Rude Boy USA

by Victoria Bolton

  After some time in Jamaica, Celia called her mother. She had wired home some money, and she wanted to see if it had arrived. Agnes was angry with her. By then several people had already contacted Agnes regarding her daughter’s whereabouts, and she had no answer to give them. This was an irresponsible move by Celia, according to her, and she demanded an explanation for her behavior. “Where are you?” Agnes asked.

  “I’m in Jamaica, Momma. I needed a break,” Celia answered.

  “You’re all the way in Jamaica? You could not tell me this? People are calling here asking for you, and here I am thinking everything is normal and you are at home working. Someone called your father looking for you. He called me back asking where you were. Do you know how embarrassing it was for me to tell him that I didn’t know? It makes me look like a bad parent,” Agnes said.

  “I’m so sorry. A lot is going on. I can’t explain it all right now, but I needed to get away. Please don’t make yourself sick with worry. I’m OK. I’m better than ever, actually,” Celia said.

  “When are you coming home?” Agnes asked.

  “It won’t be for a while. I have some things to figure out,” Celia said.

  “A while? You’re on vacation? How are you paying for this with so much time away from work?” her mother asked.

  “I made good money. I am not with them anymore,” Celia answered.

  “You were fired? Again?” her mother asked.

  “No, I quit this time. Wait, what do you mean ‘fired again’?” Celia said.

  “This is your mother you are talking to. I know more than you think I know. People talk around here. I knew you were in that club with the ears, the skimpy outfits, and the tail. I was disappointed at first, but then I stopped worrying about it. You’re a grown woman. It was an honest living. I was more worried about your safety. There are crazy people out there who go to places like that and prey on the girls. I didn’t want you hurt. No matter how old you get, you’re still my child. I was glad when you changed jobs again,” Agnes said. “What are you going to do now?” she asked.

  “I might stay here. We have relatives here, and they are very nice. I like the atmosphere,” Celia said.

  “I don’t know, little girl. On the news, they are saying that Jamaica and Cuba are allies, and that is not good. Castro is no good. I see the violence. It’s not safe there,” Agnes told her.

  “Mom, there’s violence at home. You live right in the middle of it. As far as socialism is concerned, it is not good according to the news because it doesn’t serve the best interest of America. America can’t make money off of the new system here. It’s not like other places, where their people would be slaves or depressed. Jamaica wants to be an independent country. Their structure doesn’t exclude poor people. No one has to suffer. Look at the Bronx. Look at Harlem. The children there are in bad shape with low-quality education and resources. Do you think the way things are being run there are any better? It favors the wealthy. At least here I will be given the tools to help people. Manley doesn’t want his residents to go without food or proper education. He’s going to change all of that. Back home you can get those things only if you are well off. Jamaica is going to be the model for the future. Once I get my degree, I may teach at one of the new schools they are building. It is going to take some time, and that is why I am here. I want to fight the good fight with them. I feel like a different and better person now. When everything is settled, I will bring you here too,” Celia told her mother.

  “I am fine where I am. I don’t know about this. I feel you are rushing things. Think about it. I hope you are making proper decisions,” Agnes told her.

  “Momma, you worked so hard your whole life. You worked for the church; you worked as a maid. Don’t you want to go to a paradise where you can retire and relax? I am looking for a home, and we can share it,” Celia said.

  “I am OK where I am. I’ve been here my whole life, and this is what I know,” Agnes answered, before quickly changing the subject. “Did you meet any guys yet? You’re aging.”

  “Mom…I met a lot of men here, and I am not rushing,” Celia answered.

  “Good. I’m glad you are finally growing up. You were never good with your decision making when it comes to men. Don’t get into bed with them so soon. Go for the guy who waits for you,” Agnes told her.

  “OK,” Celia answered.

  “Hurry up and return home so these people can stop calling me asking for you. Either that or you tell them yourself. Do you want me to tell them?” Agnes asked.

  “No, Mom! Don’t do it. Rose also knows where I am. Don’t tell them anything. Not even Jerome. Please promise me that you won’t do it?” Celia said.

  “Oh, so you tell your friends where you are before your mother, and you want me to lie to your friends? Fine. I won’t tell them, but I deserve updates. You owe me at least that, young lady. Have some respect,” Agnes told her.

  “OK, Momma, I’m sorry,” Celia answered.

  “Jerome’s baby is coming soon; you know,” Agnes said.

  “A baby, wow. I did not know. I guess he’s doing OK. I am happy for him. He deserves it,” Celia said.

  “Shame. Your other guy friend’s wife died. It was all over the news,” Agnes told her. Celia remained on the line, quiet. “Are you still there?” Agnes asked.

  “Yes, ma’am. What happened?” Celia asked her.

