SUFFER WITH ME

by ROBERT LABOO

  “Keep your cool, turkey. Our lick is on the way. Control both those holes sucka or you gonna have a third one in your head.” Sam faces back forward. As if on command, a set of headlights penetrates the dusky morning and parks.

  “Bingo!” Sam exclaims pulling on the thick ‘70’s style ski mask.

  “Remember, we’re just robbing this sucka and wrecking the joint. Got it?”

  “We hear ya, Sam!”

  “Let’s roll then.”

  The engine of the ‘92 Lincoln Towncar makes a ticking sound as it cools down. Mr. Tony steps from his car and inhales the brisk morning air. He doesn’t officially open the store until seven each morning, but he likes to arrive early and enjoy the neighborhood. The peaceful quiet allows you to see the beauty that is still Newark, before the sidewalks become congested with drug dealers peddling their poisons. Before the streets are tattooed with burnt rubber from joyriders in stolen automobiles. Before the silence is disturbed by the never ending gunshots and police sirens. Before it becomes a hotbed of turmoil, you are granted the opportunity to view how beautiful this city is minus its blemishes. The slight pain he feels in his back as he lifts the gate over the store reminds him of his mortality. Soon he’ll be too old and his son will have to takeover the store. He places the key in the door and flies inside.

  As soon as the key twists in the lock, Sam shoves Mr. Tony with all his might. He slides headlong into the potato chip rack. Sam motions for his accomplices to cover the store owner.

  He commisioned these two for this exact purpose. Not willing to risk Mr. Tony recognizing his voice, he’s allowing them to commit the robbery while he vandalizes the store. He runs to the back knocking all the glass jars from the shelves. One of his team runs behind the counter and searches for money. The other reaches out for Mr. Tony.

  The haziness from his fall starts to subside as he stares upwards at the three masked men. He sees their mouths moving but is too shocked to pay attention to what’s being said. In thirty years of owning this store, not once has he ever been robbed. A tug at his pocket brings him back to the moment.

  “...everything god dammit!” Is all he catches as he grabs for the hand on his pocket instinctively.

  “Let! Go! Of! My! Hand!”

  Mr. Tony’s brain rattles with each mind numbing blow from the gun. Every word is emphasized with a strike from the pistol. He’s seconds away from losing consciousness.

  Sam runs to the front of the store and sees Mr. Tony being beaten savagely by his cohort. He hauls off and sucker punches the man while he attempts to hit Mr. Tony again.

  BWAH!

  The gun roars as the punch connects and knocks the man over sideways.

  “What the fuck is wrong wit’ ‘chu man?!” Sam screams as his friend attempts to stand up. “Don’t ever put your hands on ‘im again or I’ll kill you!”

  “Sorry, Sa-”

  “Shut the fuck up and get the-”

  Sam looks in Mr. Tony’s direction. He holds his throat like he’s attempting to strangle himself. The blood pours through his fingers and around his hand while his right foot twitches emphatically. Everything just went wrong, Sam turns and flees the store without warning.

  Pandemonium. That’s the only word to describe the scene outside of Tony’s Grocery Store. Dozens of police weave through the growing crowd of somber onlookers. The milieu has the feel of a funeral, a very sad funeral. Jahlil’s mother’s heartbeat speed increases the closer she gets to the crowd. She spots a friend on the fringes of the group holding her fist to her mouth. Tears stream down her face as she stares at the store.

  “Vera, what happened?” She notes the slight cracking in her own voice. She’s on the verge of tears and she doesn’t even know why. Maybe she’s just identifying with the sentiments of the collective. Vera points as she speaks, “They, they shot Mr. Tony.”

  Her heart that was speeding on her arrival, has just dropped to the pit of her stomach.

  “Who? Why? We gotta get to the hospital!”

  Vera shakes her head. “He’s still in there. Melissa, they ki, killed Mr. Tony.” She cries.

  Everything begins to blur and spin out of control. Jahlil’s mother never felt herself hit the ground.

  UMDNJ (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey)

  Melissa looks at all the people in her hospital wing fretting over her and becomes embarrassed. She’s never fainted before but it isn’t worth all this fuss. Especially given the fact that Mr. Tony lost his life. Everyone’s attention should be on that tragedy.

  “Mrs. Wright? Your husband is on the way up.” A nurse informs her.

  “Thank you.”

  She feels so selfish. Her mind hasn’t once considered how her husband will take this. Knowing him he will want to retaliate. When he was released from prison, Mr. Tony gave him a job in the store. Then arranged for him to be employed at the warehouse where he currently works. She doesn’t know what her family’s financial situation would be without Mr. Tony. But, they are eternally indebted to him. The news of his death will crush her husband.

  “Melissa, are you okay baby?” She starts crying immediately upon hearing her husband’s voice. Physically she was perfectly fine. But her heart hurts from having to be the one to tell her husband about Mr. Tony. He hugs her to his chest. “What hurts baby?” Concern oozes from his words.

  “Mis, Mr. Tony’s dead. Sam somebody killed Mr. Tony!” She cries. “Who would kill that sweet man? Fucking animals!”

  Her husband is speechless, his only response is to hold her tighter.

  “Why, Sam? Why?”

  Sam’s silence causes her to become all the more distraught, because he usually always has the answers.

  - Book Coming Soon -