The Legend of Johnny Hustle: Crown Me King

by Zach Tate

  I darted to the elevator. Before the door closed, Roxy slivered through the closing doors smelling like sex. She shoved $150.00 in my hand; I showed no concern. I didn’t interfere with her hustle and she didn’t interfere with mine. She pulled out her gleaming ice pick, and we exited the half-abandoned floor.

  A naked Buffy impatiently stood by the cracked door wearing a devilish grin. She couldn’t have been a day over nineteen. Her pear shaped body was ashy, and her wide hips were way out of proportion to her B-cup sized-breasts. Her innocent eyes hid her frozen heart. She put her hand to her lips and indicated with her hands that Black Just was in the room asleep. I nodded my thanks. Happy that I was pleased, she kissed my cheek.

  Roxy and I crept into the burnt coffee smelling room. The naked gorilla was asleep with his black skullcap on. His old smelly socks had a hole at the big toe. His bed was covered with what once resembled white sheets. On the cheap nightstand next to him were a pile of white tops, empty Crack vials, a large pipe, and a miniature butane torch.

  Roxy held his limp huge cock in one hand, and her wood handled ice pick in the other. I stepped around her, stopping at the small space between the filthy bed and the nightstand that sat against the grimy wallpaper. I opened my palm and brought it down with as much force I could muster. I tried to dislocate Justice’s jaw.

  The beast should have awakened, but nothing happened. I expected the creature to jump up, but his eyelids didn’t move until I smacked him again.

  “What?” he asked with his eyelids still shut. He was probably caught in a dream. Again, I smacked him, and his hollow midnight eyes slowly opened. When he realized his predicament, he smiled humbly. His eyes darted to Roxy’s hand around his cock and then up at me.

  I started my speech. “Black Justice, my beef ain’t with—”

  BLAAW! His blow sounded like a gunshot. He slapped Roxy, sending her across the room.

  Before I knew what happened, Black Just jumped out of the bed. His huge left hand swallowed my face. When he moved it, he clawed my eyes, and then his right hook caught my jaw, sending me down beside the bed.

  As I tried to get the cobweb’s out of my head, I heard Roxy yell, “Mother—fucker!” She jumped up from the grimy floor with her ice pick held over her head. Black Justice caught her by the scalp of her hair in midair with his left hand. Her legs wrapped around his waist. “Ugh! Ugh!” Roxy yelled, stabbing into his back and shoulder blade.

  “Bitch!” he yelled out.

  BLAWW!

  I heard the thud on the blow and looked behind me. The gorilla folded Roxy into the corner with another one of his deathblows.

  Everything moved in slow motion. I palmed the two rolls of quarters I had in each pocket. I stood slowly, letting my heavy coat slip to the grime.

  “Mother fucker you dead!” Roxy screamed.

  “Move Roxy. Stand by the door,” I said, holding both of my fists close to my temples like I was trained to do.”

  “Hee-hee-hee,” the beast growled. “First you want to be a hustler, now you want to be heavy weight champ,” Black Justice laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

  He threw a haymaker. I bobbed his hook and threw my own hooks to his midsection. With our tussle and the Crack freezing his lungs, I hoped Black Justice smoked cigarettes, too. I needed everything on my side. All I was going to throw was shots to his body.

  “Arrgh,” Justice squirmed when my right hook caught his rib cage. I planned on showing him what $20.00 in change could do. “Arrgh—arrgh,” he screamed out again. I threw punches like my life depended on it.

  I blocked everything out. I was back in the Army, in the middle of the ring fighting the Cracker who eventually shot me. The government called it an accident. I called it payback.

  Black Justice threw a lame left hook. He was slowing down so I cashed in my quarters. “Arrgh—arrgh, arrgh-arrgh,” he yelled out as I rained down on him, sweat dripping from my head.

  “Enough of this shit,” I heard Roxy yell.

  Roxy dropped a marble lamp on top of Black Justice’s head, dropping him on the bed and putting him out like a dope fiend in a deep nod.

  I tried to catch my breath. When my breathing evened out, I had to stop Roxy from plunging her ice pick into his heart. “We came to talk, not get a homicide.” That’s when the beast started to stir.

