“My uncle and Eva were very wealthy but worked every day to help others. My uncle had his own law firm for low-income residents and Eva was his office manager. Sometimes they would represent important people. They worked for long hours during the week. Therefore, once again we were raising ourselves,” said Lola.
"I took up music and dance in high school and excelled quickly with my talent. My great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother were entertainers and that is what I wanted. I was always the lead performer in all the musicals at school.
“Toto decided to stick with football, which he did not start playing until the coach discovered him during gym in his freshmen year of high school. Being a smart businessman, he knew he could find more clients on the football field than on the playground,” said Lola.
"‘Toto, your position is wide receiver. You are an athlete. You are quick, aggressive, smart with your moves, and can figure out how to catch the ball. There are other positions you could play but that is what I need this year,’ said the coach.
"Toto thought to himself, ‘In this position, I have to be sober but I can sell wine to the defense. They will be awesome. They will be feared. We will win the state championship for the next four years.’
“My uncle and Eva were at all our events and were very proud of us. We got good grades and were always on the honor roll. Something was happening to Toto that was uncontrollable. Even I was becoming different,” said Lola.
“Our special section of the house was becoming very popular with the teenagers in town. At first, we would ask our uncle if we could have some friends over. This was the beginning of our decision to follow the family tradition of being professional criminals. We came up with reasons to have a party. Our uncle never said no. They loved us and we were nice kids. We had chores at home and were popular at school. Even the teachers liked us. We were model students,” said Lola.
“With the parties, we needed booze. So my brother would find a bum and give him a few dollars with a list of alcohol to purchase. Toto and his friends would wait in parking lot at the local diner to make the exchange. I started wearing makeup and started keeping myself pretty. The guys loved me but I was not interested. I wanted to wait for the man of my dreams. But Toto was completely opposite. He would have sex with anyone. He would often state, ‘I don’t care if they are blind, crippled, or crazy. A woman is a woman.’ And that is how he lived his life. On the edge of danger,” said Lola.
"Toto decided to start inviting adults to our weekly parties. My uncle and Eva would also come to make sure there was enough food. I loved to play the piano and sing, and Toto was good at playing by ear, singing, and dancing. One of my parents’ best friend, Spook Jackson, would often stop by and play his sax. The Blues was on every Saturday night.
“Eva wanted us to enjoy the house and moved our Saturday night parties into their main ballroom. This was the beginning of opening of a whole different can of worms,” said Lola.
“Did your parents ever try to contact you or your brother?” asked Ted.
“They send birthday and Christmas cards with gifts,” responded Lola.
"Having Saturday night parties turned into a regular thing and the neighborhood became standard guest. Spook Jackson and Slap the Hog, alone with Toto and I were the main entertainers. Spook played the sax and Slap the Hog played the piano. I danced and sang jazz songs. Toto did it all but he loved women and liquor.
"Consuming, buying, and selling liquor was Toto’s main objective in high school. As a member of the team, he played wide receiver and understood that in order to be good in that position, he had to be sober. He also realized that the offensive and defensive line would be fearless with a little help from the bottle. Therefore, before each game, Toto would sell moonshine that he learned to make from people like Spook. Spook was his partner in name only. Spook was well aware of what Toto was capable of doing.
"Toto’s liquor business got so big that he recruited me to work with him. Spook owned several acres of land and that is where Toto set up his stills. The moonshine sales had a special target market. This market was mainly of teenagers and college students.
"The football team’s coach knew what Toto was doing but turned his head as long as the Silver Nights were undefeated. The defense was so good that their opponents looked defeated as they entered the football field. The team practiced hard and played the game even harder. During half-time, the coach and the offensive and defensive linesmen would take a shot of corn liquor. When they entered the field, the score would be so lop-sided in their favor that they would just go through the motions.
Toto’s young years were where he learned to be a professional criminal. Professional because he was smart and understood how to work with people, compassionate, and could figure out how to solve issues and come up with great solutions. His first real test was on the football field. A team from up North wanted to play the Silver Nights because of their reputation. This northern team also had a reputation. They had been undefeated for two seasons and had become nationally known. The news stations had featured them several times on T.V. When asked how they became so good, the coach would reply, ‘Hard work with reliable dedicated players,’" said Lola.
"Toto said to the coach, ‘I want this team to feel welcomed. I would like to have an early afternoon party for them. The menu will be Bar-B-Q ribs and chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad, greens, and baked beans. I will serve punch, soda, and water with homemade peach cobbler. This way, we can get to know this fearless team before we play with them.’
"‘Good,’ said the coach, ‘but no funny stuff in the punch.’
"Without responding, Toto just smiled.
"My uncle and aunt were so happy that they were reaching out to this team of minority players. They felt good about how we were being raised.
