Hello My Name Is...
Payback
SATURDAY AT WILLIAMS HOUSE....
Another school week had ended. It had gone by without incident, as if the school were a prison yard. The school committee opted to have a 'Unison Dance', an event to help move past the tragedy and to re-acquaint students and faculty to one another. William didn't plan on going, what use would he have with a school dance?
He now sat out on his front porch, smoking a cigarette with a forty ounce in his hand. After his talk with Pugs, he decided he would make an effort to graduate this year. He still wasn't sure what he aspired to be, but he hoped graduating would help him with that.
He took a long drink from the bottle, ignoring the bitterness that came with malt liquor. He noticed someone coming up the street, William held his breath. It was Mars. The man kept an easy, relaxed gait, as he approached William. He didn't seem mad, nor happy, just calm and neutral. William knew Mars rarely ever left his block unless he had to. He preferred doing house calls himself, rather than send a runner.
Mars walked up to Williams porch, standing over him. William looked up at the giant of a man, not sure of what to say or do.
"Can I sit here?" Mars said, his deep baritone voice accentuating his size.
"Sure dawg.."
Mars sat down next to William, who was now sweating nervously. Mars didn't' say anything at first, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a joint.
"Hit this?" Mars asked.
William nodded, "If it's cool wit you.."
Mars didn't look at William as he lit it up, took a few quick drags off of it. He held it in for a few moments, before exhaling. He then passed it over to William.
"Look William. I know your situation, and normally I'd give two good hard shits about it. But I've lost lil niggas before, and I know how it is. Your Grandma ain't any better, and I know you gotta deal with a lot of shit right now right?" Mars said, his voice devoid of the usual heavy urban Ebonics.
"Yeah man, fo sho," William said in a choked voice as he exhaled loudly.
"I don't go my enemies houses, and smoke them up. But I don't go to friends houses and give them second chances if they fuck me over either. You, you're neither one nor the other. You still owe me eighty-five dollars for that load I gave you awhile back. I've been more than patient and fair with you.."
Mars took the joint from William and took his hit, sucking in the smoke, holding it, and exhaling. He passed the joint back to William.
"Because we've been cool in the past, I'm gonna ask you to never show your face around my hood again, got it? That means, don't ask me for shit, don't try and sell any shit, got it? My shit is gonna be the only sticky out on the street, and if I hear about you trying to be all hot and biscuit for hustlin', well we're gonna have a broader history of violence between the two of us. Got it?"
William nodded, exhaling and passing the joint back to Mars.
"I got it dawg, I appreciate it. I'm sorry I couldn't come through for you though, I really wanted-,"
Mars cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand, "Shut up and save me your trivial excuses. If I wanted excuses and apologies, I'd have brought my heat with me."
Mars lifted up his pant leg, exposing an ankle holster holding a pistol. William nodded, shutting up instantly.
"You enjoy the rest of that joint dude, finish it, we're done alright? No hard feelings cause there weren't any feelings in the first place. You are dead to me now, don't make it into something official got it?"
Williams nodded gravely, his eyes downcast. Mars stood up to leave, he took a couple steps, stopped, and turned back to face William.
"Oh yeah, one more thing.." he said, looking down at William.
"Yeah?" William said nervously.
Mars reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wad of bills, "This was for Pugs and his family, but he said to give it to you. Since he doesn't have a lil brother anymore, he said for you to use it for your grandma."
William took the money, knowing if he protested, he'd be shot.
"Good, one more thing though..." Mars said calmly.
"What's dat?" William said as he pocketed the money.
Mars smiled, then turned and struck William hard in the face with his fist. William fell backwards, hitting his head on the floorboards of the porch. Mars helped William back up into a sitting position and tossed him a white balled up napkin for his now bleeding nose.
"Just business man, it's all it is. Be easy."
Mars then turned and walked away, his tall dark figure disappearing around the corner.
William dabbed at his nose, knowing full well, that a bloody nose was far better than a cracked skull. He had gotten off easy this time around, and made sure to heed Mar's warning. William was out of the game now, no one had his back, and he didn't have anyone elses. His options were one-sided, keep playing the game and get snuffed, or stop and live his life.
Mars had done William a favor, he was telling him to live past all this death. He used violence and a threat, to keep William off of the streets. William wanted to somehow thank Mars for the lesson, but like he had said, 'Just business.'.