  Roxy rushed to his neck with her pick. I held the roll of quarters tight, making my bloody fist into a weapon. Then his eyes opened.

  “Johnny man—it was Russ man—he made me do it.”

  “Shhh, don’t talk, just listen,” I said, sitting next to him. I was close enough to smell his breath, or squeeze the giant cords on the side of his neck. “Me and you started off on the wrong foot. Roxy and me can end it all right now. But since you taking orders, I’ma give you a pass and let you live. Just back up off me, and look at what Russ is doing ‘cause your man is a rat.” Black Justice couldn’t look me in the eyes. Fear reeked from his massive body. Instead of talking in his gasping voice, he nodded. I stepped back towards the door and when Roxy removed the tip of her pick from his neck I said, “As for my paper? Merry Christmas, you keep that.”

  Black Justice humbly sat up. While dabbing his bloody wounds with his filthy bed sheet, he looked at my eyes. “Thank you, man. Thanks, I owe you one.”

  I closed the door in his face, hoping I wouldn’t have to pay him another visit. Hoping he wouldn’t pay me one.

  $$$

  In the lobby, Buffy and Tweety lit up when they saw me. I held one hand of each girl, and said, “I don’t know where you’re from, but take the money. Leave the block and go shopping. Get your hair, nails, and eyebrows done and then go buy some regular outfits. Then I want you to go see your family tomorrow. If you don’t have a family, then that’s their lost. You got each other so enjoy your Christmas.”

  Buffy started crying tears of joy. As Roxy and I walked away, she smiled and said, “You make a great man, Johnny Hustle, but you a lousy pimp.”

  I was cool with that. My clear conscience was worth more than money.

  When we entered the Marriott, the maitre‘d stopped me at the elevator banks. “Your guests have arrived, and you have a gentleman waiting to see you in the hotel lounge. As you requested, your guests will be given sightseeing trips and an expense account for the night. As for the older gentleman, you can meet him in the lounge, or I can send him up.”

  “Thanks, I will see my guests tomorrow evening.” I sent Roxy upstairs and asked the maitre‘d, “Are you all set for what I have planned in the morning?”

  “Everything is all set.” He cleared his throat. “Two ah—men, or ah—women, dropped off a package for you.”

  I laughed, thinking of Marcy and Elexus harassing the man. “Thank you. I’ll go see my other guest now.”

  The maitre‘d walked me into the lounge area where PeeWee talked to a female waitress. Probably quizzing her on how he could set up shop in the establishment.

  “What’s popping, homes? Got a deal for you, but need one twenty five large, if you in.”

  I whistled. “One twenty five? What the hell we buying, a Rolex company this time?”

  His beady eyes scanned the room to make sure no one could hear us. “Land scam. Over in Delaware. It’s simple. We found out through the bank which landowners been neglecting their plots. You get two bulldozers, a couple of big signs, and set a trailer down as an office. Get the phones working, and sit back and sell somebody else’s acres for a reduced price. The money pours in, our quarter of a mil makes us three, and we split the difference. You give me the cash, and I give you a mill when I get back. Laws are different in Delaware, so I figure I’ll be back in a week. Two tops. You in?”

  My mind told me to be cautious, but I knew PeeWee was a hustler who made me money before. A million dollars. That’s a mega! I made it.

  “Wait right here,” I told him. I walked over to the phone booths, gave Proverb a call, and he told me he had to make a few calls. The banks were closed, but I cou
ld come see him in an hour and the cash would be there. I told him to deliver it to the Hilton and hung up the phone.

  PeeWee looked cool as ever. I walked up to him, shook his hand and said, “Make me a mill Pee Wee. It will be over at the Hilton waiting on you.”

  “Cool,” PeeWee said, grateful that I was in on the con. “Give me a week. One million smackaroos in your pocket. You can retire in a minute. You can’t lose on this, Johnny Hustle, you can’t lose. And you know what? It’s semi-legal, too.” PeeWee turned for the exit. “Come see me at the Hilton in a week. Don’t have me walking over here with all that cash either.”

