my finger at him, "My name is Jake! I'm not a ten-year-old boy anymore. Stop calling me Jakey!"

He looked irritated, "God, what happened to you, Jakey?"

I lunged at him, throwing him against the wall.

"What'd I just say?" I screamed...

7 comments add one below

  • avatar

    Christopher over 6 years ago

    Two things.

    One, the Hilton wasn't built in L.A. until three or four years after this is set, but it was already a famous hotel.

    Two, there used to be a laundry detergent called "20 Mule Team Borax" that I believe is still being produced today. There were some ads for the product showing the mules pulling a wagon of borax across a desert

  • avatar

    Neville Hunt over 6 years ago

    Thanks for the footnotes, Christopher; very well researched as usual. What’s a surprise is how touchy Jake is about his moniker....probably as seeing and hearing Milty brings back a few unpleasant memories.

  • avatar

    Christopher over 6 years ago

    I thought about that too, that he seemed overly sensitive. I think it's being put into this situation that he's really pissed about and that was just what he zeroed in on.

  • avatar

    Neville Hunt over 6 years ago

    A very thoughtful analysis, Drew. I think you may be right.

  • avatar

    Christopher over 6 years ago

    Wow! That's brilliant and I didn't even think of it that way! I was coming from the angle of Jake just not wanting to be there. But I like your analysis much better!

    (And I didn't notice the misspelling until you pointed it out. As far as being alert and aware I'm slipping these days, which makes proofreading my own work that much harder.)

  • avatar

    Frenchie over 6 years ago

    I was wondering what was 'Borax'. Thanks for the explanation. Hmmm..., I was surprised by Jake's over-reaction. It didn't seem characteristic. I would have taken him for a more laid back character :-D so, good turn. Expect the unexpected :-D need to read the rest. I knew I should pass by every day...

  • avatar

    Christopher over 6 years ago

    Thanks, Frenchie.

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