A Lost Child

by Michael Lucas

CHAPTER 5

  That morning Robert slept in late while busy body, Melvin, was up and about. Robert had finally got up. Melvin had already put the car in the shop. He kept passing by Robert’s room smiling like Grandma Jenny. Robert should have guessed why Melvin was passing by smiling from ear to ear.

  “They just called and said the car is ready to be picked up,” Melvin said.

  Robert jumped up, got dress, and ran outside where Melvin was. Melvin was talking and laughing with an older woman. Robert arrived where they were and could hear her asking Melvin about him. She kept asking Melvin, “Who is your friend?”

  “Miss Mary Jones … this is my brother Robert,” Melvin finally responded, “Robert. This is Miss Mary Jones from next door.”

  Miss Mary Jones smiled and started looking at Robert with lust in her eyes. Robert’s perverted mind became memorized with what she had on. Miss Mary Jones had clothes on that was revealing. Her clothes revealed all parts of her anatomy. He felt like he had just won the lottery.

  Miss Mary Jones smiled again and said, “If you guys need anything, I am just next door.”

  “We will Miss Mary Jones,” Melvin blurted.

  Robert started singing out loud a few lyrics, “Me and Mrs. Jones. We got a thing going on.”

  Miss Mary Jones looked back at Robert with that sexy walk and laughing.

  Miss Mary Jones replied, “Robert you can come and see me anytime you like.”

  “I will love to Miss Mary Jones. Just let me know what you want did to you,” Robert responded. “I mean let me know what you want did around your apartment.

  Miss Mary Jones started grinning and yelled, “I will babe.”

  “Now you know Miss Mary Jones is a freak that likes young guys,” Melvin replied.

  Robert uttered, “That’s just how I like them … freaky.”

  “Miss Mary Jones love grabbing, kissing, and hugging on you,” Melvin added.

  Robert said, “Well she can do all that to me and a bag of chips.”

  Melvin laughed and said, “Boy come on here so we can pick up this car. You can catch Miss Mary Jones about two o’clock in the morning smoking her pipe.”

  Robert asked, “What … a peace pipe?”

  “No … a crack pipe,” Melvin answered. “Miss Mary Jones has a crack party just about every Saturday at her place.”

  Robert laughed and said, “I just got to ask you Melvin Jones. You sure you’re not related to Miss Mary Jones?”

  “Lord knows I hope not,” Melvin quickly answered.

  They laughed all the way to the auto shop. When they arrived, Melvin didn’t waste anytime picking up his car. Robert jumped in and off they went. Melvin thought to himself, “It feels good to not be walking or catching the city bus.” They immediately pulled over to the gas station to gas up. The more places they traveled too, the more Robert fell in love with San Diego. Robert was finally learning his way around San Diego. That was the day he decided to get into the crack business.

  Robert’s money started getting low and he had no plans on becoming a street walker. He started keeping a close eye on Miss Mary Jones. He was watching her every move. He was determined to find out who was supplying her crack. After three weeks of watching Miss Mary Jones, he finally got a break. He followed her to the crack house and got more than what he bargained for. Miss Mary Jones went in and made her purchase. Soon as Miss Mary Jones came out, He saw Sandra Cooper come out the crack house behind her.

  He ran to catch up with Sandra Cooper and offered her $50.00 to introduce him to her supplier. She was very hesitant at first about introducing him. But she couldn’t refuse $50.00. Sandra Copper rung the door bell and a big black guy came out packing heat. Robert thought to himself if by any chance he was related to the security guard, Timothy. He asked Sandra Cooper who Robert was and what he wanted. With the look on his face, Robert could tell he wasn’t pleased with seeing a new face at his door.

  Sandra Cooper started with the introduction, “Lil’ Bruce … this is Robert Washington and Robert Washington … this is Lil’ Bruce.” Looking at the side of that silver back gorilla, they should have called him Big Bruce. Robert started thinking that maybe he needs to slang steroids instead of crack. Robert gave Sandra the $50.00 and she quickly departed. Lil’ Bruce asked Robert what he wanted.