  We said our good byes. Knowing I was going to be a millionaire put me in a better mood.

  $$$

  I walked through the doors of the suite and found Red and Joy decorating a Christmas tree. Where they liberated the tree from was beyond me. Roxy sat off to the side. I could tell she told them about the drama with Black Justice.

  Red had her hair dyed red again and her contacts were out. As I slipped by them, I asked Red, “Job must be over, huh?”

  I slipped the thick envelope under the bed before she came into the room acting giddy. “Yes sir-ree Bob.”

  “So I guess I can ask about it then, huh?”

  “Of course,” she stated with a silly grin on her face. “They gave me, can you believe it? Me, a job in a Korean jewelry store. I made costume duplicates of the expensive pieces everyday, switched them at work, and within a week I made a good sting.”

  She kissed me and went skipping away into the living room. I sat there wondering how far down in hell I was going to end up.

  $$$

  The next morning I was dressed and up at six o’clock bursting with anxiety. I made a phone call to the lobby and then woke everyone up, telling them to meet me by the tree.

  Roxy and Red came from my bed. Joy walked out with the right attitude. “Merry Christmas everybody, but what in tar-nation is so important that we gots to get up so early?”

  “Merry Christmas,” I announced.

  I sat everyone down at the dining table. While walking back to the bedroom, I turned to Red. “Get dressed, now. You don’t have to put on any makeup, but you have to be ready to leave right after we’re done.”

  “Where am I going?” she asked.

  “Don’t ask, just do what I tell you to do. Hurry up! Don’t even take a long shower,” I replied, walking out of the room with the envelope that Proverb gave me.

  Gloria showed up with the large breakfast that I ordered. She and the girls got acquainted, and Roxy complimented her on her new look. Her hair was cut differently, and her makeup made her look more like a judge or some other respectable citizen.

  “I have something for you,” she whispered to me while putting the food on the table.

  She handed me a rectangle-shaped envelope. When I broke the seal, it was a bunch of cash. I was about to be a millionaire in a week, so the cash was small change to me.

  “Keep the money and give it out to the staff. Buy something nice for yourself.”

  “Anything I want?” she asked.

  “Yes, anything,” I responded.

  She handed the envelope back. “Good, honey, because I want you and me to lay in the bed for once. So please let me know if tomorrow is fine? I’m backed up, way over due, and I got some kinks to work out of my system.”

  Red came back to the dining room dressed. Gloria kissed everyone on the cheek and was out the door.

  “Baby, why you got us up all early?” came from Roxy. She reminded me that I had things to do.

  As I went to make a call, the door opened. Two three-foot long boxes with ribbons were delivered. I put the phone down.

  I poured the contents out of the envelope I received and said, “Merry Christmas.”

  I handed a velvet box to each of my women. When they opened them, they each revealed a platinum necklace with a key shaped platinum and diamond pendant. I then handed one large box to Roxy and the other to Joy. Inside were full-length mink sherling coats, Badgley Mishka dining gowns, and a pair of Prada shoes with stockings.

  “Praise Je-sus. I knew he was the one,” Joy cried, looking up to the ceiling with her hands locked together.

  I then held out two more envelopes. “Patricia Muckle, this is for you.” I then handed Joy the other. “Joy Crumbly, this is for you.” I handed Roxy and Joy bankbooks. The balance on each account read $20,000.

  “Oh my God—Oh my God,” Roxy declared when she looked at the numbers. They started crying.

  “Patricia?” Joy asked, teasing Roxy about her real name.

  I cleared my throat for their attention. “That money is clean so you can always do what you want with it. Minus food, clothes, room and board, that about covers what you two brought me. Do something by investing in your future.”

  Red played with her pendant, wondering where her gifts were. She stomped her feet and walked off into her room. When she returned, she had a full length Nija sable in her hands, and a Breguet gold watch with diamonds. She handed it to me. “Merry Christmas, sugar,” she said in a sarcastic tone.

  I saw her disappointment, and gave her a long kiss. Roxy was at the dining table crying while writing something on the hotel stationary. After the kiss with Red, I grabbed her hand and said to the other girls, “I’ll be back, eat the food, save me some, and go down to the salon and be back in an hour.”

