The Coin’s Second Face (Part 2)
The dark shroud was finally broken by the dawn light’s growing wisps. Even the beams of weak morning light allowed Dimitri to see again. He had been taken from the old man’s chest and returned to the table in his study. Removed from the second coin and placed in another.
“Twice now I have given the less fortunate a chance to change their lives and both times the power of my worth has been ignored. This time I will not fail.” He quieted his thoughts then, “Come.”
Upon his silent request, another pigeon, this one darker than all of the rest, swooped through the window.
“Take me to a man clad with sensibility. Take me to someone who understands money’s place as tool for growing your means but also as door to life’s pleasures. Does such a man exist?”
With a last boob of its head, the dark bird took up Dimitri and flew from the window but it didn’t fly far. It circled around Dimitri’s estate and stopped on the sill of his dining hall window.
The hall was largely empty except for Dimitri’s son Costa and the spend thrift old man. Both sat at the broad dining table talking.
“No you fool bird! My son isn’t fit! Besides he has the rest of my wealth and we’ve already met the old man!” Dimitri felt like he was shouting. “Take me away from here!”
The bird didn’t move. It didn’t adjust its stance or even coo.
Dimitri tried to move on his own but he was still in the bird’s grasp. Instead he looked upon his son and the tight fisted man. Costa looked ragged and weary but it didn’t appear to be the look of a long night with his friends. It looked as if he was in deep morning.
“Rinadlo what do you trouble me for?”
The old man reply, “I am sorry about the loss of your father. He was truly an amazing businessman and no doubt an upstanding father.”
Costa brought his hand to his forehead. Invisible strings pulled down his countenance. “You have asked to meet with me Master Renaldo. Although I am not in the mood you were granted an audience. What business do you have with me?”
“I have enough money now sir!” Renaldo set his black chest onto the table. “Finally I can invest on your next ship. Do you have leverage for another investor?”
“We have a ship leaving in less than a month for the Palestine. You may invest. Do you have the binding receipt so that I may put my seal on it?”
Renaldo produced a parchment and Costa signed and sealed it. The old man rolled the parchment and hurriedly left leaving chest of precious metals with Costa. He didn’t move for a while then with a sigh he picked up the box. A moment later he had left the room.
Before Dimitri could question what had happened, the pigeon turned and flew from the window. It flew sharply up and perched at the very top of Dimitri’s villa. For several minutes, it didn’t move.
Finally Costa’s form materialized from a side street. He was walking beside one of the guild buildings. Scaffolding bracketed the outside as masons worked to repair a damaged wall.
“Well, stupid bird what is next? You haven’t followed my requests at all. What are you to do with me?”
With a suddenness that startled Dimitri, the bird lifted from the villa and flew swiftly in Costa’s direction. It stayed well above the scaffolding not allowing the young man or the masons to spy it. Finally, it banked back toward Costa and dropped Dimitri.
The gold coin struck the stones near Costa’s feet and quickly rolled in the direction of another man following close behind. He saw the coin rolling toward him and snatched Dimitri up. Michael knew the coin didn’t belong to him. When he looked up, he saw Costa still walking and gave chase.
“Sir! Master Costa!” Michael held the coin up and began running toward the other man. “Master Costa, excuse me! You have dropped this gold coin and I wish to return it to you!”
Costa was wrapped in his own thoughts. The loss of his father was proving a very bitter loss. It was now for him to maintain trade and build wealth yet he had given his father’s actions very little regard. Business would need to be tended and ledgers checked. His heart ached and suddenly he had no appetite for pleasure.
“Master Costa, Master Costa!”
Costa held Renaldo’s chest close to his torso. He would take it to the bank he was now presumed to help manage. He knew the other aristocrat’s names and nothing else. Dimitri tried to teach him…
“Master Costa!”
The latest shout pulled Costa from his thinking and brought him about. At that moment, a small stack of bricks fell from the scaffolding above Costa. The deadly missiles landed with hard breaking sounds and plumes of dust only a few feet away.
Michael caught up. “Master Costa, I am certainly glad I caught you. Even more so now that I stopped you from being struck by those bricks. Here is a gold coin I believe you dropped near your home.”
Costa didn’t immediately reply. He turned and looked at the broken bricks near his feet. Two further steps and he would have joined his father in the afterlife.
From the top of the scaffolding, came the sound of cursing men and one voice blustered over them all. “Benni! Benni You fool! You almost killed a guild member! And you’re drunk again! You no longer have a job here! Go back to your tavern and never return!”
“Master Costa?” Michael waved the gold in front of Costa’s face. “Master you don’t appear to be well. I know your father’s death had been hard. May I assist you?”
Costa stepped away from the bricks and scaffolding with Michael in tow. Finally he asked, “Who are you?”
“I am Michael Bortelli. I am a minor bookkeeper with your father’s longtime assistant Angelo. I was going to the bank to drop off these accounts when I saw the glint of a gold coin near your feet. It quickly rolled my direction so I picked it up.”
“You could have kept it.”
“Not I master. The money is yours I only help manage it.”
Costa took the man’s shoulder with his free arm. “Do you know the names and dispositions of the aristocrats at the bank?”
“I should. I spend much of my given daylight toiling in that dark, musty building.”
“And my ships?”
“Twelve here in dock and the manifests of all the rest are carefully recorded in the papers I carry with me.”
“Then consider the gold your first wage in your new position as my personal counsel.” He placed Rinaldo’s chest into Michael’s arms. “Whether it was your intention or not you have saved may life and proved your character all at once. Come, we will conclude your business and mine at the bank together.”
Michael protested. “Master I have done nothing yet to deserve this money. Pay me after I have managed your accounts for some time and I am sure you will find that I am worth much more.”
Costa smiled. “Well said, but what will you do with this coin? As I have sworn, it isn’t mine.”
“If you will excuse me for a few moments, I will make it an investment on your behalf.”
Michael stepped across the plaza to a to the busy stand of a bread seller. “Sir, how much for a loaf?”
The baker replied, “But thirty lira sir!”
Michael looked at the wicker baskets filled with fresh loaves then handed the baker Dimitri’s gold form. “I will have all that you have left. Give a loaf to every young boy or girl that passes your stand. Two if they look hungry. Tell them it is a gift from Master Costa Trolli and if word reaches my ears of my master’s generosity then you will receive twice the business.”
The baker smiled and quickly agreed. “Very well sir. Gifts from Master Costa Trolli, I understand.”
Michael took a loaf and broke it as he strolled back to a waiting Costa. He sprinkled the crumbs to a large group of pigeons gathered in the plaza.
“Well done my friends. There will much more business in the future for you as well.”
The baker slipped the gold into his pocket and Dimitri’s spirit was released.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Nice writing. You are on my RSS reader now so I can read more from you down the road.
Allen Taylor
November 19th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Very good
November 19th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I like it Matt.