by Nikki Turner
When it was time to deliver the money, he called Tressa and got her address. She told him that she didn't get off until 11:00 p.m., so she wouldn't be at home until about 11:30 p.m. He called at 11:30 on the dot. She gave him the address.
Lucky prepared all day for the three minutes he'd get to see Tressa. He got a fresh haircut, even though he had gotten one only two days earlier. He shined up his two gold teeth and he didn't put on clean clothes until 11:00
p.m., when it was almost time to go drop the money off. He made sure his clothes weren't too baggy, although he was skinny as a pole. He wanted to look presentable and make Tressa do a double take when she saw him. He knew when he was dressed and cleaned up, there was no doubt about it, he was a fine dark skinned brother. He popped a Peppermint in his mouth that he had stolen out of the
"Jerry's Kids" box at 7-11, and didn't donate one penny to, and rang Tressa's doorbell at exactly 11:47 p.m.
"Ding, Ding, Dong, Ding, Ding, Dong." The doorbell chimes sounded.
Tressa, wore out from work and resting her feet, sat on the couch near the door and was trying to gather some energy to get up. Tressa was so tired and burnt out from working her three jobs, but she would never complain.
Before rising from her comfortable position she asked.
"Who's there?"
"It's Luck."
Tressa was glad to hear his voice because she knew that he was bringing money, but she did not feel like 30
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entertaining any company. She dragged herself up to open the door. "Hi." She said drowsily.
"Hey, what's up?" Lucky said.
Lucky began to look around her apartment, it was not what he had expected at all. He knew she had class.
Not only did she talk the talk, but he had no idea that she walked the walk too. He remembered how Taj had talked about her struggles, so the picture he painted of how Tressa lived couldn't have been anymore wrong than he was. Boy, was he impressed. He couldn't keep from looking around, obviously adoring her taste and style. She had mirrors covering every wall, even the cocktail tables and entertainment center were mirrors. The carpet and living room furniture was white with silver flower accented roses on the tables. Even her picture frames on the mirrored octagon stand were silver or mirror. He walked over to look at the pictures on the stand.
"You, ummm, you really got a nice place. This place is beautiful. I know your man must feel comfortable when he comes home from a hard day's work."
"Thanks." She said with a little giggle. "No, there isn't any man shacked up with me. If it was, believe me, you wouldn't be here right now bringing me no money." He smiled.
"Would you like something to drink?" Tressa offered.
"Yeah."
"What would you like? I have water, OJ, cranberry juice, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sprite and Heineken."
"Give me ummm Sprite."
She brought it to him in a Champagne glass. He had already put the $52,000 on the table. He pointed to the money before he took the glass from her.
"When do your classes start back up?"
"They don't begin until next semester, but I have to register and pay for them now."
"That should be enough money to pay for school and quit two of your jobs. I think yo brotha told me your classes cost like 12G's a year. Yo brother's lawyer is paid in full. I got tha receipt in my pocket. Plus, I went down the to jail and looked out for Taj real decent, so he'll be a'ight for a minute on commissary. And when that gets low, I'll stack it up again."
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"Thank you Luck. I really appreciate it."
"No problem."
He was getting too comfortable when his pager went off and he realized that there was somewhere else he had to be.
He looked at his pager, and stood up. "Duty calls.
Thanks for the thirst quencher."
"Anytime."
"Call me anytime if you need anything, day or night."
"Thanks, and be safe OK." She called out to him when he was halfway down the steps.
Luck couldn't figure it out, the way Tressa told him to be safe, really did something to him. None of his other girls or women had even cared about his well being, not even his own mother. All they ever cared about was that his pockets overflowed with cash and how quickly they could spend his money, including his mother. That was the only reason she came to visit him weekly. She wanted control over his cars and money while he was in the slammer. His mother never told him don't hustle, she only held her hand out. But the way Tressa said "be safe", was his conformation that he had to have Tressa. He wanted Tressa bad, real bad.