  “Hold up—hold up, baby,” Roxy said, handing me a sheet of paper. I had slipped on my new sable and was heading out the door with Red. Roxy kissed me and said, “This is what I have for you. I’m sorry I didn’t get you a gift, but I didn’t leave the house alone.”

  While Red and I were heading down the elevator, I opened the sheet of paper and this is what I read:

  Sometimes it’s hard to throw away my old key.

  That old key that protects me from me.

  My soul has been bruised, battered, and stained with pain from me.

  Unconditional love I gave for pain.

  My love has been tossed aside and stomped on by me.

  There’s pain, great, great unforgettable pain I gave to me.

  I’ve locked my love away for years, away from me, sweet sweet me.

  Have you noticed I’ve given you this key?

  You have opened up my soul with that key.

  I love you.

  Talk about someone being all choked up? She was in love, and I was grateful to be able to make people happy, but I wasn’t finished yet.

  $$$

  “So where are we going?” Red asked in the elevator.

  “To get your Christmas present together.”

  I walked over to the Virginia Theater on 52nd Street. I arrived and knocked on the backstage door. My inside man was there. He pulled us in and asked, “This her?”

  I nodded. He walked us down the steps and to the stage. A group of women were sitting around waiting.

  “What are we doing here?” Red asked in a whisper.

  “Don’t talk, just listen,” I replied.

  My man pointed to Red and announced to the women, “Okay, this is my student. Tonight she does the small part of Martha talking to Seymour.”

  Red’s mouth was dragging on the floor when she looked at me. I didn’t give her a chance to speak.

  “Merry Christmas, sweetheart. You were the drama major, now here’s your chance to be on Broadway, so make me proud. You got a few hours to learn your lines. I’ll see you after the show. If you get nervous, I’ll be sitting right in the front row, center stage.” She wouldn’t stop kissing on me until the director called her over.

  With my plans coming off, I felt great. I went over to Camera World and picked up a video camera from Abdullah, free of charge.

  I headed back to the Marriott. The girls and I were coming up the elevator at the same time. Roxy looked sensational and Joy beamed with her blonde hair teased to perfection.

  During my ride up, it seemed like every employee in the house was thanking me for his or
her bonus. I was sure that Gloria did something right because there was no way that little bit of money could have reached that far.

  As I ate, the girls put on their new outfits—Christmas carols rang through the room. I got on the phone to Mrs. Walker and made sure everything was set on her end for my plans.

  By noon I was on the phone with Roger. I explained that I needed him to bring a limo down for the day. He told me he couldn’t do it, but that Sharieff wanted to see me, and they would send another limo down.

  Fussing over where Red was and warning me not to ruin their makeup, the girls helped me get dressed. I felt too good. What they didn’t know was that it was my first real Christmas too. When the car arrived, me and my ladies stepped out shining, all furred up. I wore the outfit from the night at the U.N.; in my hands I carried two large boxes, and another small velvet box.

  I whispered to the driver to head to School Street Projects in Yonkers. It had been years since either of the women had left the midtown area, so we took Broadway straight uptown and into Yonkers. When we passed Van Cortland Park, Roxy asked, “Where we going, baby?”

  “To show you off,” I answered.

  After the car made a sharp left and two rights, we turned into the projects and Roxy yelled, “Oh, hell no. I can’t do this.”

  The driver came around and opened the door. “Yes, you can. You can do anything as long as I have your back.”

  I held her hand and treated her like a queen walking on rose pedals. Visiting families, along with residents of the projects, crowded around the limo and was asking who the star was. I pointed to Roxy.

  “Hey, Demitria,” Roxy called out to a short girl who was dark as her.

  The dumpy girl stopped short and then did a double take. She looked over to Roxy and asked, “Pat? Patricia, that’s you?” She looked closer and realized that it was her childhood friend. “Oh shit!” she said and then turned her head up to the tall building. “Poookie! Pookie!” she yelled until another girl peeked out of the window. “It’s Patricia! She came back Big Willie style, get down here quick!”