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The Legend of Johnny Hustle: The Come Up

Page 10

by Zach Tate


  “I luv you,” Suki smiled. She put her finger to her lip then whispered, “Husband downstairs. He work all de time, but me boss, okay? You no get jailous, okay?” Suki asked, and I remembered, game recognize game.

  She was trying to hustle a hustler so I said, “It’s cool, Baby. Just do what I said and take care of that for me.”

  “One more time,” she said as she leaned in to kiss me

  I stepped into the penthouse as Yoda was coming from his bedroom in the back. Behind him, someone was fixing his or her clothes. I said a silent prayer, hoping it was a real woman and not a man dressed as one. The figure came closer to me, and with a big smile on her face she introduced herself.

  “Hello, young man, my name is Beverly, but you can call me Bev. Yoda told me a lot about you.”

  I paused for a minute, and I looked her up and down. I scanned her hands, looked for an Adams apple, and checked the sides of her face for razor marks. When I saw that it was indeed a full-fledge woman, I vigorously shook her hand and gave her a hug.

  “John, Johnny Hustle. I’m so glad to meet you.” A weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Bev looked at Yoda suspiciously before walking out of the room.

  Minutes later, Yoda walked back in the room, looking at me real strange. “What the hell was that about with Bev, cuz?”

  I looked up to the ceiling. “Oh Nothing.”

  “Don’t bullshaggle a bull-shaggler,” he warned and then cracked a smile. “You and Suki got something going on, huh? I remember many eons ago when that girl was only ten years old. Well, she about twenty-two now, and her husband is married to that cash register in the lobby. She wears the pants in the family, but just be mindful that you sleeping with another man’s wife. That don’t mix well in life, but y’all grown. Just make sure you hustle her before she hustles you. Have a seat until I get myself together.”

  $$$

  Yoda returned from his bedroom transformed. He had on a pair of navy blue slacks, a crisp white shirt, and his hands were filled with a tote bag, a woman’s pocket book, a small purse, and a suit jacket. His grimace gave away what he was about to say was important. “You say you know how to box?” I nodded. “Come on here and let me see your best jab?” A smile cracked across my face. “These are going to be the most important jabs you ever threw, because when the bell rings, it may be a chow bell in jail.”

  My mood immediately changed. I put my hands up and thought of my old army coach and the way he used to instruct me. I wondered how boxing and stealing were related.

  I threw my best jab. Yoda ordered, “Again.” I threw four more and he started giving instructions. “Okay, now I want you to open your palm and throw the jab down to the floor. Snap it back, too. Real fast and smooth.”

  My lips twisted in confusion, but I shrugged my shoulders and did what he asked. For twenty minutes I threw my jab until my arm tired. Then Yoda stepped in front of me.

  “Throw the jab to the floor.” I threw my hand out. He turned his back to me while avoiding my jabs. “Now dig in my slacks the same way, but do it until I can’t feel the motion.”

  The light bulb shined. For an hour, Yoda showed me how to put my hands in someone’s pocket so fast that they couldn’t tell. He showed me every possible way to lift a wallet from a purse, a pocketbook, or a tote bag. By the time the sweat was dripping from my enlightened head, he had put on his jacket.

  “One thing before we go. View the snatch and then you catch. Look for the print the cash makes in they pockets. No jeans, just slacks make stacks. Move fast, dump the evidence, and take the cash. Never fight with a vic, so make a simple pick. If the wallet is hanging, a pro knows it’s too sweet, so it’s probably the heat. Now let’s go.”

  The elevator dumped us in the lobby. When her husband looked my way, Suki acted like she didn’t know me. I didn’t sweat it or care the least. My heart was getting cold.

  “Where we going today?” I asked Yoda anxiously while exiting the Carter.

  “Where my feet takes us,” he answered with such sarcasm that I followed the leader in silence.

  He walked me back to the divider at Times Square where the ball drops on New Years, and where Brave Dave had disappeared before.

  “Close your eyes,” he demanded.

  “What?”

  “I said close your eyes, Foolio.” When my eyelids closed he said, “I’m about to hypnotize you. The only thing I want you to focus on is my voice. Drown out the car horns, the noise, and just take deep breaths to my voice.” I laughed, then breathed and followed his instructions. After a minute he said, “I want you to concentrate on what you feel. Even though your eyes are closed, I want you to pay attention and feel the subway under your feet.” Right at that moment I felt the tremble of the IRT traveling under my feet.

