“Nah, we just hear to watch tonight,” Twon said finding a seat.
While the boys watched the game and talked to Bay Bro, Pee-Wee was out in the hall telling Cash about the twins.
“Who…?” Cash asked.
“They up in here talking to Bay Bro and it seem like they real close.” Pee-Wee looked around to make sure that no one around was listening.
Cash already had a feeling that the boys were plugged and was just hoping that it wasn’t with Bay Bro, anybody but him. No one close knew that five years ago when Bay Bro first moved to Gary, he and Cash had beef. Cash could remember the time.
It was a dreadful hot July night and everybody was at the beach flossing in their rides. Cash was there in a red 87 Chevy, a flock of females around him telling him how he got it going on. Two hours later Cash was about to leave when Bay Bro pulled up in his gold Cherokee with gold deep-dish Daytona’s’. He had a sound system that put everyone else’s to shame. Heads turned and Cash was in awe. As the night went on more and more females flocked to Bay Bro, even the women that were around Cash. Cash was hot and decided to step to Bay Bro and see what he was about.
“What’s up Playboy?” Cash asked sizing up Bay Bro.
“Coolin,” Bay Bro said watching every move of the fake ass nigga before him. The two stared at each other and Bay Bro could see the hate in Cash’s eye. “Do you have a problem?” Bay Bro asked staring Cash straight in his eyes.
“Nah man, I was just trying to remember where I know you from.” Cash responded feeling disrespected at how Bay Bro had just came at him. “What hood you from?”
Bay Bro could tell that Cash was fishing and really didn’t know him. Cash was looking for trouble and Bay Bro was just the person to give him what he was looking for.
“I’m from the City.” Bay Bro proclaimed with a smile on his face.
This frontn’ ass nigga think he better than me, Cash thought taking it to another level.
“Oh yeah,” Cash said looking around noticing that the cars were steadily leaving. “If you from the soft-ass Chi, then.” The rest of his sentence never got out.
Bay Bro slapped him upside his head with a 9mm. Cash fell. Bay Bro was on top on him slapping Cash a couple of times with the pistol.
“Ain’t this what ya bitch ass wanted?”
The females had backed up from the two. Bay Bro dragged Cash down to the freezing cold water of Lake Michigan, stripped him and threw Cash in. Too hysterical to realize he was only in three feet of water, Cash flopped around. Bay Bro laughed then stepped off with the girls.
“Cash, Cash.” Pee-Wee shouted in the phone.
“Look man, we got to plan this shit out because there can be no mistakes. Just hold tight and let me put something together.” Cash hung up the phone. Mixed feelings were brewing.
2
The spring of 93 brought everyone out. Girls were in tight dresses, mini skirts and Daisy Dukes. Boys flossed tank tops and jerseys. They wore caps tilted to one side depending on the organization.
The boys were on the basketball court at Norton Park, putting on a show like they were Globetrotters. Each team that stepped on the court left embarrassed and befuddled. The crowd loved it. No one noticed Cash, Pee-Wee and Doug blending in. They weren’t there just for the show.
The next five came to the court and from the start the unknown players made it clear; there would be pain. On the opening possession Jon went strong to the rim only to be elbowed by one of the opposing players. Jon grabbed his jaw while trying to shake off the pain.
“What the fuck is your problem?” Don screamed running up to the big man.
“It was my mistake,” the player said trying to sound as sincere as possible.
“Let’s just play ball,” Jon said taking the ball out. The crowd was on their feet ready to attack and Cash just stood in the crowd with a smile on his face as he watched the first part of his plan take effect.
The big men continued carrying out their dirty tactics tripping and throwing ‘bows. Hard fouls aimed at intimidating the boys. Kay went for a lay-up and a player pulled him down from behind. He fell hard on his upper back. Jon hit the bigger player in his throat then kicked him in the groin. He screamed like a stuck pig. Jon stomped him in the face and head. Kay regained his composure and joined in kicking the player. Blood leaked from his eyes and nose. Another player ran up behind Jon blindsiding him.
