The Uptown Shuffle

By Mike Zimmerman

Benny’s a junkie, and not very bright (even for a junkie). Nate’s a burned-out inner-city priest with some serious salvation problems. And they’re about to spend a very unusual night on the town together...

WARNING: Contains violence, sexual content, and adult themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mike Zimmerman
• Release date: Jun 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458154095

Mike Zimmerman

Mike Zimmerman is a graduate of Oakland University in Rochester Michigan where he studied History, Political Science, and Social Studies. He is a published author in Renaissance Magazine and likes to write both fiction and non fiction in his spare time.    Mike has moved near Phoenix Arizona with his wife, daughter, son, and the family dog Sonny. Some of his hobbies include coaching and playing basketball, sand volleyball leagues, watching movies, going to concerts, and “old school” video games.  

Book preview

The Uptown Shuffle

a short story

Mike Zimmerman

Copyright c2011 by Mike Zimmerman. All rights reserved.

Smashwords edition

Benny opened his eyes to the dim hanging bulb and the shit-brown walls and the lumpy mattress with Ape splayed across it on his side like an amoeba after a swan dive. A roll of fat plopped out from under Ape's torn T-shirt.

Uhfloogle, muttered Benny. It was the first thing to pop into his head. Actually, it didn't even pop; it slithered. You know, he said to the form on the mattress, if you roll a hand grenade, it will roll.

Benny smiled at his wisdom. It was like red being red only because someone said it was red. But if there was no red there would be no blood, and if there was no blood there'd be no place for the drugs to go. Benny liked it when all fissures in his brain were full, capacity crowd, saturation central, move to the rear of the lobes please.

He stumbled to his feet and looked down at his right forearm. A greasy syringe hung from his vein like a catheter from a dead man's prick. Benny yanked it and held it