by Zach Tate
For the first time in my life I felt what it was like to be a prostitute. When Gloria sat me down in the chair and got on her knees in front of me, I wondered how I got myself into that mess. I was stiff and Gloria’s lips, tongue, and moans added to my excitement. She sucked on me while rubbing her fingers against her clitoris. When she finally came, she pulled on my swollen tip with her jaws. She sucked so well that my erection was harder than I had ever saw it. She then slipped a condom on, mounted me, and rode me right there in the chair.
There was no emotional attachment for me, and I guessed that’s how Roxy felt when she was at work. Those thoughts occupied my mind while Gloria went to work on my manhood. She sucked her own nipples while riding me. Her eyes were closed as if she was entertaining thoughts of an ex-lover. When she came, her body froze.
“Damn—damn—sssss—oh damn—ummm—damn!” She collapsed onto me. Once her breathing was normal, she removed the unfilled condom, kissed me on my cheek, and said, “Thank you, sugar,” just like a trick would do to a whore. She got up, got dressed, and left.
I pulled my pants up from my knees, put my swollen erection into them, and walked out of the door. When I walked into my suite, I heard a few female voices. When I closed the door, Roxy, Red, Marcy and Elexus were sitting around like they were having a tea party. My erection died instantly, and I braced myself for the company that I wanted to hurry and leave.
“Hey-hey-hey,” Elexus squealed out.
Marcy waved and I handed him the cards. “Ain’t seen you around, and as soon as we get a message, you putting us to work?”
“Did you bring what I asked for?” I asked impatiently.
Elexus said, “You act like you ain’t got no manners. Of course we brought your stuff for Roxy and Queen Red over here. The whole square gonna be jumping when they hear y’all two hooked up.”
“Can you imagine if they did the nasty and made one trifling ass hustling baby? Girrrl, he’d not only be the king of Times Square, but maybe the world,” Marcy added.
I checked to see how Roxy and Red responded to the statement. Roxy smiled, and Red crossed her legs wearing a content expression on her face.
The two queers pulled out a small wardrobe of sports bras, Dior panties, Diamond Girl sweat suits, and two pairs of Nike Air Max’s. Next to that were four Liz Claiborne suit jackets, blouses, and miniskirts for Roxy.
The cards from Gloria came on time. Instead of me paying in cash like I intended, I traded off with the cards. I then told the queers to pick up winter coats for Roxy and me. They dashed out of the hotel. I closed the door, and turned to Red. “I didn’t order you any coats cause I didn’t know if you were staying or not?”
“Not a problem. Clothes will be the least of my problems once I get my head together. I still want to get high, because I like it. No, correct that—I love it. But things that are no good have to be left alone. So who’s the sweat suits for?”
I looked at both the women. “Four for each of you. Six in the morning, we have work to do.”
12
Joy
In November 1989, the impossible became possible. A Black man was elected Mayor of the greatest city in the world. In his hands was the power to send a pulse through the modern world. He solidified a place in history, and an entire race felt like they finally arrived. I identified with that man. From that day forward, my name would be Dinkins to any law enforcement official I ran into.
At the crack of dawn, I wanted to unleash the other part of my plan with Red. I knew she could be greater than she was. I wanted to help her be greater than she ever conceived. I didn’t think I could pull the plan off. Roxy was going to help me, so I woke her with a smack on her ass before sunrise.
“What up?” she asked in her harsh ghetto tone.
I sat on the side of the bed and leaned over to her ear. I whispered, “Don’t talk. Just nod, if you can hear me.”
She nodded.
“You love me. I know you do, but I don’t know what you willing to do for me. If you willing to do anything—let me know.”
Her head didn’t move from the pillow and she nodded, slow.
“I want to cause you a lot of pain. I’m gonna make you hurt. If you don’t want to lose me, you have to take it. I want you to handle it like a trooper, and then walk them streets when you done. Can you handle it?”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. “You the only man who can hurt me,” Roxy whimpered, nodding her head like an abused child fearing rejection.