  Robert replied, “I want to purchase 1k of crack.”

  They started doing business. Lil’ Bruce became very pleased with Robert’s offer. He came over and started searching him from top to bottom.

  Lil’ Bruce uttered, “I am sorry bro. You always have to be careful in this business.”

  “No problem bro. So do we have a deal?” Robert responded.

  “Course bro,” Lil’ Bruce blurted. “You’re spending 1k with me … money talks. So now that we’ve been properly introduced. You’re welcome anytime to purchase from me.”

  Robert responded, “No doubt Lil’ Bruce.”

  Robert was back in the drug business and money was flowing again. Melvin was blind just like Robert parents were. But this time, he didn’t have rat face Grandma Jenny to sell him out. Miss Mary Jones and her friends became his best clients. Of course Robert had to put out to win them over. Robert was pulling in $3,000.00 every week easily. It took Miss Mary Jones and her friends to turn Robert into a street walker. The money was much liquidated being a drug dealer and a whore. Well four years have flown by and Melvin realizes that Robert still had money to spend. Melvin became very inquisitive about why Robert kept hanging around Miss Mary Jones.

  Melvin knew it wasn’t for just sex. Miss Mary Jones and all her friend had already gone there with Robert many times. Melvin had this desolated look on his face like he had lost his best friend. In a since, Melvin really did because Robert spent the next four years selling crack and fooling around with different women’s Ki Ki. This was the first time Robert felt bad. He never felt bad for anybody or anything in his life. He started to feel like he was getting soft because he never cared about anyone feelings before. He was compelled to get Melvin out of the funk he was in.

  Robert suggested, “Let go clubbing anywhere you want to go.”

  That seem too had been right up Melvin’s alley.

  Melvin replied, “I have the perfect place to hang. We can go to the club called Flame.”

  Robert became very skeptical about that name of the club. He had no choice but to go. He did after all suggest they go anywhere clubbing. When they arrived at the Flame, Robert began to ask Melvin what type of club it was. Like he didn’t know already… he should have. The name Flame by itself scream out hey look at me. He took a deep breath and began to walk inside the club. You can tell Robert felt out of place. He became very nervous seeing the same sex dancing upon each other. On the other hand, Melvin felt right at home. There were different races at the Flame.

  Robert was looking as if The Village People were going to start singing the “YMCA” song. He stayed close on Melvin’s side. He wasn’t in the club a good ten minutes before the guys were looking at him like he was a piece of eye candy. One of the guys walked up to him yelling out trick or treat. Melvin was rolling and Robert wasn’t smiling at all. He felt like a sheep around a lot of wolves. Melvin seen that Robert was about to explode. He grabbed him and took him to the pool area to cool down. Melvin went to the bar to get them something to drink.

  God knows Robert needed one. He knew that Melvin go both ways, but he kept wondering what Melvin was thinking about bringing him to that kind of club. Robert was a people person and had nothing against gay people. He always believed each to their on. But he wasn’t trying to be anybody’s butt buddy. Robert started thinking that since he had turned 21 years old, Melvin’s agenda towards him had change. He was good at manipulating people. So he decided to play matcher and set Melvin up with somebody in the club. He started scoping out the club and at the same time he was being scope out.


  He heard a voice say, “Hello, I’m Greg Smith.”

  Robert smile and said, “Hello, I’m Robert Washington Jr.”

  “You must be straight because I can tell from the way you was earlier,” Greg uttered with a smile.

  Robert asked, “Was I that noticeable?”

  “Yes,” Greg answered.

  Robert responded, “Yes I am straight. But I came here with my brother, Melvin.”

  Greg asked, “How could y’all be brothers? He’s white and you’re black.”

  “I were adopt into his family,” Robert answered. “I will introduce you to my brother. He’s a nice guy and I think you would like him.”

  “Well Mr. Robert Washington Jr.,” Greg said. “If I didn’t know any better, it seems like you’re trying to hook me up with your brother.”

  “No I’m not. I just was being thoughtful,” Robert answered. “You both seem to be compatible for one another.”

