BOMAW 10-12

by Mercedes Keyes

  "Now you know better than to ask me that. The boys were wondering when you were coming home, because you've been gone so long - they headed out to where they were going, calling a taxi, they left over an hour ago." She informed him.

  "Where?"

  "Some dj concert, competition show thing Mundo wanted to see, he said he asked you about it and that it was okay with you."

  "I wanted to take them and then pick them up."

  "Well, they're gone now, the two of them together, they should be fine."

  "Yeah, I guess, I just don't feel comfortable with them out there alone, they don't really know California."

  "Shawn, Mundo is eighteen years old, Benjamin is twenty-two - what was I supposed to say to them?"

  "I know, I know - look, don't worry - I'll be home soon, I love you honey."

  "I love you too baby, see you when you get home."

  * * *

  "Man, what the fuck, what a let down! I can't believe this shit! I was looking forward to this too! How the hell they gone cancel it at the last damn minute!" Mundo complained.

  "As you and I know, shit happens!"

  "I know, but why the shit always got to happen to us? That's what I wanna know."

  "You ever find out, impart some understanding my way." Ben replied walking along side Mundo, hands in his pockets, had they known the event was cancelled they could have made other plans.

  "Now what?" Mundo grumbled.

  "I don't know, to be honest with you, I don't care for going right back to the condo." Ben admitted.

  "For real, me either. I know why I don't wanna go back, but why don't you?" Mundo asked concerned about him.

  Ben shook his head, he didn't know what to say, wasn't quite sure what he was feeling.

  "Man, don't let that get to you okay? I'm sure he dealing with some issues too."

  "The man found out that I was his son, that I am, without a doubt, his flesh and blood son - how could he leave and say nothing to me at all?"

  "You know what Ben, that's some heavy shit to learn after all these years man. Shawn and I have spent a lot of time together, talking about everything. One thing I do know, is that he has always wanted a family to call his own. So much so, that taking on my sister and me, for him, was just a walk in the park. But you, that's a whole different situation. Part of him I think wanted it, but there's another part of him that didn't because Shawn don't take being your father lightly, like, 'Oh yeah? No biggie, cool - welcome to the family!' know what I'm saying? To him, its serious business. To be honest with you, I don't think he really believed that you were, because we've talked about it, and what threw him, was Shawn2. He kept thinking, you were just another, Shawn2 - so when the buzz kicked up, saying you might be his - the gravity of it didn't bring it down, bring it home until - bam - this morning, is was a sho'nuff fact! That opened up this whole other door to him of all the what ifs, and what should have been and shit!"

  "I suppose, I don't know, I just thought - it would be different when he found out."

  "You feel any different from before, now that you know, he's your father for sure?"

  Ben thought about it and then shook his head, "No, I don't... because you know what, I always had this feeling that he was. Then he came home with his wife, with Angela and all I wanted him to do, was look at me, see me and know right away, that I was his son. But he never did, he just seemed to - look through me."

  "Can't look through you now can he?"

  "No, I suppose he can't."

  "So ah, that makes us like - brother's and shit huh?" Mundo smiled and nudged him.

  Ben chuckled, nudging him back, "Yeah, me big brother, you - little brother."

  "Okay, okay, okay - and uh, so what does that make Crystal to you?"

  Ben glanced at him, then away, "I've gotten to know her pretty well you know, and I care about her, I care about her a lot. And those boys, they are incredible!"

  "Yeah, you definitely right about that."

  "Right now, she needs me to be her friend, and if I can't be anything else, being that is the next best thing. But uh, I can tell you now, I'll never see her as my sister, not ever."

  "Well, be careful - we got a good thing going on as a family, let's keep that good thing."

  "Hey, I'm all for it - sounds like a plan." They slapped a high five, "Now, what do we do with the rest of our evening?"

  "You know what, we could go shoot some pool."

  "Shoot some pool? Where?"

  "King Louie? Where dad took us?"

  "It's kind'ah late Mundo, I don't know if we wanna be there at this time of the evening."

  "Man chill, we just gone go, shoot some pool, have a little fun away from the crib - couple of hours, then head home. We was gone be at that dj slam a couple of hours anyway, what's the difference?"

  "I just don't think Shawn wants us there, especially without him."