The bleachers cleared with Bay Bro leading the way. The five henchmen Cash sent to deliver pain were soon swarmed by nearly everyone in the bleachers. Cash, Pee-Wee and Doug crept to the exit. Police sirens were heard and the mob stampeded the nearest exit.
Jon didn’t hear the sirens. He continued supplying kicks to the player. Don ran over pulling him away.
“One-time!” Don shouted.
The gym cleared except for Cash’s five soldiers who were on the floor and unconscious.
The boys made it inside the Dungeon. They were trying to figure out what had happened.
“Man, what the fuck was that?” Jon asked examining his left eye in a mirror.
“Think it had sump’n to do with what happened to Tyrone?” Twon asked fidgeting with his hands.
“I don’t care who the fuck they was,” Don said turning up the volume on DOC’s No One Can Do It Better. “We sent whoever a muthafucking message. Niggas just can’t come to our hood, thinking they can get with us. We sent a message loud and clear that we not to be fucked with and if niggas want to try then let ‘em bring it.”
“A whole lot a shit gone down since we took our oath,” Twon said. Jon started to pace back and forth.
“You alright, Jon?” Don asked staring at Jon still pacing.
Jon sometimes blacked out when upset. He once stabbed their father with a butcher knife. Don decided to keep a closer eye on Jon. Jon was compassionate and unforgiving.
“I’ll be fine,” Jon said rewinding The Formula. “I’m just thirsty.”
The mood lightened and the boys played Sega, drank pops and made fun of Jon’s black eye.
Back in Delany projects, Cash Pee-Wee and Doug puffed a Swisher while sipping E&J.
“You…you think this gonna be a war? It’s gonna start a war right?” Doug asked sounding shook.
“What you think? We started sump’n big, big…” Pee-Wee was tripping, he knew that this was just the beginning of a war that would cost many lives.
“It was like the whole hood got behind ‘em boys,” Cash said shaking his head. He saw Bay Bro leading the pack. “We gotta go to Chi and get our arsenal right.” Cash puffed and passed the blunt to Pee-Wee. “This gonna be a hot summer.” He exhaled.
“I think we should get this shit over with as soon as possible.” Pee-Wee smoked and continued. “If Bay Bro got wind of us being involved in this shit, y’all know, he gone come out on full blast.”
Cash knew Pee-Wee was right. Pride might get him killed. Apprehension tightened like a noose around his neck.
A week later, the boys were hanging in the Dungeon playing Sega. They started talking about the Spring Fling dance and who would have the prettiest date. None of them had asked a girl or were seriously thinking of going. But money was involved.
“This little bet is tight. We need to start making real money.” Don said watching Jon and Twon play NBA Showtime basketball. “We need to get a hustle going.”
“We can learn how to steal cars and since Deuce got a chop shop right in the hood we ain’t got to fuck with nobody we don’t know.” Kay said from the sideline.
The twins and Kay knew how to drive. Kay figured it wouldn’t take but a couple of minutes to teach Twon and Zoe. Kay had been waiting on some type of come-up. Since his pop got laid off from the Steel Mill he went from Jordan’s to regular Nikes.
Jon put a pause to the game and said, “We don’t know nothing about stealing cars and niggas get shot to steal another muthafucka’s shit.”
“Man, Deuce can show us how to steal a car and we got burners. We talking come-up and that’s the sure way. Ma
n, I heard you can steal a car in a minute and make a G off it. Think about that, a thousand a minute…? Man, us five can put that work in and make ten G’s a day.” Kay said.
“I feel you and I’m with you but we’ve to put this one to a vote. We’ll go around the room. It’s yeah or nay.” Don said.
“Yeah!” was echoed by all.
“Then it’s on,’” Don said smiling and thinking about all the dough.
Later the boys went by Deuce’s garage. They were familiar with him but Kay was the closest to him because every summer he worked at the garage running to get food, sweeping up the floors and look-out. The garage was only one block over from the twin’s house and it was on the same block as Kay’s house. It was connected to a fast food restaurant slash ice cream shop.
When the boys finally made it to the garage it was Kay who was suppose to do all the talking since he messed with Deuce like that.
