The Tragedy of James and Jackie: Making monsters of Men...

A prostitute named Jackie has a savings box of money. She vowed to one day leave, or die trying.

 Mr. Bane brought James to the brothel in order to make a man out of him. He booked James a room with Jackie, who was Banes favorite whore. James’ failure to perform was evident. But Jackie knew just the remedy.

James came back again and again  and again.  Until soon, they are lovers, wonderful lovers! James comes each week, sometimes twice. He helps her plan her savings; teaches her about investments and returns. They lie next to each other and do math problems. Jackie talks about all the things she will do when has enough to leave. James confides in her about his frailties and failures. On the contrary, Jackie sees a wonderful man. Her heart is full of hope for a fresh future, his because with her, he can fly. But he runs out of money. The grips of the depression are tightening. They try to meet in in the park, as if it were a date. But someone recognizes them both. James is shamed for being with that kind of woman in public. He denies he knows her and walks away. The next day, he comes to her in the brothel and apologizes, He insists, “This is the only safe place to meet”. Jackie has another way; she sneaks into his boarding house that night and they make love. But when she comes back to the whore house, she is badly beaten for coming home wet with empty pockets! Time passes and her bruises fade. She misses James dearly. She comes up with a plan. She invests the way James taught her. Every week, she buys a bucket of flowers from Anne. She sells them on the streets to make money each week. She wants to earn money respectably. Jackie tells James to come on Fridays. She tells him that for an hour on Fridays she can have a visitor and that she chooses him. But the truth is, she is paying the mistress herself. She is paying the mistress each week so that she can see James. But James begins to stand her up. His work for Mr. Bane is becoming dark and we fear for what he is becoming. Jackie has to pay the mistress whether James comes or not. One day Mr. Bane comes in to the Brothel looking seeking Jackies services. He has always been a rough lover, but today she stands up to him. She pushes him off and tells him no! She bites him! The mistress comes in and rebuffs Jackie. Offers for Mr. Bane to have another woman. He wants Jackie all the more now, but his enthusiasms have been dashed. As he leaves with Jackies Bite mark on his face the mistress apologizes and promises a few rows on the house for all the trouble. Bane tells James about what happened to his face. “That whore bitch Jackie did it!” James goes sheet white and goes to Jackie. Jackie tells James everything. How she couldn’t stand to be without him. They way she wants to love him and help him. The way she sold flowers to see him, because he was her investment, and she was his return. He laughs because “That’s not how it works…” but she protests and hold his face and says, “Yes it does,my love, that’s exactly how it works!” They vow to leave together Friday night. Come Friday, the Mistress tells Jackie she is to entertain Mr. Bane. But she leaves to catch the train with James. Bane is livid and goes looking for her. James has not arrived at the station, but Bane does. His obsession with a debt being paid and his seething hateful fire for Jackie is unleashed. He pushes her into an alleyway and rapes her. She starts to fight back, and he bites her face the way she bit his. She does something excruciatingly painful to him. The train light shines on the track about to arrive at the station. He throws her on the track as it arrives…killing her. James arrives at the crime scene. He sees the bite mark on Jackies face…just like the one on Mr. Banes face days ago. Remembering Banes words “The debt must be paid”. James knows the truth and says nothing. The police report her as a suicide. “Another worthless whore”. Jackies money box lay open, blood-streaked dollar bills flap nearby from underneath a railroad tie.