Okay then baby, you gonna work Red for me. You gonna show her to do what I tell you two to do.” I slapped her on the ass. “Get dressed.”
Roxy sat up to find her sweat suit, sports bra and gym shoes on the end of the bed. When she was dressed and ready to go, we both walked into Red’s room and cut the lights on. Red awoke. Before I spoke, I noticed that she was gaining her weight back; she was heavier than when I first laid eyes on her.
“What’s going on, is something wrong?” Red asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Seeing seriousness in my eyes, she asked, “What happened?”
“I need to know if you’re willing to do what I need for you to do over the next week.”
“I already told you that I would.”
“This is different. Either you get up and get dressed and move with Roxy and me, or you get up and leave and go back to those streets. Don’t agree if you’re gonna quit later. Either get down all the way and be ready to do anything, or leave.”
“What’s anything?” Red asked, now wide-awake.
“Any-thing means anything that I say. Roxy is ready and we need to know if you with us or not?”
Roxy looked at her with enthusiasm, and said, “You gonna be all right,” without knowing what I had in mind. I was proud of her. I finally had a partner that was with me all the way.
Red looked at both of us. “I’m in! It’s time that I made some real money again. Run the hustle down to me. What do you want me to do?”
It was hard to keep from grinning. “You got to get dressed right now, and be out in the living room in five minutes.”
She jumped out of the bed. I handed her the clothes, and she hurried into the bathroom. The beginning stages of my plan were working. I had to get Red in shape. I had to get the Crack out of her system for good. I needed her to be mine. Red, the queen of Times Square.
I walked over to the windows and opened them, allowing a chill to race through the entire suite. Roxy stood to the side and watched my actions. Without saying a word, she pulled on the zipper of her Diamond Girl sweat suit. I stood in the middle of the living room with a blue and white button down shirt. A pair of jeans from the GAP and a pair of rust colored Polo boots with spiked rubber bottoms completed my outfit.
When Red stepped out in her red sweat suit, I handed her and Roxy a can of vanilla Nutriment. After they were done with their drinks, I sent them to their rooms so they could tie their hair down. When they returned, I put my plan into action.
“Listen, I want you to stretch and give me two hundred jumping jacks.”
The women looked at me like I was the one smoking Crack. I kept a straight face. “Anything, remember?”
Roxy started doing hers and Red picked up and did the same. I picked up the phone and called room service. There was a list of things that I needed.
When the women reached two hundred, Roxy was drenched with sweat, and Red struggled to breathe.
“Now that you’re all warmed up, we can get started.”
Room service knocked at the door. I pulled the cart in and dropped a case of Nutriments on the floor. On top of that, I dropped a case of one-liter bottles of Deer Park spring water. When I grabbed a case of cranberry juice off of the cart, the women looked at me like I was crazy. As the man from room service left, I followed behind, looked over my shoulder at the two women, and commanded, “Let’s go.”
We rode the elevator down to the tenth floor. When we stepped off, confusion set in the women’s faces. When I disconnected the fire alar
m for the exit, they were really puzzled. I led them into the empty bright staircase, and descended down to the first floor. There was a bit of hesitation by Red at first, but when Roxy walked down, she followed. I can’t lie, my legs were killing me, and we were only walking down the steps. I was sure running back up was going to be a whole new adventure.
By the time we reached the first floor, my plan was together. The security man that I hired was at the bottom of the staircase waiting for us to arrive. When the girls took the last step, reaching the first floor landing, they exhaled deeply as if the workout was over.
“Now run back up to where you came from. If you can’t run, jog. Can’t jog, then walk. Don’t stop your legs from moving until we get to the tenth floor.”
“You coming with us?” Red asked annoyed.
“I’ll be right in front of you helping you deal with the pain,” I encouraged, hoping I wouldn’t lose their trust.