“Deuce man, we trying to stack some paper,” Kay said sitting in a chair in Deuce’s office. “The problem is; you need to show us how to steal cars.”
Deuce was thirty-seven years-old, dark complexion six-footer. He had a gut that kept getting bigger with each bite that he took. Rumors floated that he killed two men who tried to rob him one night at the garage. Most people took Deuce for soft because his wife had him in check. The chop-shop had been running smoothly going on two years. Deuce smiled at Kay. This was inevitable. He knew that Kay was hungry.
“I’m gone sho’ y’all little asses what ya’ll need to do, but Kay, do not make my spot hot.”
“Nah, I’ll keep this on the low,” Kay said.
Deuce showed them some stolen cars. They saw how it should look after. He liked neat work. Sloppy work would get you pulled over. He took them to the junkyard to demonstrate every step of stealing cars. After the demonstration he took them one by one and watched them duplicate what they had just seen. They all succeeded, but it was Jon who stood out. Jon had done the whole process accurately and neatly in less than one minute and Deuce was impressed. He knew that this was a come-up for everybody, especially himself.
“Ya’ll ready to get that paper,” Deuce said smiling at them.
“It’s on.”
In the weeks that followed, the boys went on a car stealing rampage turning Merriville upside down. Twon and Zoe learned to drive. They stole ten cars a day and although they were pumping in money, it was not as much as Kay figured. They were making three to four hundred dollars a car and felt like they were getting cheated. Deuce was paying his other car thieves seven to eight hundred for the same cars the twins were bringing. Deuce exploited them since they didn’t know the car game.
One day the boys delivered their cars to the shop and ran into an older car thief who had been with the Deuce since the beginning. They noticed that he was delivering the same type of Cadillac.
“What up Cheese?” Jon said looking at how dapper Cheese was dressed in a cream color Pelle Pelle outfit that ain’t even made it down to Gary yet.
“Putting that work in,” Cheese responded smiling.
“Let me talk to you fro a minute playboy,” Jon said.
They walked off. Jon picked Cheese’s brain about the dough he was getting for his work.
“You just got twelve hundred for that ‘lac?”
Jon was unable to hide his surprise. Deuce had just paid them four hundred and fifty dollars for the same car with better rims and in better condition. Jon returned with fury in his eyes and payback on his mind.
“Do ya’ll know that bitch-ass nigga, Deuce been playing us this whole time?” Jon asked calmly.
“What’s on your mind brother?” Don asked seeing his brother had something up his sleeve.
“I’ll explain everything to ya’ll back in the dungeon,” Jon said as they made their way across the street. “Let’s just say we about to come up, fo’ real.”
When the boys made it back to the Dungeon, nobody ran to the Sega game. Instead they waited to hear what Jon had to say. Jon had gone upstairs to the kitchen. He grabbed a Sunny Delight and bumped into his mom.
“What are you boys up to?” She asked looking at Jon with a worried expression on her face.
“Nothing ma, we playing video games and just chillin,” Jon smiled.
“I don’t want y’all getting into no trouble,” she said rinsing a cup.
“Ma, you know we good fellas.” He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek then went back downstairs.
“So what’s the plan?” Zoe asked.
“All right, I need ya’ll to hear me out on everything before ya’ll start interrupting,” Jon said. He put Scarface’s CD before continuing. “We gone hem his ass up in the garage and demand some changes. He pay Cheese twelve hundred for some busted-ass ‘Lac. I ain’t no sucka. He ain’t gone play us or ‘em hollows will ring. I’m tired of niggas not taking us serious because we shorties. Fuck that! It’s time muthafuckas know bout SCC.”
Jon sat down sipping his orange juice and surveying the room. No one said anything. Zoe looked at Jon.
“When do we put it into action?”
“One week from tomorrow,” Jon said looking at the four others. They moved in closer as Jon went over the details.
The Spring Fling dance was quickly approaching. With the exception of Jon, the other boys had their eyes set on Vanessa, the prettiest girl in the school. Twon was the first one to approach her and quickly got dismissed. Zoe was next and tried to win her over but got turned down. Kay approached her at lunch time in the cafeteria and things were going well for him until he looked at another cutie wearing a skin tight Guess dress. Vanessa was so upset she threw a carton of milk at him. Luckily the carton of milk wasn’t open. His brand new Pelle Pelle outfit wasn’t damage.