Another school week had ended. It had gone by without incident, as if the school were a prison yard. The school committee opted to have a 'Unison Dance', an event to help move past the tragedy and to re-acquaint students and faculty to one another. William didn't plan on going, what use would he have with a school dance?
He now sat out on his front porch, smoking a cigarette with a forty ounce in his hand. After his talk with Pugs, he decided he would make an effort to graduate this year. He still wasn't sure what he aspired to be, but he hoped graduating would help him with that.
He took a long drink from the bottle, ignoring the bitterness that came with malt liquor. He noticed someone coming up the street, William held his breath. It was Mars. The man kept an easy, relaxed gait, as he approached William. He didn't seem mad, nor happy, just calm and neutral. William knew Mars rarely ever left his block unless he had to. He preferred doing house calls himself, rather than send a runner.
Mars walked up to Williams porch, standing over him. William looked up at the giant of a man, not sure of what to say or do.
"Can I sit here?" Mars said, his deep baritone voice accentuating his size.
"Sure dawg.."
Mars sat down next to William, who was now sweating nervously. Mars didn't' say anything at first, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a joint.
"Hit this?" Mars asked.
William nodded, "If it's cool wit you.."
Mars didn't look at William as he lit it up, took a few quick drags off of it. He held it in for a few moments, before exhaling. He then passed it over to William.
"Look William. I know your situation, and normally I'd give two good hard shits about it. But I've lost lil niggas before, and I know how it is. Your Grandma ain't any better, and I know you gotta deal with a lot of shit right now right?" Mars said, his voice devoid of the usual heavy urban Ebonics.
"Yeah man, fo sho," William said in a choked voice as he exhaled loudly.
"I don't go my enemies houses, and smoke them up. But I don't go to friends houses and give them second chances if they fuck me over either. You, you're neither one nor the other. You still owe me eighty-five dollars for that load I gave you awhile back. I've been more than patient and fair with you.."
Mars took the joint from William and took his hit, sucking in the smoke, holding it, and exhaling. He passed the joint back to William.
"Because we've been cool in the past, I'm gonna ask you to never show your face around my hood again, got it? That means, don't ask me for shit, don't try and sell any shit, got it? My shit is gonna be the only sticky out on the street, and if I hear about you trying to be all hot and biscuit for hustlin', well we're gonna have a broader history of violence between the two of us. Got it?"
William nodded, exhaling and passing the joint back to Mars.
"I got it dawg, I appreciate it. I'm sorry I couldn't come through for you though, I really wanted-,"
Mars cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand, "Shut up and save me your trivial excuses. If I wanted excuses and apologies, I'd have brought my heat with me."
Mars lifted up his pant leg, exposing an ankle holster holding a pistol. William nodded, shutting up instantly.
"You enjoy the rest of that joint dude, finish it, we're done alright? No hard feelings cause there weren't any feelings in the first place. You are dead to me now, don't make it into something official got it?"
Williams nodded gravely, his eyes downcast. Mars stood up to leave, he took a couple steps, stopped, and turned back to face William.
"Oh yeah, one more thing.." he said, looking down at William.
"Yeah?" William said nervously.
Mars reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wad of bills, "This was for Pugs and his family, but he said to give it to you. Since he doesn't have a lil brother anymore, he said for you to use it for your grandma."
William took the money, knowing if he protested, he'd be shot.
"Good, one more thing though..." Mars said calmly.
"What's dat?" William said as he pocketed the money.
Mars smiled, then turned and struck William hard in the face with his fist. William fell backwards, hitting his head on the floorboards of the porch. Mars helped William back up into a sitting position and tossed him a white balled up napkin for his now bleeding nose.
"Just business man, it's all it is. Be easy."
Mars then turned and walked away, his tall dark figure disappearing around the corner.
William dabbed at his nose, knowing full well, that a bloody nose was far better than a cracked skull. He had gotten off easy this time around, and made sure to heed Mar's warning. William was out of the game now, no one had his back, and he didn't have anyone elses. His options were one-sided, keep playing the game and get snuffed, or stop and live his life.
Mars had done William a favor, he was telling him to live past all this death. He used violence and a threat, to keep William off of the streets. William wanted to somehow thank Mars for the lesson, but like he had said, 'Just business.'.