  “Feel the patterns of the rumbling. Know when somebody is running up behind you to stop you from leaving with their money. When you feel it, you can stop them from stopping you, or you can leave without drawing too much attention to yourself. Now, when I tell you to open your eyes, I want you to give birth to a new set of eyes. Scan every small action in a crowd, instead of just looking at the crowds. Now open your eyes.”

  I opened my eyes and looked at the pedestrians walking the crowded street of Broadway on one side of the divider, and then turned to the others on the Seventh Avenue side.

  “Look around, not up or down. Imagine standing on top of the square; the street is a giant maze you looking down on. Don’t look at the crowds. Look through the crowds.”

  “Oh man,” I almost jumped. Things were more focused for me and I spotted something familiar. “There go two of those cops we saw at the precinct dressed like regular people.” Overjoyed with excitement I pointed three blocks up. “There go Brave Dave walking next to somebody. He moving in. Oh man, I can see his hands in their pockets and they don’t even realize it,” I shouted with joy.

  “Now you learning, see there? Brave Dave lifted the wallet and the vic won’t even know until it’s too late. Now focus and listen for sirens and speeding cars whose transmissions go into park suddenly. Be able to hear that sound ‘cause that’s the police jumping out to grab you. In that split second before they jump out, you can blend in with the crowd and disappear right in front of they eyes. They got a job to do, and we got a job to do. The hustlers who sleep on the job, freedom will be robbed. The police feel fear when we roam the streets, and we feel fear when they do. That’s why you have to use them to your own advantage, the way Brave Dave did your first day in Mid.”

  My ears were pinned to every word that left his mouth. For the whole day we walked up and down Times Square, and I saw Midtown with a new set of eyes. Hustlers were shoplifting, pick pocketing, selling rocks in boxes as VCR’s, and a lot of drugs were being sold. I saw how most of the stores had scams they ran. The mentality of everyone was hustle, or be hustled. Reality hit me—I had been a vic, in one form or fashion, my whole life. Someone had always been getting over on me. Anger and disappointment in myself drove my hunger to a new level. After a small pep talk with myself, I turned to Yoda.

  “I’m ready.”

  He looked deep into my eyes and nodded. “I think you are. Let’s go.”

  $$$

  Yoda walked me over to the nearest strip club at 43rd on Eighth Avenue. There was a short vestibule after the front door, and then a large room opened to our right. The place was pitch black inside. A small stage was up front with chrome poles pouring down from the ceiling. The bland smell of moth balls, cigarettes, and bubble gum abused my senses. A shiny disco-ball spun in the middle of the black ceiling. A worn bar with limited bottles of liquor ran parallel to the stage. The entire left wall had a row of small doors in it. Across from there, and to the right, an antique jukebox bellowed next a flight of stairs. The place was crowded in the middle of the afternoon and looked like it was a classy bar in another lifetime.

  “You gonna pop your jostle cherry in this here place ‘cause these the easiest marks in the world. They
all drunk and in lust they trust. While they got sex on their minds, the girls have ‘em spending they last dimes. You want to do this? It’s your choice?”

  I was eager and enthused, ready to clean the whole place out. Yoda pointed to an obese White man with the crack of his ass peeking through his oversized pants. His elbows were on the corner of the stage while he imitated an ATM machine in front of a disinterested stripper. When it occurred to him that he wasn’t getting what he came for, he put the rest of his money in his wallet. He then he slipped it into his back pocket and made his way for the bathroom.

  Yoda commanded, “Go pop your cherry.”

  My heart exploded as I descended the narrow, lopsided stairs. I was scared to death. I was set on being the best hustler, and the fat man represented my graduation into the game.

  I walked into the rank bathroom that was decorated with one toilet, two urinals, and graffiti wallpaper. The dark, damp, room smelled like it was mopped with urine and bleach. Both chemicals fighting in a useless attempt of being a pleasant aroma, while cigarette smoke laid in the cut to fight the winner. The fat man was pissing in a urinal. The top of his tan wallet stuck out of his back pocket. The opportunity was right there.