  "Oh, what, we babies now? Man come on, we just gone shoot a few games, then go home."

  "Just a couple of hours right? Then home?"

  "Yep, straight up."

  "All right, now, lets see if we can get a cab there."

  * * *

  "Look at him Mama JoJo, he been pacing like that for the last hour, worrying about them boys."

  "I see'im, lawd, that chile was somethin' else when he was that Benjamin's age, he worr'n 'cause he know what they can get into." She returned sitting out on the patio with Sylvia and Crystal. Darren sitting on his mother's lap, asking her every few minutes, "Where Ben'amin at mama?" For her to answer, "He went out for a while baby." for him to ask next, "Where Mun'no at mama?" for her to patiently answer, "He went out with Benjamin baby, they'll be back later." For Isaac to join in asking, "But when they gonna get back, they been gone forever mama." for her to answer him, saying, "They've only been gone for a few hours."

  Isaac sighed exasperated, "They been gone fo'ever and ever mama."

  Because they were asking so much, over and over, Crystal decided she better take them in, give them their baths ready for bed. "Come on you two, time for your baths, tell Mama JoJo and your grandmama goodnight."

  Both boys did so, kissing Mama JoJo and Sylvia for Crystal to take them in readying them for bed.

  "Them babies sweet as they can be."

  "I know, but they can get into some stuff too, believe me."

  "Chile, when it come t'boys, that don' never change, big as eva' they stil be gettin' into stuff."

  Shawn walked outside, nervous, edgy, tense, "Sylvia - what time did they say they would be home?"

  "They did say they would be late, that they would catch a cab back."

  "You would think the least that they could do is ring us and let us know they're all right." He blazed irritated.

  "Shawn call them if you're that worried, I'm sure they're all right."

  "I'll give'em thirty more minutes, if-..." The phone rang cutting him off.

  "See, that's probably them now." Sylvia answered the phone that sat on the table next to her.

  "Hello?"

  "Hey um, this here King Louie, a friend of Shawn's, you his wife?"

  "Hi, yes, yes I am."

  "Well, it's nice to hear your voice, look ah, Shawn there?"

  "Yes he is, it's nice to finally hear your voice as well, here he is."

  Shawn took the phone, walking away from Sylvia and Mama JoJo, "This is Shawn."

  "Hey man, it's King Louie - look, you might wanna get down here."

  "Why? What's going on?"

  "I been gone most of the day, at the hospital seein' 'bout my sister. I come back here tonight and find your boys here, shootin' pool. And uh, I'm telling you now, the dudes they shootin' wit', they ain't regulars here, I'on know'em, I'on trust'em."

  "You know how long they've been there?"

  "Eddie say they been here for a couple hours playin' - they okay now, but ah, I just wanted you to know they here."

  "Thank you so much for letting me know, I'm on my way there."

  "See you
in a bit."

  Shawn hung up looking at Sylvia. "I'm gonna kill'em! I'm gonna kill'em both!"

  "What? What's wrong Shawn?"

  "You know where they are? At the pool hall! King Louie's at this time of night! Been there for a couple of hours! He told me he was going to a dj set! I'm gonna kill'em!" He announced passing her the phone back, he bent and kissed her forehead and then Mama JoJo's, "I'll be back with them in a bit ladies." Wasting no time, he left.

  Meanwhile at the pool hall...

  Benjamin stood trying to figure out how he was going to get himself and Mundo out of there safely. He knew they were being hustled, and Mundo had to know as well. Benjamin wanted to kick himself for letting Mundo lead him into this. But he was on a high, having a good time, joking around, being funny, getting some laughs and at first it had all been in good fun. A lot of the men they first played with, were nice, they had seen him and asked did he know of a man they all called Moby-Dick, they laughed, and Ben admitted, "Yeah, he's my father." Those in the group laughed, slapped a high five saying things like, "Didn't I tell you, I knew it, boy look just like'em!" and went on to tell them stories about Shawn in his younger days and the crazy things he did along with Jesse by his side. Yes, they were enjoying themselves, however, enter the beer. Mundo got to drinking and he had a few beers as well - and next thing he knew, two new faces emerged in the crowd to play a few sets of pool. Mundo was good, as for Ben, he was just okay. It appeared, that the two guys, weren't quite as good. But Mundo was having a good time and the next thing he knew, a wager was offered. There was a sign on the wall in the pool hall, [ No Betting, No Wagering, No Gambling ] - yet Mundo went on and put up twenty-five dollars to play the other two guys.

