Another Rumble

by Skyy, Rayven

  “It was only twice, Unc.”

  “There you go again, lil’ girl.” I looked at her and back to the road. “Bug, I just don’t want you to get caught out there behind some nothing ass nigga. Yo’ uncle love you girl, you know that?” She didn’t answer me. “Ladybug, you hear me talking to you?”

  “Yes sir,” she said.

  “I would never let anybody take advantage of me.”

  “I hope not, Bug.”

  “Now can I use your phone?” she asked.

  “Not if you calling a nigga.”

  “Unc,” she whined.

  “Where is your cell phone?”

  “I told you my momma took it.”

  “Here,” I passed her the phone.

  Ms. Janis had already made up enough bottles for the baby to last the weekend, so the only things I had to do was to give her a bath, feed her, and she was down for the count. I made sure all the baby monitors where on in each room just in case Ladybug decided she wanted to test every phone in each room to see if they worked. She had been on it since we got to the house. Whoever the nigga is that she’s talking to must really got her nose open.

  After I shit, showered, and shaved I got dressed in the outfit I bought earlier today to wear out tonight. Finally satisfied with the look I was trying to achieve, I walked out of my bedroom to the guestroom down the hall to let Ladybug know I was about to leave.

  “I’m gon’, Bug.” I peeked my head in the room.

  “Hold on for a minute,” she said as she put her hand over the receiver. Come here Unc, let me check you out.”

  “Whatchu’ mean, check me out?” I walked in the room and did my best jail pose. “You know how I do!” I smiled at her and she started laughing.

  “Swaggerific all day long.”

  “A’ight Unc, I see you.” She nodded her head in approval. “But you better not bring no clucks back home with you tonight, or I’mma’ tell my Aunt Sabrina,” she started laughing.

  “Go ‘head on, Bug,” I laughed too. “I’m gon’, baby.”

  “Have a good time.”

  I locked the top lock behind me, then unlocked it and went back in when I realized I forgot to turn the alarm on. After I set it, I was out the door.

  Pork n’ Beans

  Every now and then I take a field trip out to the Pork n’ Beans Project where I grew up, and when I’m in the mood for a good dice game I go mingle with the common folks. You better not step foot inside of the Bean like any other hood unless you have lived out there or you know somebody because niggas will ask you who you are, and even if you used to live out the Bean the welcome mat may not always be laid out for you. I never have any problems of course. Niggas know when I come through they had better step aside.

  “Gremmmmlin…” Smurf got up off his knees and walked towards me. It never failed. Every time I saw Smurf that nigga dressed in blue from head to toe.

  “I see y’all got a game going.” I said as we walked back over to the game.

  “You know it, and it’s a hot game too,” he said and then squatted back down. I just stood there for a minute to peep the scene.

  The nigga who was about to roll the dice didn’t look familiar to me. You never can be too careful.

  “Man stop walking back and forth like you at a bowling alley and throw the damn dice,” Smurf told him. “You holding up the game nigga!”

  “Mothafucka’ I ain’t say shit when you stopped the game to go meet yo’ girlfriend over there halfway,” he said as he nodded his head toward me.

  I turned around to see who he was talking to. Ain‘t nobody behind me. I turned back around.

  “Here we go,” he said as he blew on the dice and then tossed them. “Uuuuhhh…,” he plucked his finger, “one… two… three, give me my guap mothafuckas’. He reached down and picked up his money. “I’mma take all y’all money tonight. Fuck boy?”

  I turned to see if anybody had walked up behind me since the last time I checked and there was still wasn’t anyone standing behind me. A few niggas picked their beers off the ground and walked away. Even Smurf got up off the ground. They already knew what time it was.

  “I was talking to you,” he shook the dice, “come on and get in this game so I can take yo’ money too.” He tapped the dice on the Jesus piece that was dangling from his necklace, kissed the dice, and threw them on the ground. “Look at them sexy ass triple three’s… oooccchhhh baby.” When he bent down again to pick up his money, I walked up to him and shot him in the back of his head.

