002 | Voice

[burger_king]

It's a little after midnight, the cobblestones slick with fog on this mild late August night. Polly Nichols, a divorced mother of five, makes her way down Brick Lane on unsteady feet. A victim of drink, like so many other members of the working class at this time, and where there's drink there's desperation. She turns down on Whitechapel Road to earn enough coin for a bed for the night. Her new bonnet will surely do the trick.

Three hours later, two cart drivers come across a body in Buck's Row. In the dim light of early morning they can't know for sure but, as one of them told the police later, she looks to me to be either dead or drunk, but for my part, I believe she's dead. The way her throat was slit ear to ear confirmed that belief.

Want to hear the rest? Tune in to the Overlook Podcast. The first episode is available now on your favorite podcatcher.

Happy Friday the 13th.

Comments

[burger_king]

Well... that depends, I guess. If you pick something too serious, they'd probably just see it as ironic.

Got anything you already know a lot about?

[devoutish]

Life in England in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I could do a history program.

[burger_king]

That's not a bad idea... unless your listeners see it as some kind of context for whatever conspiracy they're cooking up.

[devoutish]

Ah, well-- it wouldn't be the intended goal, but it would be funny, wouldn't it.

[burger_king]

I'd like to think so. If they're going to do it either way, why not string them along?

[devoutish]

I've been stringing them along for a year and a half now; it's getting to be a very long string.

[burger_king]

Wow. That's actually pretty impressive... and all the more reason to try something new.

[devoutish]

But it's also why I got bored of the radio show, you understand? Sometimes, mate, you've got to stop and ask yourself - is there an end in sight to this?

[burger_king]

Yeah, I get it. No harm in shutting it down and doing something else, if you're done with it.

Say you did quit - what would you do instead?

[devoutish]

Well, I did quit. I decided to devote my attentions towards working with local businessmen. Yeah, integrating with the community.

[burger_king]

Working with them how? [ Yeah, this piques his interest. ]

[devoutish]

Ah, purchasing, mostly. Consultation.

[There sure are a lot of euphemisms being used here.]

Are you a businessman yourself?

[burger_king]

[ He senses... something. Something he can't put his finger on, but it tickles the back of his skull, like some kind of Southside sixth sense. This feels shady and in that moment he gets a different impression from this guy. ]

Not really. I dabbled a little bit back home, but I don't think it's the career choice for me.

[devoutish]

Did you really? What did you do?

[burger_king]

I think that's better left in the past. Let's just say it didn't work out. [ And he's not about to tell some guy he doesn't know about the drug running he got black mailed into. ]

[devoutish]

Mm, yeah - new world, new start, isn't that right? Leaving sins and mistakes in the past, and all.

[You know, if you're into that sort of thing.]

[burger_king]

Couldn't agree more. [ In this specific instance, at least. ] I'm Jughead, by the way. Jughead Jones.

[devoutish]

I'm Alfie Solomons, me. Jughead. That's a nickname, yeah?

[burger_king]

Technically, but not even my parents use my legal name.

My little sister's called Jellybean. I guess it's a family thing.

[devoutish]

You two have got superhero names build in; that's very lucky.

[burger_king]

If you're into being a superhero, maybe. [ He isn't. ]

What about Solomons? You got that whole... wise biblical king thing going.

[devoutish]

[Alfie grins, flicking on the audio to show off the little crown tattoo he has on one of his knuckles. Look, he's even decorated for it.]

[burger_king]

[ Gotta get props for that - Jug gives a low, impressed whistle. ]

You're ahead of the game. Branding is important, from what I can understand.

[devoutish]

Yeah, it's a shame I'm not one for superheroing. "The King" would be fucking indomitable.

[burger_king]

[ Yeah, here's a topic change out of the fucking blue. ]

What are your thoughts on registration?