On a cold night in New York City, a group of people are gathered around drums in which small fires are burning. They are trying to keep warm while they watch, in the distance, a huge fire demolish a group of buildings. A man soon joins the group. He appears to know a lot about fires. Soon he begins to entertain his audience with a story about a famous arsonist Gasman.
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The Gasman is a story within a story. It is a humorous foray into the life and psyche of a morally challenged but likable arsonist. This tale is recounted by a very colorful narrator to a group of people while they watch a fire. It is a story of money, honor, love, betrayal, and revenge. As it often is in life, the ending is a surprise. The story's narrator and his rather vocal audience reflect the characters and experiences of people I have met over the years as an inner city educator and the wife of a NYPD Sergeant
Excerpt
“Yo.” He approached slowly with shuffling steps nodding his head at the few men he recognized. They were the ones who stood out among the many sitting on neighborhood stoops or hanging around outside the methadone clinic which was right next to his favorite liquor store.
This slight acquaintance was enough for some to nod back, and a space was made for him at one of the drums. Invited, he moved forward cautiously and stood holding his hands over the fire. “Nice blaze, good body.” He nodded his approval toward the large man who was clearly in charge of the fire.
This fire was fed not by cardboard boxes, discarded magazines or the usual garbage. It was fueled by real wood, some pieces of which still sported nails and bits of plaster. A building had given up a portion of its guts so that these citizens of the streets could stay warm.
In gratitude for the well-maintained fire, the man offered a sip from the flask that he now took from his coat pocket. The fire keeper declined the offer, endearing him even more to his guest. Soon the fire keeper’s attention and the attention of the others standing around the drums became fixed not on their own small fires but on the conflagration that roared in the distance. They had an unobstructed view. The drums and the building that sheltered them stood at the top of a horseshoe that ended seven long blocks away down by the river’s edge.
Screaming in defiance, the fire fled from building to building. A monstrous golden god, it devoured the warehouses in its path and defeated the men who battled it. Glorious and deadly it defied description and held its audience in awe.
Not moving his gaze from the sight in front of him, the man acknowledged a comment. “I know what you mean, bro, me too. I love fires.” He moved closer in order to hear the man’s mumbles better. “No, sir, that not no accident. Somebody set her. I know fire. This reminds me of the fires my friend Gas would set. I know him my whole life.”
Professional Reviews
A Street-Smart Story,
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson "Author 'This is the Place"
I came to "The Gasman" with a sense for what I might be getting. I read Judith Colombo's novel, "Night Crimes," a few years ago and will never forget that psycho-thriller, the characterization, the careful weaving of plot elements. This Amazon Short did not disappoint.
Colombo is a storyteller who knows her craft but she's also a storyteller who does her homework. Colombo got the elements of the story down, if not from research from experience. She is a former New Yorker and has a retired detective husband. I have to assume she has the Bronx/Black dialect down to a T as well. That's her M.O., if you will. And that jargon/accent was really fun to read!
"The Gasman" may be the most entertaining forty-nine cents I ever spent.
A Fiery Read,
By Tonya Ramagos (Chattanooga, TN) - See all my reviews
THE GASMAN is a gripping tale of a man's life on the streets. An intelligent man with a flair for arson, the Gasman is both a character to sympathize and fear. Gasman will catch the reader's interest from the start and offers a surprise with the twisted ending.
Great character portrait
I thoroughly enjoyed Gasman. Judith Colombo created an authentic, sympathetic character and quickly drew you into the exploits of the Gasman and his life on the streets. I especially liked the twist and the end. Fun reading!
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