“This northern team was made up of a bunch of city slickers. They were just a few steps away from being criminals. Toto had done his research on this team and the coach. He discovered that they came from a part of the city that was infested with gangs. Many of them were former gang members. These kids were ordered by the courts to join a sport or activity in their school while on probation or go into a detention facility. Knowing this information, Toto decided to put his best moonshine in a special punch bowl. The team captain was told about the special bowl and the word spread among his team like a wildfire. It did not matter if the Silver Nights drank this punch because it was like lemonade to them. If they came out to play sober, they would lose all their games. Drunk was the only way they played,” said Lola.
"The teams ate and drank everything. Nothing was left. Everyone had a good time. When the sun was going down, everyone was invited into the ballroom to finish off the party. Toto got on the piano and started playing and I sang the best R&B songs that were popular at that time. The party was on and so was the game.
"Toto said to me, ‘May they eat, drink, and be happy because tomorrow they will be losers!’
"Sure enough, they were losers. Not just losers but shut out. Score was 21 to 0. What an embarrassment! I felt bad for this team and now the Silver Nights were featured on the evening news for shutting this northern team down. That is how Toto plays the criminal game. Study your enemy and then design a winning game plan.
"Toto lay in bed that evening with a big smile on his face. He knew he had out-slicked the city slickers. ‘I am the greatest,’ Toto shouted over and over again. ‘Tomorrow will bring new opportunities and challenges and I am ready for them all!’ said Toto, speaking out loud.
“On Monday morning, I was sick and my aunt suggested that I stay home from school. God must have been on Toto’s side because the school called the house and I answered the phone,” said Lola.
"‘Mrs. Harrison, this is the school nurse; Toto has a small bottle of something that smells like it has liquor in it. He said it is your homemade version of cough syrup. He was caught with it in his history class. If that is true, he needs to give me a note telling me how often and how
much to give him during the day,’ said the nurse.
“Yes, everything he told you was right. I gave him my homemade cough syrup because he did not want to miss school. He has had perfect attendance every year since kindergarten and did not want to mess up his record,” said Lola.
"We were doing great and our liquor sales were growing and getting larger. In fact, a few friends of Toto were hired to help with the making of moonshine. After football season was over, Toto and I had to find other places to sell our liquor. It did not take long. We started attending the Friday night dances at our school and other nearby high schools. We doubled our supply and would sell out before the dance was over.
“Toto was tested once again. He was still a freshman but a wise one. At one of the dances at our school, Maria, who was very popular with Toto and some of the other guys, loved to dance. She was just the right partner for Toto. He was not just a lover but a dancer too. At this dance, he offered Maria some moonshine and she gladly accepted. She was a good-looking girl but no one but her cousin knew she was epileptic. She drank the liquor straight down and within seconds, she started having a seizure. She was yelling, ‘Demo, Demo!’” said Lola.
"‘I am Demo. I am Demo!’ yelled Toto.
“Everyone was scared. Toto got a cold glass of water and threw in Maria’s face. She stopped shaking and all her seizure activity stopped. After that, Toto was known as Demo. The word traveled quickly and that was his new nickname. Demo was a better name than Toto,” said Lola.
"After what happened to Maria, Demo focused his sales at schools and on Saturday nights in the ballroom. Summer had arrived and Demo and I were honor roll students entering into the tenth grade. That summer was unbelievable. Every day was full of excitement. Ladies of all ages loved Demo and men of all ages loved me. Demo engaged in liquor and women but I just loved to look good and be nice but no sex.
"My uncle and aunt felt that something was going on but could not put their fingers on it. Every good thing has to come to an end at some point. The end was near when the cleaning lady, who was a wino, approached Demo for sex. She was about sixty years old but thought she was still a looker. Two years ago, she was hit by a car on the major highway in town and my uncle handled her case. She was drunk when she got hit while crossing the street. She did not get much money. In the accident, she lost her leg. Her name was Maggie.
“My uncle felt sorry for her and invited her to live with them and become the head housekeeper. She not only was the head housekeeper but the head of the house drunks. Demo thought it would be cool to have sex with a one-legged woman,” said Lola.
"Maggie knew no one was home and would not take ‘no’ for an answer. It did not take much for Demo to comply. As they were going at it and unaware that my uncle and aunt had come home and were looking for Demo, after calling and looking, they decided to check into Maggie’s quarters. As they entered her living room, there were Demo and Maggie rolling all over the floor.
“My aunt screamed and fainted. It was a sight to see. Maggie was asked to leave and Demo was under house arrest. This did not stop Demo. His summer was just beginning,” said Lola.
"‘Lola, we will be sixteen in a few weeks and will be able to get our driver’s license. Hopefully Uncle Nick will buy us a car,’ said Demo.
"‘If you watch yourself and keep a low profile, maybe he will. Because of our criminal genes, he wants to make sure we live an honest life. Sorry Uncle, it is too late. We are criminals and loving it,’ I responded.
“My uncle gave us driving lessons because he felt that everyone should know how to drive even if they did not have anything to drive. We needed their license in case of an emergency,” said Lola.
“One hot summer’s early evening, some of our buddies wanted to go roller-skating but no one had any transportation. My uncle and aunt were out of town and were scheduled to return in the morning,” said Lola.