  "Mundo, come on man, the sign says no gambling."

  "They ain't got to know do they? We can take them man, come on - make a little money real quick, you play pretty good, I play damn good."

  And before he could get his bearings and control of the situation, they were playing and winning. And Mundo wanted to play again, this time, fifty was the stake. Again they won, and had to play it off because the guy watching over things, was looking their way, and had yelled. "NO BETTING!!" To which one of the two they were playing against yelled back, "AIN'T NOBODY BETTIN' MAN!"

  "BET NOT BE, KING LOUIE DON'T ALLOW IT!!"

  "Mundo, enough already." Ben tried once more.

  "One more - just one more game, come on man - they want a chance to win they money back, they puttin' up a hundred-fifty man."

  "Mundo, it's a hustle - can't you see it?"

  "Man, you been watchin' too much TV, last game, promise."

  "No, that's it, let's go." But before he could get Mundo to leave with him, someone stepped up.

  "Hey, man, I'll partner with you, I'll even put in another twenty."

  Mundo looked at Ben, smiled and winked, "Last game, we'll leave - you just stand by and watch me rake it in."

  Now that he was standing by, he could see what was happening, the third guy, stepped up and pulled Mundo in, because after all, they'd set him up to get their money back and that amount of his as well. Ben was scared, because he hadn't a clue of how to get them out of there if things went wrong. He put his hand in his pocket to take his phone out, realizing that if things got ugly, he might have to call the police. He kept glancing over at Eddie, who was busy with someone else and then he looked up to see King Louie entering the pool hall. He didn't notice them at first, because there were quite a few there playing pool, but then one of the guys they'd been speaking with, pointed them out.

  King Louie looked first at him, and then at Mundo playing pool and back to him. Ben gave him a nervous smile and a nod. King Louie shook his head, not returning the smile and walked to the rear of the pool hall, disappearing in the back.

  Ben grew even more nervous, he was getting pissed and wanted to go. He was one of only three white guys in the pool hall, all the rest black. Then what he feared most was beginning, Mundo was getting worked up over the game because he was losing and to his shock, two-hundred-fifty dollars was the stake. Two-hundred-fifty dollars that he didn't have, at the most, Mundo had eighty of his own money and seventy-five of theirs that he'd won, and the stake was now much higher - which would get them their money back and all of his plus more. Ben was sweating, if he were anyone else but Mundo, he would leave him. But he couldn't, if he left there, he had to make sure that Mundo was with him. Problem was, he hadn't a clue of how to get them out of it, and just then Mundo got mad and threw his pool stick on the table.

  "Man, forget that! I ain't playing no more. I'm out."

  "Hey m'man you quit, you forfeit, you got to pay up, two-fifty boy."

  "Naaaw man, forget that - here, you can have your money back, screw it." Mundo put the seventy-five he won off of them on the table, backing away.

  "Fuck!" Ben muttered to himself, they were going to have to fight their way out of there, he could see it as clear as the nose on his face.

  "Nigga don't mess wit' my money, you need to lay down a hundred-seventy-five more than that, we paid when you won, now your turn to pay hom'boy. I want my money man."

  "Hey man, I paid you your money, there your money right there!" Mundo backed up some more, now finally seeing it for what it was, and wondered if he and Ben could get to the door - but then, once they got outside, then what?

  "HEY! WHAT THE FUCK I SAY ABOUT GAMBLIN' IN MY POOL HALL? YOU MOTHA'FUCKAS CAN'T READ!?" King Louie bellowed making his way towards them, bat in hand, after Eddie went to him in the back telling him what he thought was going on and by the time King Louie pushed his plate away, stood and walked out there, they were in the midst of confrontation.

  "Hey man, we 'bout to get on up out'ah here, soon as m'man pay up what he owe, we gone dude."

  Mundo looked at King Louie, "I don't owe him nothing!"

  "Boy you in my pool hall gamblin'?! You see that goddamn sign on the wall? It's up there for a motha'fuckin' reason - to keep blood shed down to a goddamn minimum!"