Jon witnessed the whole thing and had a good laugh. He was sure to bring it up later so all the boys could clown Kay. Jon saw the cutie sit at a table and made his move. Jon didn’t think that she would go to the dance with him but figured it was worth a shot.
“How you doing Lynette?” he asked standing in front of her.
“What do you want?” Lynette looked up mean as ever and said.
Jon was prepared for the attitude. He was always soft on Lynette and went out of his way to give her special gifts. Jon had a huge crush on her since she moved to Gary.
“I’m not trying to start no trouble with you. I just have sump’n I wanna ask,” Jon said. He lowered himself and sat.
“I don’t have all day.” Lynette was impatient.
“Will you go to the dance with me?”
Lynette screwed up her face but on the inside she was smiling. She knew he was sprung and wasn’t about to let him off the hook without making him sweat.
“Why should I go to the dance with you?” She asked with her ghetto girl attitude.
“Lynette, you know how I’ve been feelin you for some time.” He fidgeted with a napkin. “I just never approach you because you treat me so bad.”
She saw that he was being sincere. Lynette knew the twins apart whenever they would speak. Jon was so sweet to her while Don was a plague.
“Yes I will go to the dance with you.”
Jon was shocked and just stared for a moment then a wide smile stretched across his face. He was speechless.
“Call me,” Lynette said getting up from the table.
She made it to the door and turned to see if Jon was wearing that same big-ass smile. It didn’t take much for Don to get Vanessa to agree to go with him to the dance. He couldn’t wait to tell everybody to pay up and forget about competing because he was a lock.
Deuce’s one week was up and the boys were at the shop to let him know how they were feeling. Waiting to get paid, they kept looking around to see who was coming and going. They had to execute the plan while only Shady and Tony were in the shop. Shady and Tony were the two workers who did all the work on the cars and had been with Deuce from jump. They were no killers. This was the boys’ lucky day. Only Tony was in the shop. Deuce paid the
boys. Then Jon and the rest of the boys pulled out 32’s catching Deuce by surprise.
“What up Deuce?” Jon asked. Anger filled eyes.
“Man, what the fuck y’all doing…?” Deuce asked looking confused.
“We here to get our right due,” Jon said pointing his gun at Deuce’s head.
“I don’t’ know what y’all talking bout. Things was all good just a week ago.” There was panic in Deuce’s voice.
“Let’s step into your office and talk about it,” Jon said pointing.
Tony saw what was happening and decided to make his exit. Deuce and the boys entered the office. Jon sat in behind Deuce’s desk.
“Keep your hands on the desk at all times,” Jon said. The boys lowered their guns and Deuce felt a little relieved. “The reason it got to be like this is because you been playing us.” Jon was looking straight in Deuce’s eyes. “You been paying the older cats way more money than you been paying us and we here to collect what’s owed us.” Jon had a serious look on.
“I’m begging you, don’t hurt me. I was the one who hooked y’all up. I’d never play y’all. I…”
“Shut the fuck up!” Jon shouted. “Look, this is a one time non-negotiable offer. You owe each of us a Mustang, hooked up of course. Then you’ll pay us what you pay the others. The alternative is to just pay us what you owe us and we’ll go holla at dude on the 25th.”
Deuce knew that he would lose out on a whole lot of money if he let the boys go. Deuce weighed his options before speaking.
“Deal,” he said knowing no money was subtracted. “Next time ya’ll have a problem just come and talk to me. Ain’t no need for no guns. Ya’ll know me and ya’ll know we can work out whatever. Give me a couple days to get the paperwork right on the Mustangs.” Deuce’s smile didn’t reveal the plot taking shape.
“All right,” The boys said. They left laughing and joking.
3
Back up in the Dungeon, Don and Jon were playing Sega. Kay searched the music collection. They drank from a couple of 40 ounces of Colt 45, an old-timer copped for them earlier.
A Good Day to Die Page 2