  “Who the fuck you think you talkin’ to

  nigga? Shit talkin’ mothafucka!” I kicked his limp body then turned around and looked at Smurf. “Y’all throw this nigga behind one of these houses so we can shoot.”

  It’s time for the Percolator!

  “Do I look alright, Nicole?” I lied to Angelle for the third time tonight and told her she looked fine. My great-grandma wouldn’t even wear that ugly-ass, brown and beige, wool, turtleneck sweater dress that she had on. Its cold outside, but not that damn cold.

  “Stop lying to that girl, Nicole,” Janea said. “Angelle, you need to be shot with shit and sued for stinking for wearing that dress.”

  I almost choked trying to keep from laughing at Janea. I looked over at Angelle out of the corner of my eye and she was heated.

  “That was mean, Janea!” Angelle hollered out to Janea as we walked towards the club’s entrance.

  “A hit dog will holler won’t they? Angelle, bring yo’ ass on here,” Janea said.

  After showing our ID and being frisked by security, we made our way inside the club. Janea insisted on us coming early since this was the grand opening night, and it was a good thing we listened to her because it was already somewhat packed. Janea waved her hand in the air and motioned for us to follow her. Angelle and I followed her up two sets of stairs to the third floor of the club. I could now see why it was called Club Mansion. It was huge. Janea found an empty table with booth seats, and Angelle wasted no time sitting down.

  “Ain’t no need of you trying to hide that dress now,” Janea said and then sat down next to Angelle. I couldn’t hold it this time. I burst out laughing.

  “Janea,” I said still laughing, “stop.”

  “Janea, what?” She looked over at Angelle. “Girl, you know I’m just playing with you.” Janea elbowed Angelle on her arm.

  “Is Lea coming, Janea?” I asked her.

  “She said she was, but I’ll believe it when I see it. I’mma’ have me a good time regardless.”

  We had only been in the club for ten minutes and just that fast it was officially packed. Twenty minutes later it was at capacity. Janea bought the first round of drinks and by the time it was my turn to buy the next round Janea was drunker than fish and dancing at our table, but she eventually made her way out to the dance floor.

  “Oh, my goodness,” Angelle said putting her head down and shook her head.

  “What’s wrong?” I looked at Angelle.

  “Girl, this is Janea’s song, and I know she is somewhere in this club getting ready to cut the fuck up. And she drunk, too! Nicole, go find Janea,” she laughed

  “Are you serious?” I was laughing now, too. “You really want me to go look for her?”

  “Yes,” she continued to laugh.

  “You want something from the bar,” I asked and got up from the table.

  “No thank you,” Angelle shook her head after stating. “I know my limit.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  I tried my best to walk through the crowd, but for some reason everybody seemed to be at a standstill and the people on the dance floor where chanting, “It’s time for the percolator.” The line finally started to slowly inch along, and as I got closer to the bar I could see why. Janea and some guy wearing orange high heeled pumps were in the middle of the crowd that had formed around them percolating their asses off like they were in competition with each other. I see what Angelle was talking about. This is definitely Jane
a’s song by the way she was dancing to it.

  I managed to finally make my way to the bar and ordered myself a drink. I could no longer see Janea from where I was standing, but I did spot another familiar face in the crowd. Sabrina.

  Club Mansion!

  I wasn’t ready when Juju came to my house to pick me up, so I told him to go ahead and I would meet him at Club Mansion. I saw his car when I pulled into the parking lot so I called his cell phone for him to come out and meet me, but all I got was his voicemail. When I couldn’t find him on the first floor of the club I made my way up the stairs to the second floor.

  “Sabrina?” I turned around and Juju was walking through the crowd towards me. I closed my eyes and then laughed to myself after I saw the orange shoes he was wearing.