  Greg replied, “Well I would like to meet your brother, Melvin, since you’ve spoken so highly of him.”

  “Speaking of the devil here he comes now,” Robert replied. “Well Melvin … this is my homeboy, Greg Smith and this is my brother, Melvin Jones. Well I will let y’all fellows commune because I don’t believe in being no third wheel. Melvin if you need me, I will be at the pool table shooting pool.”

  Robert was happy that he was able to help Melvin out. He knew he had succeeded in shaking Melvin’s attention off him because Greg and Melvin hit it off perfectly and were together all that night. At that moment, Robert made a decision to find a place of his own.

  CHAPTER 6

  A month had passed and Robert was finally living in a place of his own. That was a big step for him getting his own place. He was doing well for himself. He had saved up $80,000.00 from selling drugs and being a street walker. He came across a sweet old lady named Mrs. Annie Wilson that lived next door to him. She was always singing gospel music every day. The old lady grabbed Robert on the shoulder one day and started praying over him. He didn’t understand the little old woman because she was speaking in tongues.

  Two months later Robert grew tired of selling drugs and messing around with older women for money. He decided to do some honest work for a chance. He landed a job working at McDonald. Each day he kept thinking about what Grandma Jenny used to say to him all the time. Robert didn’t think Grandma Jenny’s statement would come back and bother him. But it did. Robert decided to prove her wrong and go to night school to earn his diploma. He thought about contacting his parents many times, but would chicken out.

  He was most of all afraid to face the pain that he cost them for being a disobedience knuckle head. This was the first time Robert felt desolated. He felt very uncomfortable having a lot of money around his apartment. He immediately went and opened up an account with Well Fargo, Bank of America, and California Credit Union. He deposit $25,000.00 in each account and kept $4,000.00 of petty cash in his apartment. He stayed in a good neighborhood, but he still had trust issues when it came down to money. To him money was like a God and he love it so much. You couldn’t tell him that the love of money is what make’s it evil.

  Robert became bored with himself and decided to hang at a place called Sea Port Village near the ocean. He ran into one of Sandra Cooper’s crew. He was trying to hustle him a date. Robert felt sorry for the poor thing because everyone kept passing him up. He approach and gave him $20.00.

  Robert asked, “Where’s Sandra?”

  “Sandra is dead,” He answered. “She died from an overdose of crack cocaine.”

  Robert became speechless at that moment. He started feeling very miserable because it was the same crack that he used to slang. He felt bad for Sandra’s death and headed towards home. He stopped at a local bar near his place for a few shots of Tequila. Sandra’s death had taught him a valuable lesson that tomorrow is never promised to you. So you have to live as if it your last day. He had to pull it together because he was graduating tomorrow from night school. When that morning came, he realized there wasn’t going to be anybody there to see him graduate and say how proud they were of him.

  This was the moment he truly felt isolated from the world. He had anyone to blame but himself. Everybody that cared about him he seemed to run away from. Each night he kept having the same dream about the military over and over again. The last dream he had turn into a nightmare. Grandma Jenny face kept appearing up in his dream. He woke up screaming, “Fire the torpedoes.” Robert took those dreams as a sign to go and join the military. He started thinking this would be an opportunity to make his parents proud and earn their forgiveness.

  He had always been rebellious towards his parents from day one. His parents were catholic and Robert became Baptist just to piss them off. Nevertheless after joining the Navy, he was shipped off to Great Lake, Illinois. He laughed because he ended right back close to the one place he ran away from. He knew then it was time to face the music with a much better attitude. He wanted to make things right again between him and his parents. After serving two and a half months of boot camp at Great Lake, Illinois, it was close to Robert graduation and he was given eight hours of liberty.

  He took a chance on calling his parents’ house hoping the phone number was still the same. He really was hoping that Grandma Jenny didn’t answer the phone. To his surprise, his mother picked up the phone. He didn’t know what to say. But he conquered up enough nerve to say hello mom … this Robert. It had been four years since they heard each others voice. He could hear his mother screaming and crying with excitement. His father was wondering what the commotion was all about. He ran to the phone. His father started yelling with joy asking Robert to come home.

