Jailing

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Jailing Page 8

by Clifford Irving


  Unfortunately, no one’s interested in raping me. I’m not young or pretty enough. I’ll have to think of another way out of this joint.

  New Year’s Day, 1974

  Funzi and Gus sitting today on a bench in front of Hartford House in the cold winter sunlight, reminiscing about the old days with the mob in New York — “the night Fast Eddie got snuffed at the delicatessen on Delancey Street, remember, Gus?” And me sitting there, quietly, hardly daring to ask a question, listening open-mouthed and big-eyed like a little kid. The mob! It exists! I know them.

  January 3, 1974

  I woke up this morning with a half inch of snow on my blanket and my hair soaking wet. Didn’t even feel it start during the night. It’s been so hot in here, despite the so-called energy crisis, that I gasp for air sometimes at night. Because of the oil shortage it was forbidden to open our windows — an automatic shot, which I can ill afford. But last night it was too much and around midnight I flung open the window and thought, fuck it. I’m dying of heat in January! Then it snowed on my head, maybe as punishment. I’m sneezing.

  Later: the judge in New Haven has accepted my writ and ordered the government to show cause by Monday, January 7th. I don’t know if this is merely a formality, but it’s certainly better than a kick in the ass.

  January 4, 1974

  Someone shook me awake this morning at 7:45 and said I was wanted on the double in the caseworker’s office. Grumbling, I dressed and walked over through the snow — a cold, bright blue morning. Lefebvre and Edwards were waiting for me. They both looked unhappy. Lefebvre said, without a trace of expression, “You’ve applied for admission to the Halfway House in Manhattan, Mr. Irving. The Bureau of Prisons has advised us late last night that they’ve reversed their negative decision and decided to authorize your transfer.”

  I think I asked him, “When?” and he said, “Today. Now. You’d better hurry. There’s a bus leaves at 9:30 this morning for New York. Get your things together, sign out, and go.”

  So that’s how it works. They’ve thrown me out. Get out, Irving, you fuckup, you troublemaker! I ran over to tell Riley at the infirmary. I had to yell up to the window which he couldn’t open more than a crack and which was frosted over. He yelled back, “Don’t forget!”

  I’m sitting now at the bus station in downtown Danbury. I’ve got my clothes, books and papers in two cartons tied with string. I’m wearing my navy peajacket and a green sport coat underneath that’s one size too small for me, and shiny brown pants that barely reach my ankles, and my Leavenworth boots. They’re good for the snow. I’ve called Maury in New York to tell him, and to ask him to cable to Spain and get my kids over here. He couldn’t believe it at first — I think for a minute he thought I’d escaped. “I won, Maury,” I yelled into the bus station pay phone, so that a lot of heads turned. “I won forty one days of freedom. You don’t know what that means. I’ll meet you at P.J. Clarke’s for lunch. Bring money.”

  The sun is almost blinding, blazing off the snow. I walk around, waiting for the bus, taking deep breaths of the cold air.

  Now I’m on the bus. Last entry in this journal. The bare trees, the highway, the cars with patches of snow on their roofs, the world rushing by, look like a cinemascope movie. I feel like I’m in that movie, clutching my cartons and my release papers, dressed like a goon. I’m going to check into the Halfway House. They give you the first weekend off, I know that. I’m going to have a beer and a medium-rare cheeseburger at P.J.’s. Then I’m going for a long walk, alone, through the snow in Central Park. Then maybe down Fifth Avenue. Tonight I’m taking Mary to Broadway Joe’s Steak House on 46th Street for dry martinis, oysters, a bottle of burgundy, a baked potato, a rare sirloin steak and cheesecake. I’m going to ask her to wear her red cotton dress without a bra, and after dinner I’m going to find a tent somewhere and crawl under it with her.

  ***

  Word-of-mouth is the lifeblood of any author. If you enjoyed Jailing (Link), please consider leaving a review at Amazon. Even if it's only a line or two; it would make all the difference and would be so much appreciated.

  By the way: I forward positive reviews to my Dad. He reads and appreciates each and every one...and sends his thanks. -- All best, Josh Irving

  You may also enjoy (Links): The Autobiography of Howard Hughes, Fake!, Final Argument, Trial, DADDY’S GIRL, THE SPRING, or one of the books below...

  Also by

  CLIFFORD IRVING

  (* Links to Kindle books)

  NOVELS

  On a Darkling Plain

  The Losers

  * Diablo Valley

  The 38th Floor

  * THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF HOWARD HUGHES

  Death Freak (co-author)

  Sleeping Spy (co-author)

  * Tom Mix and Pancho Villa

  * THE ANGEL OF ZIN

  * Trial

  * Final Argument

  * THE SPRING

  * I Remember Amnesia

  * Bloomberg Discovers America

  NON-FICTION

  The Battle of Jerusalem

  Spy (co-author)

  * FAKE!

  The Global Village Idiot

  The Hoax

  * DADDY’S GIRL

  * JAILING

  CliffordIrving.com(Link) Sign up for your chance to win a Kindle loaded with all Clifford's books, along with a personally signed note from him (Promo coming soon).

  Table of Contents

  August 28, 1972

  August 29

  August 30

  September 3

  September 5

  September 7

  September 10

  September 14

  September 15

  September 18

  September 24

  October 1

  October 5

  October 7

  October 9

  October 18

  November 4

  November 5

  November 15

  November 16

  November 20

  Thanksgiving Day

  November 29

  December 6

  December 9

  December 14

  December 19

  December 22

  Christmas Day

  January 3, 1973

  January 10

  January 17

  January 22

  January 30

  February 3

  February 16

  March 5

  PART TWO March 10, 1973

  March 12

  March 28

  March 31

  April 10

  April 18

  April 19

  May 2

  May 9

  May 12

  May 19

  May 22

  June 7

  July 16

  July 31

  August 7

  August 11

  August 12

  August 19

  August 20

  August 28

  September 13

  October 2

  October 4

  October 12

  October 22

  November 14

  November 29

  December 3

  December 13

  December 14

  December 15

  December 18

  Christmas Day

  December 30

  New Year’s Day, 1974

  January 3, 1974

  January 4, 1974

  Also by CLIFFORD IRVING

  See CliffordIrving.com

 

 

 
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