  I eased up to the left urinal next to him. While I was taking a leak, he peaked over at my cock and smiled. Probably hoping his time in the club wouldn’t be wasted. Instead of getting mad at his sexual advances, I got even. While the small amount of fluids left my body, he zipped his pants, took another peek at me, and then turned his back. During his wobbly turn, my fingers were on the tip of his wallet. As his body wobbled away the wallet inched out. Suddenly, a tall, drunken Black man, stumbled in the door singing Guy’s, Groove Me.

  Quickly, I pulled my hand away hoping the fat man wouldn’t leave. When the singer pulled up in the stall next to me I was leaving, but something kept me there. Inside the left pocket of the singing man’s windbreaker was a fat wallet.

  “Ahhh,” the singer groaned while pissing and his eyes rolled into his head.

  I quickly looked over my shoulder. The fat man was wobbling out of the door. I glanced at the singer. His eyes were still in his head while he imitated Arron Hall. Hurriedly, I leaned, pulled the wallet from the windbreaker, and headed for the exit. Before the door to the bathroom closed I was trailing the fat man. My eyes on his back pocket. He stopped short and I bumped into him by accident. Instantly, and to my surprise, my hand was on that wallet.

  The fat man turned, I put his cash away in a flash then said, “Oh, excuse me.”

  “No, excuse me darling,” he flirted in a feminine voice.

  I was in disbelief. This is too easy. I rushed away looking to please my teacher.

  I slid in across from Yoda at the table and fished through both wallets. From my quick guesstimate, I pulled close to $800.

  “Slide everything over.” Yoda told me while remaining cool. I slid the two wallets with the cash under the table. With the wallets in his hands, he looked up at me with surprise. “Two?” he asked, wondering where the extra wallet came from.

  “Yeah, the fat man,” I pointed with my chin “and the tall, skinny, Black dude coming out of the bathroom.”

  “How’d you pinch the Black guy?” Yoda asked while removing the cash from the wallets.

  “It was inviting me in the left pocket of his jacket.”

  Yoda stood, not wanting to be outdone. “Watch real close how a pro goes to work.”

  He walked away. My eyes were glued to Yoda and the Black man who was going to collide down the same aisle. They passed like two speeding trains on opposite tracks. Yoda subtly bumped the man. Then my eyes did tricks on me. Instead of taking, Yoda put the man’s wallet back into his pocket. He then walked near the fat man who was standing by a jukebox, and dropped the wallet on the floor.

  On his way back to our table, a square headed short man in a suit was exiting the bar. In an effort not to collide in the aisle, Yoda turned like he was letting the man go by. Then he casually stopped the man and struck up a conversation. While they spoke, Yoda vigorously shook the man’s hand with both of his. That’s when I saw another miracle. Square head’s gold watch was removed from his wrist. Yoda dropped his left hand to his side, while he continued to shake with his right. As if that wasn’t enough, Yoda’s left hand flashed up to the man’s blazer, and pulled the man’s wallet from the inside pocket. I was ready to jump out of my seat and start cheering. Once he had the goods, Yoda politely ended his conversation and headed my way.

  Yoda slid a gold Oris watch across the table. “Put that on and get rid of that Mickey. Leave it at the table. When you’re done, there’s a vic behind me in a sanitation uniform with a fat wad in his pocket. Look at me.” I looked over and Yoda mimicked a pair of scissors with is fingers. “Dip with your two fingers while you’re at the bar. When he walks away, let him move. You pull very slow. Now go before you lose him.”

  I made a dash to the bar. The print in the vic's pocket got my attention. He was busy drinking one too many drinks and talking to the bartender. I sat on the stool next to him, tuned my back to the bar, and then crossed my arms. My left hand was across my stomach. My right hand was down, into the man’s pocket. I had his money clasped, ready to move until I was distracted.

  Roxy was standing over Yoda wearing only a black thong. I didn’t know if I should have lusted or gone over there to punch her in her face for taking my money the night we danced. I couldn’t believe that her dark chocolate body was in such good shape. Often women will have the perfect body while their clothed, but when their costumes are removed, fat and gravity takes over. Roxy was delightfully different. Her shiny blonde hair swept her shoulders. How can a Black woman’s hair get that straight?