Sunday could not roll around fast enough. He talked to Taj on the phone, but he knew the only way he'd get to spend some time with Tressa, was to visit Taj. Lucky and Tressa would have to wait at least an hour before they would be able to see Taj. So, he met her down at the jail and sat on the stoop and talked to her. Lucky decided to take what he could get, not his usual style, but she was worth it. Initially, they only made small talk. Suddenly, this guy in a black Cadillac Sedan, with some air shocks to jack it up in the back, and a booming system, rode up and tried to talk to her. She dissed the guy.
Lucky laughed and asked. "Why you giving that dude such a hard time." But secretly, Lucky was glad she rebuffed the fool's advances. He had way more game than that clown.
She casually said. "Because I don't care how many coats of wax are on a brother's car. Can he pay some bills?
Can he help me/us elevate to the next level, or is his 32
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mentality going to be, how fat my butt in determining what he's gonna do for me? I don't have time for a brotha just trying to make me a notch on his belt. Shoot, I ain't no gold-digger, but if a nigga can't come in and add to my life, I don't need him."
"So, in other words, a brother gotta take care of you better than you can take care yourself?" Before she could answer, the Correction Officer called. "Visit for Taj Shawsdale." She grabbed her pocketbook and went through the doors marked for visitors and Lucky tagged along right behind her.
The visit with Taj went well. Tressa and Luck were sharing the phone, both listening in at the same time. Taj noticed the way Luck's whole mannerism changed when Tressa was around. He seemed to soften up a little and was less stressed. When Tressa went to the bathroom, Taj bluntly told Luck. "I see you got the hots for my sister man."
Luck hesitated for a minute. "I can't even front man, I'm in love with yo sister."
Taj put down the phone for a minute. He couldn't believe his ears. He was furious. "Look man, you my nigga without a doubt, but I can't give you blessings over my sister. That's my heart. I raised her since she was this high." He said while lowering his hand to just above the floor. "I can't have a slickster like yourself getting her caught up in some bullshit. I just can't have it, and I won't have it."
"Man, I would never hurt her."
"Nope, ain't happening. Plus, you be going back and forth to jail too much and getting in all those stupid ass beefs on the street!"
"Naaahhh man. See, I know if I am with her, she will keep me out of trouble. I know good and well I can't be in that crazy shit, cuz I have to stay on the street with her." Luck pleaded. "Man, I promise, I am going to take care of her." Luck begged Taj, like he was a kid begging his momma to go outside on a hot summer day.
Taj's, temper continued to rise as he could see the determination all over Lucky's face. "Look man, we're partners, you're my brother, she's your sister. How can you love our sister in that way?" 33
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"Taj, I'm going to take care of her. I give you my word man, I got her best interest at heart." It was clear that Lucky didn't care anything about the incest insinuation, so Taj came at Lucky in a different way. "Look man, if you cross those lines, our friendship ends."
Lucky's expression showed he was shocked but not surprised that Taj would say that because Taj was so overprotective of Tressa.
"Man, look you are my man. As long as I do right by her, what bearing should that have on our friendship?"
"Look man, I wouldn't even look at you the same and you'd look at me different." Taj raised his voice as he pointed through the window at Lucky, "SO, if you take it there, everything that we built, consider it gone cause you're tearing it down."
Before Lucky could respond, Tressa walked back up.
"What ya'll over here talking about. It looks mighty intense."
Taj didn't even want to comment. He didn't want to discuss the subject any further, because as far as he was concerned, his sister was off limits to Lucky. Lucky was good for, and could be trusted, to pull off heists for him and to send him drugs while he's in the inside, but over all he was a knucklehead. Lucky was not the pick he had in mind for his priceless sister.
As soon as Taj was ready to give his response, the guard annoyingly interrupted with his loud, deep voice.