  “Come on, let’s go get a drink.” Juju grab-bed my wrist and I followed him through the crowd and downstairs to the first floor. I just happened to look up and saw Milk in the crowd. Now I was the one pulling Juju by his wrist.

  “Milk is in here,” I said in his ear.

  “Where?” Juju put his hand over his mouth and started looking around the club.

  “Don’t look,” I said, jerking his wrist. “Over there,” I nodded with my head.

  “Bitch, come on. Fuck Milk,” Juju said rolling his eyes. “We’re going to get a drink.” I lost sight of Milk in the crowd for a second, but when I spotted him again I could see him talking to a girl. Her back was towards me.

  “I’ll be right back,” I hollered in Juju’s ear and let go of his wrist.

  “Bitch, where is you going?” I ignored Juju and kept walking. When I saw Milk lean down and get close to her ear, I started walking faster. I saw Maine when he tapped Milk on his shoulder. Milk turned around and looked at him. I could still hear Juju calling my name, but I kept walking. Maine pointed in my direction, and Milk started to look around. “Sabrina, don’t go over there,” Juju yelled, and grabbed me by my arm.

  I realized the girl Milk was talking too was that bitch from the hospital, Nicole. Milk leaned down to her ear again, put his arm around her, and then looked over at me. The anger I was feeling turned into hurt, and when Milk walked off with his arm still around Nicole I turned around to Juju and told him I was leaving.

  “Fuck him and that jealous bitch!” Juju yelled. “Let’s go get a drink, Sabrina.”

  “No!” I shook my head. “I’m going home.”

  Outwit, Outlast, Outplay!

  You ever watched that TV show Survivor? That’s my shit right there. I got hooked on it when I was in prison, and I looked forward to watching it each week. I even said one time that I was going to try and get on the show. I love to watch people sell their souls for a million dollars.

  With all my years of experience being a hustler, I would be the perfect contestant. To me, the hustling game has the same basic elements as the game Survivor. You have to be able to outwit, outlast, and outplay. And just when the players think they have it all figured out they get blindsided, just like I did.

  The dope I just paid 100k for wasn’t dope. It was powdered milk. Life can be funny sometimes just as long as it’s not laughing at you, and I know Milk is somewhere right now laughing his ass off but we gone see who has the last laugh.

  Trouble In The City!

  When waging war you need to conceal your disposition. Everything must remain a secret which leads to victory. Show your disposition and you will be defeated. No, that’s not mine. Sun Tzu, The Art of War. Kirk gave that book to me years ago and believe it or not, I actually read it. For those of you who don’t know what that meant, let me break it down for you like you’re two. Never let the right hand know what the left hand is doing.

  That should have been my rule of thumb when I was in prison. Running your mouth can get you fucked up, but you live and you learn. Come on now. Did you really think that ugly mothafucka’ was gone get away with that shit? Sorry to have left you in the dark, but right about now I don’t trust no got damn body. Not even you.

  I pay attention to everything. Now I am not going to go into details on how I was able to make one plus one equal two. Let me just say a light bulb was turned on for me the night I ran into Buku. It made no sense for me to venture down into foreign territory to get at the nigga. I decided to lure him back up here to Virginia where I would have home court advantage, and when he does Its gone be some trouble in the city.

  Life Is Good!

  I could have started some shit with Sabrina that night at Club Mansion, but I did not have to. Milk made sure Sabrina new what time it was, and besides, men don’t like to see their lady acting a fool because it makes him look as if he doesn’t have any control over his woman.

  I signed my lease to my new house yesterday, and I will be moving in this weekend. It’s nice, too. It has three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a family room, a living room, an eat in kitchen, and a two car garage. Milk really out did himself this time. So, now I can check a new car off my list as well as the house. Milk is also buying me a hair salon of my own, which will have its grand opening in a few weeks. Now that I am a woman of leisure I spend most of my days shopping and pampering myself. Life is good.

  911!

  “There’s a parking space right there, Sabrina.”

  “I’m not parking by all them cars.” I drove over to the empty row of parking spaces.