"‘I know, I will use my uncle’s Mercedes and he will never know it. We need some liquor to take with us. I will ask Maggie to go get us some booze from Blank’s liquor store. I will have to buy her a pint of wine. She is an old fool but a good fuck,’ said Demo.
“Nick and Eva were beginning to realize what they were raising and decided to get some professional help. They had planned to take us to a child therapist on Monday morning when they returned home,” said Lola.
"We had a good time at the skating rink. We sat in the car after skating and drank our liquor. Demo was in no shape to drive, so Ken, the driver, offered to drive. He was drunker than Demo, so I was the driver. I was also drunk.
“We were almost home when I passed out. The car ran up on our neighbor’s lawn and landed in her living room. No one was hurt but we were all passed out. The local newspaper came and took pictures. This town had never had anyone’s car end up in someone’s living room. The headlines read, Teenagers, drunk and all underage landed in neighbor’s living room after a night of drinking,” said Lola.
"The cops took us to the hospital to check us out. It was hard to tell who was driving because no one was behind the wheel. The police asked but we could not remember. I was so scared that my pants were soaking wet. Demo was cool. He had a story; he told the truth.
“His truth was that we all stole the car. That was his truth; he stole the car and dragged us along. My uncle was very upset and the first thing on Monday morning was that we were sitting in the therapist’s office,” said Lola.
"The therapist was given a complete history of the Harrison family and after talking to us alone, without my uncle, she said, ‘I will see all of you in four weeks and I will have a report which will outline the problems and a plan to rehabilitate these two teenagers. During summer vacation, they should be in a summer camp, one that builds values such as learning to improve on a sport or learning a sport or learning a foreign language.’
’That night, my uncle wrote out a contract that he read to us and required us to sign. He did not know that Demo and I were alcoholics. He soon found out the hard way," said Lola.
"’This is your contract.
I will keep my room clean.
I will do my own laundry.
I will help with the yard work.
I will attend a summer camp.
I will give up all access to any money or allowances.
I will not have any company or Saturday night parties.
Lola Harris _____________________
Demo Harris ____________________
Date: __________________"
said Uncle Nick.
“Just to be on the safe side, my uncle removed all liquor so that we did not have our Saturday night parties for the neighborhood. Money was never an issue but this caused a serious problem for us. We were alcoholics and loved to smoke cigarettes, and without any money we were doomed,” said Lola.
"Demo got in touch with Spook Jackson and asked him to start up the stills.
"‘I have a few bucks saved for hard times and this is the time to reinvest. We need to start right away. Lola and I will be at a summer camp during the day, but in the evening we will be able to help. I will work on developing clients at the camp. Most of the campers are from our high school and they will be ready for some refreshments,’ said Demo.
“This was a camp for teenagers who were interested in learning a foreign language. We enrolled in two classes, Spanish and French. Demo figured we would be exposed to more kids who would become clients,” said Lola.
"Yes, he was right. Demo was a born salesman along with his other gifts. Not only was he selling to the campers but he was also selling to selected staff. He knew who to sell to. He was back in business and I loved it.
"Our criminal empire started at camp. Johnny, the camp nerd, bumped into Demo. ‘Oh excuse me, you are Demo Harrison. I have seen you at school. You are a cool guy. I have watched you operate. I run a small operation at school but nothing like yours. I deal with black market cigarettes and Cuban cigars. To get to the point, I can be a big asset to you in helping you gr
ow your business into a larger business. You have the looks and the business brains in order for us to move forward. I am not scared of no one or nothing.’
"My uncle in New Orleans has many connections; even law enforcement is on his payroll. He is a leftover from the last big mobster boss who was killed years ago and his wife committed suicide in order to keep from going to jail, and maybe for life. ‘If we join forces, I will take care of any rough stuff. That was my uncle’s job before he became the boss. How about it? Do we have a deal?’ asked Johnny.
"‘Well, just a few questions, did this old boss have a daughter? If so, what was her name?’ responded Demo.
"‘Yes, I believe her name was Zola or something like that,’ said Johnny.
"‘That’s interesting. Okay, we have a deal. After camp, let’s get together at my house. My uncle will love you because you look honest and have the looks of a good citizen,’ said Demo.
"‘That’s what makes me good at what I do. My looks are an asset and do not give me away,’ said Johnny.
“That evening, Johnny came to dinner and my uncle and aunt just loved him. All three of us were ‘A’ students. We were all the bright lights of the school. Success was our final destination in life. Little did they know that being a great criminal was our final destination,” said Lola.
“Lola, you do remember that I am not the lead lawyer on your case, only the assistant. Based on what you have told me, this case is more than about you. It is about a long line of criminals from way back. Your case is going to solve many unsolved cases. The FBI will have to come in at some point. We will ask for total immunity for you and any family members that are still alive. How does that sound?” asked Ted.
“That sounds good, but with what I have told you so far, how are my chances of getting off?” asked Lola.
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