"Two more minutes." At that point, Taj gave his love to his sister, told them both when he was going to call and before he hung up the phone, he pointed at Luck and said. "Don't make no moves, because this ain't over yet." As they walked to their respective cars, there was a guy riding by on what looked like a child's bicycle and a book bag on his back. "What up Luck. I got some VCR
movies fresh from the movie store."
Lucky smiled and looked in the bag and pulled out the tapes he wanted. He looked at Tressa. "Come and get whatever tapes you want."
She softly said. "I don't have a VCR, its broken." He looked surprised. "Don't worry, I'll get you one. Just pick the movies you want."
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She selected a few tapes that she wanted, but he knew she wanted more. So, Lucky just bought the whole bag from the guy. Lucky paid the dude in cash, but only because Tressa was there. Any other time he would have exchanged some coke or dope for the tapes. He asked Tressa if she was hungry and she said no. He gave her $50.00 to pay for her and a girlfriend to have dinner when she did get hungry.
Later that night, Lucky called and asked if it was OK
for him to stop by with the VCR's that he had gotten her.
The VCRs were still in the box. He had bought one for her living room and one for her bedroom. He hooked them up and told her to put in a movie. She chose the classic Ghetto Spoof, "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka".
As they watched Keenan Ivory Wayans act a fool, they both laughed hysterically and continued to watch more movies. When they finally noticed the time, it was 5:00
a.m. Lucky grudgingly left that morning, but everyday thereafter, he started making all kinds of excuses to visit Tressa, and he always came bearing gifts.
After a few weeks went by, Lucky came over late one night after a long night of gambling. He called when he was in her parking lot and asked for a favor. He needed to come in and get a good night's rest in her other bedroom. Other bedroom my ass, she thought. But she agreed and asked if she could use his car. Tressa was pushing a 1985 short body, style Buick a.k.a. "baby 98", that looked like a drug dealers car. It had over 200,000 miles on it and was always giving her one problem or another. Without any hesitation, he handed over the keys and went into his pocket and gave her a crisp $100.00 bill. "Drinks are on me tonight." Out of all the times she had seen him before, at that moment and for the first time, Tressa really looked at Lucky, this man was fine!! This was the first time that she realized that Lucky was handsome. Lucky had a sensually dark brown complexion with two open-faced crown gold teeth spaced apart. One was on his front tooth and the other was a tooth over. His teeth were gleaming white. He had a fresh haircut, round up and all. His lips were soft and full and he had the longest jet-black eyelashes. He stood at 5'9, weighed about 175 pounds and his very holdable waist was a 34. He wasn't a big dude, but his 35
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deep voice and gull carried much weight. He wasn't wearing anything fancy, just some black basketball shorts and a Michael Jordan T-shirt with the new Jordan's that just came out that very day. She glanced below to check out his package, and saw the imprint of his manhood sticking out a little bit and curving a little to the left. Damn, he's packing, she thought to herself .
When Tressa completed thoroughly checking out Lucky, she cocked her head to the side, smiled coyly and said. "Peace out." She headed for the door to go and pick up her girlfriend Dutchess. Noticing a small brown paper bag that Luck was carrying, she stopped dead in her tracks and suspiciously asked. "What's in that paper bag? It's not drugs or anything is it?"
Lucky looked at her as if she was asking a foolish question. "Hell no, it ain't no damn drugs! I would never bring drugs to where you lay ya head, its just money."
"Oh, ok." She said relieved. Trying to make it up to Lucky for not trusting him, she sweetly offered. "I cooked some baked chicken. I can fix you a plate if you're hungry.
Also, I put a clean towel and wash cloth on the bed in case you want to take a shower."
"Thank you, but I'm gonna warm me something up after I get out the shower. Just go ahead. Have a good time and be safe. I have my cell phone on, if you need me." When she arrived at Dutchess's house, her friend wasn't surprised to see her driving Luck's car. She had been in Tressa's presence when Lucky was around, and even a blind man could see that Lucky was head over heels for Tressa. "Girl, I see you finally came out of denial, huh?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I see you driving 'Big Money Grip' from the 'Getting Money Strip' car. And you know they say, that nigga don't LET nobody drive his car."