  "Fuck all that, I want my money!" The one who initiated the hustle insisted. "When I had to pay up, I paid up - now this nigga here tryin' t'back out, fuck that, it's his goddamn turn to pay up."

  "Did you hear what I said man? No gamblin' in my pool hall, so ain't nobody got to pay up shit!"

  "Damn that! He gone peel me some green, or I'm gone peel the flesh off his ass - two-fi'ty worth! Which one it's gone be?" He asked blocking the door so they couldn't leave.

  King Louie looked at Ben and Mundo, "Get over here by me." He told them both, to which they both moved and then to the two men, while he held his baseball bat, slapping it in his palm, "You hear what I say?"

  That's where Shawn walked in, looking for Ben and Mundo, he spotted them beside King Louie, and made his way through the two antagonist walking towards King Louie in the midst of it with his bat in clear view. Shawn knew for King Louie to have his bat out, that meant trouble. "What's going on King Louie?" He asked coming to his side, eying Mundo and Ben with a look that made them both gulp.

  "Yo'boy been hustled in here, they been betting. You know I don't have no bettin' in my pool hall!"

  "Hey man, fuck all that! I want my money! Or I'm gone have to take lil'man out and carve it out his ass?!"

  Immediately Shawn switched on them facing the guy, "Who the fuck you talkin' bout carvin' motha'fucka!?"

  "Who is you man? This ain't got shit to do wit' you, see what I'm sayin'? Betta' take yo'white ass on up out my face - for you get hurt! I want - my money!"

  Breathing hard, burning with anger, Shawn reached in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, "How much he owe you?"

  "A hundred-seventy-five dollars! Why you wanna know?"

  "Because you're talkin' about my son, here's two hundred for you, keep the fuckin' change!" Shawn flung the money at him, two fifties and twenties.

  The second guy, standing next to the first knelt to pick up the money while the first pointed at Mundo, "I catch you on the street, I
'm still gone take it out yo'ass!"

  In a blink of an eye everything went out of control, the guy should have taken the money and been happy. Because his last words were the last words he would say that day. He hadn't blinked before Shawn was on him, knocking him over the one kneeling, he kicked the one on the ground and stepped on him to get to the one he knocked down, who was scrambling shocked, to get back to his feet, too late, Shawn was there hammering and battering him, trying to break his jaw.

  "I KNEW IT!! I KNEW THIS SHIT WAS GON' HAPPEN!! GET'OFF'IM - MOBY-D GET OFF'EM!!" King Louie shouted as Shawn went berserk on both of them, punching one, kicking the other he was in such a rage of fury. Those watching knew if they didn't step in, he would kill one of them.

  "COME ON MAN! THAT'S ENOUGH MOBY-D - THAT'S ENOUGH MAN!!" They yelled at him, a bit afraid to grab him, as he might turn on them.

  The third guy pulled a knife out to cut Shawn to get him off when a pool stick was broken across his forearm, and then used on his head, along with a strong right hook from Ben. The second guy on the floor rolled away from Shawn, got to his feet, mouth and nose bleeding he went for Ben and Mundo tackled him back to the floor, scared for Ben, he punched the guy on the side of the head, over and over, trying to knock him out; while King Louie wrestled Shawn off of the instigator, his big arms clamped around him like a bear hug hauling him up and back.

  "HEY MAN! THAT'S IT! You hear me man! That's it! Get your goddamn boys and go!"

  "NOBODY - TOUCHES MY FUCKIN' BOYS! HE THREATENED MY SON! YOU THINK HE GETS TO WALK AFTER THAT? FUCKIN' LET ME GO SO I CAN KILL HIS ASS! YOU DON'T FUCK WITH MY BOYS!! LET ME GO!" Shawn shouted breathing hard, his fist bloody.

  "I let you go, you take your boys and get the hell up out'ah here! Go the back way!"

  Shawn shook him off looking for Mundo and Ben, spotting them, "That way - now!" He growled and looked back to those watching him, those that knew him. "You all let them fuckin' touch my boys!?" He demanded. "I want him dead!" Shawn raged.

  "Man, gone man! You done knocked his teeth out all over the goddamn floor! He fucked up man - your boys all right, gone now, the police comin'! Get the fuck up on out'ah here!" A regular yelled at him, but staying back.