Roxy looked at me, silently questioning if I was sure I knew what I was doing. My determined look gave her what she needed to know. The security guard was too busy staring at Roxy’s ass, but his job was to make sure that Red didn’t head back down and into the streets.
“Let’s go,” I yelled and Roxy was off like a thoroughbred. Red was right behind her. I ran past security to the elevator banks. When I reached the second floor, I got off of the elevator, disconnected the alarm, and stood on the staircase landing. I looked down at the two women coming up the stairs and yelled, “Let’s go—let’s go!”
Roxy picked up her steps and passed me on her way up. Red became competitive, putting pep into her step. I went up on the elevator to every odd numbered floor and repeated my routine. By the time I was at the eighth floor, Roxy struggled to jog. Red slowed to a near crawl. I walked down to Red and helped her keep her legs moving. With each step, she coughed up the impurities that were still trapped in her lungs.
When we reached the tenth floor, Roxy was sitting on the floor. She had camped out in front of the elevator banks, rubbing on her thighs and gasping for air. Red vomited into a garbage can. After catching my own breath, I helped the two of them get into our suite.
As they cried out in pain I sat them in the empty Jacuzzi. Keeping them from cutting on the hot water was a challenge. I made two trips to the ice machine, dumping both buckets on top of their legs. Their cries of discomfort fell on deaf ears. When Red started speaking another language, I gave in and cut the Jacuzzi on.
Room service delivered the breakfast of oatmeal, boiled egg whites, chicken breast, and fruit salad. I made Red drink cranberry juice while Roxy drank water. I handed them both the vitamins and took some myself. By the time they were full, Red was falling asleep at the table; letting her sleep, I helped Roxy get ready for work.
For seven days, the women followed the same routine. By the seventh day they were running all the way to the tenth floor without a problem. I felt like I was back in the army, but the baths I took with the women after the workouts reminded me that I definitely wasn’t.
$$$
On the Monday of the second week, I handed Red the other tennis bracelet. She decided earlier that day that she wanted to stay in our suite. Her body was getting in shape. Her legs and thighs had exploded from the weight gain diet and the sleep routine I had her on. Due to the thousands of stairs she climbed, her ass ballooned bigger and firmer than it had ever been.
After doing the stairs, Roxy started doing crunches on her own. Her midsection was blossoming into a work of art. When she was finished, she left for work. Exhausted from getting them through the morning workout, I went to sleep while Red rested in her room.
Lying on my back, caught up in a pleasant dream, I felt someone getting into the bed. I wondered why Roxy was back home so soon. When I opened my eyes, Red was naked under my covers. She put a finger to my lip as a cold hand grasped my manhood. She stroked me, warming us both. Blood started to flow to the tip of my shaft, and I could feel her slip a condom onto my stiffness.
I looked into her eyes and saw a glimmer of the woman that seized my attention at Money Russ’ party. She wasn’t all the way there yet, but I knew once she was back in focus, she would show me all the things Yoda wasn’t there to show me. In Red I saw a match for the man I wanted to be, and with her in my bed, I was on my way.
“Shhhhhh,” she moaned as I penetrated her tightness with her petite C-cups dangling over my face. She caressed the back of my neck with one hand, and gripped my manhood with the other.
“Um…hum,” she gasped, easing me deeper into her tight, slippery crevice. “Mmmmmm,” she moaned with satisfaction when I was all in.
I looked at the gorgeous face in front of me. With her newly firm body, and the image of the queen I had in my head, I was unable to resist her loving. I instantly lost control. I sat up, faced her, and wrapped her legs around my waist. While palming her naked cheeks, I thrust myself deep inside of her. I was standing by the time I picked up a good motion. As I stretched her body and gave her all of me, Red’s palms were on the back of the dresser.
She came instantly. I put her on the bed in the kneeling position. Entering her from behind, I crossed her legs at the ankles. We swayed in unison to a rhythm of passion. I bucked like a tortured bull at a rodeo.
“Take all of me,” she demanded and I met her demands.