  “Ewww… y’all folks with these expensive ass cars kills me. Pull around then and drop me off at the door. These shoes wasn’t made for walking.”

  “Lord, you’re so dramatic.” I laughed at Juju.

  The nail shop was closing soon and there was not a lot of people in there.

  “May I help you?” A Korean woman asked.

  “We want to get a manicure and pedicure,” I said. “Is it too late?” The woman started to speak in another language.

  “They get on my nerves when they do that shit,” Juju whispered to me. “Talking in their language. They in America now and they asses need to speak English.”

  “Be quiet Juju,” I whispered back.

  “Just you get nails done?” the woman asked.

  “No, both of us.” I pointed at Juju.

  “Okay. Pick out color,” she smiled. The woman started speaking in another language again.

  “I hope you’re not talking about me,” Juju said. “I got pretty feet, boo.” I started laughing again.

  “Juju, shut up.” I hit him on his arm.

  “They do for you,” the woman pointed at the ladies who had just come from out the backroom.

  Juju and I went over to the counter to pick out a nail polish. Once I decided on the color I wanted I went over and sat down in one of the spa chairs.

  “You like hot?” I slipped off my flip flops and then dipped my foot into the water.

  “Yeah, that’s fine,” I smiled at her and then put my other foot in the water. I reached over, picked up the remote, and adjusted the settings on the chair. I just happened to look to my right and saw Nicole at a table drying her nails.

  “You like this color, Sabrina?” Juju sat down in the chair next to me.

  “Yeah, it’s nice.” Juju turned around to see what I was looking at.

  “Ain‘t that the bitch from the club?”

  “Umm… hmm.” I rolled my eyes. Juju took of his heels, rolled his pants up, and then put his feet inside of the water.

  “Sabrina, you know there is one thing I cannot stand,” he raised his voice.

  “What,” I asked.

  “I can’t stand a jealous bitch!” He looked at Nicole. “Jealous bitches get on my nerves.” I started laughing. “You know what I’m saying?” I shook my head yes.

  “Sure do.”

  “They always trying to be like you, look like you, and act like you. Do you know any jealous bitches like that?” I shook my head again.

  “I sure do.”

  Nicole never turned around to acknowledge either one of us. Her cell phone was sitting on top of the table and I saw it when it lit up. She too
k one hand from under the nail dryer and picked up her phone. “Hang on a second baby, let me put you on speaker phone.” She put her phone back down on the table and leaned over it. “Baby, can you hear me?” she asked then put her hand back under the dryer.

  “Yeah. Where you at?”

  When I heard Milk’s voice my insides started to burn.

  “Spending some of the money you gave me this morning,” Nicole answered.

  “You cooking tonight?” Milk asked.

  “Don’t I cook every night?”

  “A’ight. I be through there later on tonight. Have something sexy on for me,” Milk said.

  “Alright, babe. I’ll see you later.”

  “Bitch boo!” Juju said.

  Nicole turned off the dryer and then stood up and put her purse on her shoulder.

  “Who is the jealous bitch now?” She smiled at Juju. I got up out the chair so fast I splashed water all over the girl who was doing my pedicure.

  “Uuhh… ah, Sabrina.” Juju got up out his chair and splashed just as much water on the floor as I did. “Fuck that jealous bitch.” He grabbed my arm.

  Nicole took her car keys out of her purse. It was dark outside now and I saw the lights flash on a gold BMW. She never turned back around to say anything else to me until she was almost out of the door.

  “You have a beautiful daughter, Sabrina.” She smiled again. Juju tightened the grip he had on my arms.

  “Bitch leave while you still can before I let my cousin whip yo’ ass.”

  “You ain’t got to hold her back. Let her go,” Nicole said. The Korean woman started speaking in another language again. I didn’t understand what she was saying, but I knew what 911 meant. “You don’t have to call the police Miss. How you say it, Sabrina?” she taunted me. “Nicole was just leaving.”