"Girl, please it ain't even like that. He's just my brother's friend." Tressa said innocently.
"Tressssaa, you know damn well he's more than Taj's friend. Girl, he ya man!"
Tressa burst into laughter. "Girl please, he ain't even thinking bout me that way. Plus, he got plenty of women I'm sure."
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"Chile please, the hell he ain't." Dutchess looked at her and rolled her eyes.
"Where he at now then? Why you got his car out flossing?"
"He's at my house getting some rest."
"Tressa, check this out, a man just ain't gonna give you his car to drive to the club like that. Believe what I am telling you." Dutchess shook her head in disgust. She could not believe how green her friend was.
"Whatever." Tressa responded as if she wasn't taking in everything that Dutchess was saying, but in reality, she was soaking everything in as she continued to listen to the words of Mary J. Blige's song, Real Love. How more effective the words sounded coming out of a booming 6x9 kicker box in the trunk of the car, rather than the tiny woofers she had in her Baby 98. Damnnn, Mary!!!! You make it sound so good. She be hitting home. If I didn't want a real love, shoot, I want one now, she thought to herself.
Once they arrived at the club, she parked the car and got out. With much swing in their step, they walked toward Ivory's Uptown Lounge. A guy named Motor noticed her walking away from the only black on black brand new 1993 Mercedes Benz in town driven straight off the showroom floor, by a young black man a few weeks ago and it was 1992. He spoke first and then asked. "Where Luck at?"
Tressa hesitated for a minute, not sure who this nigga was and if she wanted to respond. "Oh he's at home." She said cautiously.
"Tell him that Motor said what's up and make sho he come round the way tomorrow and give a nigga a chance to win his money back."
"A'ight." Tressa replied nonchalantly.
Tressa and Dutchess approached Ivory's. Tuesdays was College night and there was always a long line.
Although it was the designated College night, it was the middle of July and school was not in session.
Consequently, the club population may have only been 10%
actual college students. The rest were big time, mediocre, nickel and dime or perpetrating, wanna be hustlers of Richmond, VA and surrounding areas. There were UPS
workers and the other fellas who worked jobs paying legit 37
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money. The majority of the playas in there looked, dressed and wore the jewelry that drug dealers wore. Anybody knows that when there's a club filled with money getting men, money hungry, sack chasing and booty shaking females were sure to follow? The club was filled with all kinds of females, from conservative ones to the freaks.
The temperature outside was a blazing 90 degrees, with the highest humidity level in Richmond, VA. The females' gear made it known that it was definitely summer in the capital city. Barely covering up their titties and asses with the halter shirts and Daisy Duke shorts, the females were clear-cut representing.
Back in the early 90's, the sister's of Richmond, VA, turned Tuesday's College Night at Ivory's into a fashion show. Though there was no cash prize, had there been one, the owner would have to give it to each and every one of them, because every week, the chicks would outdo themselves. Almost all the girls sported the bamboo name earrings that they went to Georgetown to get and the pendants with their names. If they couldn't get to DC to hook up their ensemble for the night, they would go to
"Merry Go Round" in Cloverleaf Mall to get an outfit. It was a pity when Ivory's shut down, so did Merry Go Round.
This particular night, Ivory's was off the hook! The party was going on outside too for those who couldn't get in.
The dude with the Cherokee jeep illegally parked across the street, opened up his back window and the bass was shaking almost the whole block. It could be heard miles away. People would just stand in Hardee's parking lot and dance and mingle. This didn't concern Tressa and Dutchess, until the club closed, and they too hung out in Hardee's parking lot.
Inside of the club, Tressa and Dutchess had a ball.
They hadn't been out in a while, so they were embraced with love from just about everybody. Tressa's new found stardom increased the love she was already being shown.