  Robert was feeling lower than low. After all that he had put them through, they still had unconditional love for him. This was too much for Robert to handle. He became very emotional. He started crying trying to man up. It really hit home for him to hear his father in tears. Robert was truly feeling the pain that he cost his parents. He started explaining to his father that he enlisted in the military and he was stationed at Great Lake, Illinois. He went on telling his father that he graduates in two weeks on December 23, 1999.

  Robert could hear Grandma Jenny in the background screaming out, “They started letting puissant in the military. Now I know the world is coming to an end.” Robert laughed and yelled back out, “Tell Grandma Jenny I love her too.” Robert was just at the corner store which was a block from his parent’s house. He couldn’t wait to see the look on his parent’s face when they come to the door. He wanted to surprise them after hanging up the phone. He knocked on the door in his military uniform. His father answered the door. He couldn’t believe that it really was his son. His mother ran up crying and kissing all over him.

  Robert asked, “Mother and father … can y’all ever forgive me?”

  Mr. Robert Washington Sr. looked at him and said, “Son we forgive you. So let the past be the past and let’s start all over.”

  “Son I’m just happy you’re alive and well,” Mrs. Regina Washington replied. “You’re always will be my baby boy and we love you.”

  Grandma Jenny was still stuck in her old ways. She yelled out, “Now give me back my $20.00 you puissant.” He gave her $100.00 instead.

  “You’ve proven Grandma Jenny wrong,” she said with a smile. “My grandson is a military man. But you still Grandma Jenny’s puissant.”

  Robert responded to his father, “Your mother is never going to change.”

  “I’m happy that you have son,” Mr. Robert Washington Sr. uttered. “I see you really took good care of yourself. But promise me that you will never scare us again like that.”

  “I promise,” Robert answered.

  Mr. Robert Washington Sr. asked, “When do you have to go back to the base?”

  “I had six more hours of liberty left before I’m due back on base,” Robert responded.<
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  Mrs. Regina Washington blurted, “Well good. You can have dinner with me, your father, and Grandma Jenny.”

  They talked for three full hours after dinner. Robert started explaining to them about his plans for when he get out of the military. His father was very proud to hear his son was planning on going to college to earn degree.

  Mr. Robert Washington Sr. responded, “You have made us proud son.”

  Robert needed to hear that from his father. That was the best feeling he had in a long time. It became very emotional for Robert to leave his parents side this time. They drove him back to the military base. Mrs. Regina Washington was full of tears as he walked through the gate. Robert had to rush back to his barrack to muster. The next day came. They started practicing for graduation. Robert’s company was marching up and down the street in 30 inches of snow. He was very excited because graduation was right around the corner.

  CHAPTER 7

  Today was graduation day and Robert was happy to see his parents and Grandma Jenny cheering him on. He was even more surprised that he was heading back to San Diego, California to his next duty station. Robert noticed four others he saw in boot camp heading in the same direction. They didn’t talk that much in boot camp. Getting on the plane heading to San Diego, California with four others he saw in boot camp was overwhelming and breathe taking at the same time. But Robert felt right at home going back to San Diego, California.

  They all started talking and given each other the proper introductions. Robert went first, “Hi. My name is Robert Washington Jr.” Then Anthony Spearman properly said, “Hello.” It was followed by Raymond Jenkins, Caiera Williams, and Wanda Thomas. They talked the entire flight to San Diego, California. They were full of laughter and jokes; talking about how they survived the whole three month of exercising at boot camp. They looked at each others’ order and discovered they were all going to school to become a Disbursing Clerk.

  Robert was excited that he was going to be around his new friends for a few months. When they arrived at San Diego NTC Navy Station, they met with Chief Thomas, who was happy to escort them to the proper place for orientation. Surprisingly, Chief Thomas turned out to be the person in charge of them. As soon as they arrived at the barracks, he began to explain everything to them and started assigning them two to a room. Robert got a little disappointed about the female assign to a different barrack. He was hoping that Anthony or Raymond would be his roommate.