I was lost in her passion. Thrusting with all I had. Giving her what she wanted in a way that validated a man. Then I exploded. My juices flowed and my pace slowed. Red spun around, letting me go limp. She then sucked on my chest like my nipples were breasts, feeding her a hustling potion. Minutes later, she laid me down and pulled the covers over us. As I lay on my back, she laid on top of me, cuddling like we were meant to be.
“Light brown eyes, huh? First time I noticed.”
“Great sex, huh? First time I noticed,” I said, feeling like a king.
“I wanted you from the moment I saw you.”
I knew she was a hustler. “Come on, Red, you could have come better than that.”
She hit me on my chest. “A girl’s got to play hard to get when she’s on top of her game. Can’t afford to get strung out. Too bad I did get strung out. Should have been on you instead of that damn Crack-cocaine.”
“Well, things happen and we all got our vices. I’m not the type of man who judges.”
Red smiled, revealing her perfect teeth. “Such a sweet, sweet, man. You always know what to tell a girl. You also know what to do. I remember when Roxy was doing badly. It was awful. Now you have her taking pride in herself. She won’t change her hustle because it gives her meaning, but you did a hell of a job with her, and me. That Crack stopped me from even wanting to hustle. It reduced me to a beggar in the street like a common crook. Can you believe that, Mr. Empowerment?”
“Empowerment?” I asked, because it didn’t sound romantic.
“Yes, that’s what you do. Everyone who comes in contact with you, you go and give them a power within that they didn’t know they had, gosh darn it.”
“Gosh darn it? You sound a long way from home, Texas girl.”
“Hamilton Park, Dallas,” she announced with pride, “Is it that obvious?”
“Yeah, my folk from Augusta and out west y’all got that real twang.” I changed my expression. “I never heard a no parts called Hamilton Park.”
“Yep, nobody out of Texas has. It’s an affluent community that the well-to-do Blacks in Dallas put together. My father is a Black man, and I guess you can see that my mother is of Irish decent.”
“Um, so how’d you end up here?”
“You first. What’s your story?”
“Me? Came from the Bronx one day, hooked up with Brave Dave. Had no one to go uptown to, so here I am. So what’s your story?”
“Had stars in my eyes in Texas and wanted to make it on Broadway after graduating in dramatic theater with honors. Came out here to get an acting gig, but it didn’t work. I was afraid to call home for help, didn’t wanna look like a failure, so I stayed d
own here and fended for myself. I became a thief. Since my parents are wealthy, I knew what to steal. Then I realized that I was a better thief than an actress. When I pulled a few long cons, my acting made it easier, and then I became an adventure addict.”
“What’s that about?”
“You know, I stole for the risk and adventure instead of the payoff. I started doing everything from boosting to body-bagging.” After a brief pause, she asked, “What’s your objective?”
“Wow, can’t say I ever really gave it any thought. If I had to answer, I’d have to say it’s to get paid so I’ll never be broke again. Maybe one day have a family. What’s yours?”
“Mine, was to survive through each day. Now, I guess I have to figure it out when the time is right?”
“So what are you doing in my bed?”
“I fell for you hard the moment you put me in front of that mirror. You can’t exactly have a valuable relationship in midtown, and it’s been a very long time since I made love to a man. Down here, we live by our own rules, and you look like you almost mastered the game.”
“Almost, huh? I have you on top of me now, and that’s better than coming off with a major sting.”
“See, you got a lot to learn, but you can melt a woman’s heart with your words without knowing it. I guess that’s why Roxy believes in you?”
“How? By whoring in the streets?”
“Johnny Hustle, these girls don’t have employment skills, education, or a bit of self-esteem. So don’t start preaching. Wake up, because a whore is going to be a whore. The question is, if she gonna hustle for you so she can have a nice nest egg whenever the end comes? Or is she going to work for some lame-chili pimp who abuses her on the avenue? Just take care of her and do the right thing.”