  My mind was on Roxy until I felt the dirty man next to me move. I instantly realized that I had his money in my hand. I quickly palmed the roll.

  “Sorry for bumping you,” the vic slurred out. “I—I didn’t know you were beside me.”

  I nodded then unrolled $10.00 from his roll. Then I placed it on the bar. “Bartender. Give the man whatever he’s drinking,” I said while rubbing the vic’s massive back.

  Roxy and Yoda were talking away at the table until she saw me slide next to him and hand over the cash. Her expression went from boredom to excitement.

  “Johnny Hustle, I knew that was your fine self over there at the bar. Come on and buy me a drink in the champagne room.”

  I was mesmerized looking at her natural C-cups, but I caught myself. “Didn’t you take enough of my money already?”

  She put her fist on her hips. “If you ain’t know how the game go, you should know by now. You should be thanking me,” she defended herself with sass.

  “Maybe some other time,” I replied after hearing the truth.

  Surprise surfaced in her eyes. “That’s your word? Me and you in the champagne room? I’m here every night till eight, ‘cept Sundays.”

  Yoda stood, and I knew it was time to go. We said our good byes and headed for the door.

  “Don’t have my hopes up, Johnny Hustle,” Roxy said in a tone laced with syrup.

  I felt like the king of the square already. I was leaving the club with someone else’s cash, plus I had a date with Roxy. During our exit, Yoda was in front of me. Suddenly I was blinded by the sunlight as a customer was coming in. When my pupils adjusted, the customer’s open jacket with his wallet in sight enticed me. I was positive Yoda wasn’t going to let him walk by, but he did. Oh, hell no. I couldn’t let an opportunity like that slip away. I bumped the man, lightly put my elbow in his firm chest then said, “Oh, excuse me. I think I had too much to drink.”

  I reached up to fix the man’s tie, and while my hands were slowly dropping down I detoured to his wallet.

  “BAMM!” The mark threw a haymaker that landed square on my jaw and dropped me on my ass. “Man, get your damn hands out my pocket,” he yelled while he stood over me.

  I was in trouble.

  I bounced off the ground and d
ashed out of that strip club like my life depended on it. Outside, I used the pedestrians to shade me and ran past Yoda without looking back. I then ducked into the entrance of the Howard Johnson’s restaurant to see if I was being followed. The coast was clear, but I had a sudden urge to use the bathroom. The fear had my grippers coming loose.

  While Suki’s food quickly left my body, I could hear Yoda cackling on the other side of the stall.

  “What the hell is so funny that you over there kee-keeing?” I asked while I was still on the bowl.

  Yoda tried to catch his breath. “Cuz, you got cocky and that could of cost you your life. You thought on your own and paid a very small price. What was hilarious, cuz? Was watching your eyes popping outta your head when you was running and looking all around like a fish-eyed fool.” He laughed again. “Boy, this is gonna be fun. I’ll meet you at the hotel when you done.”

  The Oris told me that it was two o’clock as I left the restaurant in a hurry. My hands were filled with bags of food for Keiki, Mimi, and me. When I entered the hotel lobby, Suki’s face lit up and she threw me a thumbs up. I figured that meant that the kids were safe. While Yoda and I were in the service elevator, I asked, “Yoda, stop at the third floor so I could drop this food off.”

  Kimmy’s door was wide open. I peeked in and saw her sitting on the bed, slumped over in a heroin nod. The television blasted from the room next door, so it was a simple deduction of where the girls were. I knocked at the door. When the door opened, Mimi’s little eyes were smiling at me. “Daddy’s home,” she sang out.

  Those words broke my heart. I wanted her to stop calling me that. She couldn’t have known how bad I wanted to be a father.

  “I told you that ain’t your daddy,” Keiki reminded Mimi.

  “Is too,” Mimi said, in defiance.

  I bent down to Keiki. “Listen, you have to be a big girl. Here’s enough food for the two of you, and some ice cream.” I handed them the bags. “I don’t want you leaving this room for nothing. Tomorrow I’ll have something for you to do, and make sure this room stays clean.” The two girls held the food and started dancing. I looked down at their rumpled filthy clothes and it effected me for the first time. I thought, I got to find Marcy, as I headed back to the elevator.

 

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