Dancing Dan's Christmas
by Damon Runyon [1884-1946]
Page 4 of 4
Well, it is Christmas Eve a year later that I run into a guy by
the name of Shotgun Sam, who is mobbed up with Heine Schmitz in
Harlem, and who is a very, very obnoxious character indeed.
"Well, well, well," Shotgun says, "the last time I see you is
another Christmas Eve like this, and you are coming out of Good
Time Charley's joint, and," he says, "you certainly have your
pots on."
"Well, Shotgun," I says, "I am sorry you get such a wrong
impression of me, but the truth is," I say, "on the occasion you
speak of, I am suffering from a dizzy feeling in my head."
"It is all right with me," Shotgun says. "I have a tip this
guy Dancing Dan is in Good Time Charley's the night I see you,
and Mockie Morgan, and GunnerJack and me are casing the joint,
because," he says, "Heine Schmitz is all sored up at Dan over
some doll, although of course," Shotgun says, "it is all right
now, as Heine has another doll.
"Anyway," he says, "we never get to see Dancing Dan. We watch
the joint from six-thirty in the evening until daylight Christmas
morning, and nobody goes in all night but old Ooky the Santa
Claus guy in his Santa Claus makeup, and," Shotgun says, "nobody
comes out except you and Good Time Charley and Ooky.
"Well," Shotgun says, "it is a great break for Dancing Dan he
never goes in or comes out of Good Time Charley's, at that,
because," he says, "we are waiting for him on the second-floor
front of the building across the way with some nice little
sawed-offs, and are under orders from Heine not to miss. "
"Well, Shotgun," I say, "Merry Christmas."
"Well, all right," Shotgun says, "Merry Christmas."