  “I don’t know much, but they found her in a box, and she wasn’t all together. They cut her up and put her in her house that way,” Agnes said. Celia gasped. “The husband looks OK,” Agnes told her. Celia exhaled in relief. “I think you should call them, Celia,” Agnes said.

  “I will soon, Mom when I am ready,” she answered.

  Celia gave her mother all of her contact information in Jamaica and promised to call every other day from now on. After the call had ended, Celia sat back and thought about John. He must have felt some stress when he found Edina. Despite the issues between the two of them, Celia would never want to see anyone hurt in that manner, and she had an urge to contact John to comfort him. She stopped herself. Her feelings were still raw.

  Chapter 11

  Mariana was heavily pregnant and about to give birth at any moment. She had been patient with Jerome and all of the changes he and John had been experiencing in the past year. John had almost become part of the extended family. Jerome felt more comfortable stepping out into the area. John kept members of the Jet family paid as security for all of them. It had been almost a year since he saw Celia, and the lack of word from her had John fearing the worst at times. Mariana would tell him to have faith and that Celia would come back to him one day, at the right moment and not a second before. Her words brought him little solace. John had lost the desire to sleep around, despite the temptation around him. Before, he had used sex as an outlet for his frustration, but he had become tired of the chase. He didn’t remember 90 percent of the women he had bedded. Edina, the cause of his frustration, was no longer a factor, and he had to face his emotions and reality for the first time in years. He found comfort in alcohol. His mind was too occupied, and he wanted to rebuild Chimera. Despite everything that Edina had ruined, he did not want to give up on the group. He wanted to start over again, and Jerome supported the idea. Both felt that Celia should be there with them to make it happen; they did not wish to start until they found out about her fate.

  Jerome wanted some stability and decided that he and Mariana should go on and tie the knot. She was due to give birth at any moment, and he did not want his first child to be born out of wedlock. He and Mariana decided to have a small family ceremony the next weekend with John as the best man. Mariana informed her family of their decision, and they planned a quick wedding at Mariana’s family church in the Bronx. Jerome told his parents, and they were delighted. They had liked Mariana the few times they met her. They felt that she was honest and hardworking, and she obviously truly loved their son. Secretly, they would have preferred that he marry a black woman. Tensions
between some black and Hispanic groups were high, and Jerome’s family had not met anyone from Mariana’s side of the family. They were not sure how things would turn out between families of different cultures.

  Both Mariana’s and Jerome’s families cooked traditional Spanish and Southern dishes. John provided the drinks and cigars for the celebration. Mariana had to borrow a full-figured friend’s white dress. It was the only one she could find that fit her on such a short notice. Her little cousins wore their lacy communion dresses and black patent-leather shoes as her bridesmaids. They bought flowers from the local florist, and the church pastor of Jerome’s family church, who was available on short notice, married them.

  During the ceremony, John performed his duties as best man. His mind kept wandering back to the day that he married Edina and his internal misery. He had not felt the same elation as Jerome did at this moment. There was no one looking at them with disapproving eyes, no one wanting to kill Jerome on his wedding day. Jerome was in charge of his fate, and his new bride had a real baby in her. John thought to himself; this is how a wedding should feel. Jerome had everything now. John was envious of the activities. He wished he had met Bunny before Edina; maybe things would have been different. His mind wandered again, and he imagined that it was he and Bunny up there. She should be here with us, he thought. He became sadder.

  After they had finished their vows, Jerome was permitted to kiss the bride. He kissed her, and it was official. Jerome was a married man. Everyone cheered, and they all proceeded to the reception area of the church, where they celebrated. Some of the guests who recognized John from the news gave their condolences to him for losing his wife. He had to pretend that he was devastated. They all attempted to comfort him by offering him food. He did not turn any of it down, and he enjoyed every bit. He did take note, however, that he wasn’t as svelte as he once was. The stress and drinking were causing his midsection to expand. Mariana would joke with him at times, asking John if he was competing with her. Jerome and Mariana made their honeymoon local. Local meant that John had to go somewhere else for the week while they had the apartment to themselves.

  A few days into their honeymoon, Mariana went into labor. Jerome was nervous and did not know what to do. He called his family and hers. For support, he called John. John did not know why Jerome called him, but Jerome felt there were so many females around that he needed some male support. Jerome would joke to John that he would have uncle duties, like changing diapers, which made John nervous. What on earth would he do with a baby? How would he hold one of those things? Jerome would joke that both of them needed the practice and that maybe one day John could use those skills on one of his own.

  Mariana spent two days in labor. Jerome was not in the room with her for most of the time. Her mother and sisters occupied it. He loved her family, but at times they could be overwhelming. Jerome spent the majority of the time in the waiting room with John for the company. They discussed their futures while eating the finest of cuisine from the vending machines. They would go home when Mariana managed to sleep or if they needed to freshen up. John revealed to Jerome that Edina once told him that she was pregnant, but in his heart, he never believed it. That baby probably belonged to the guy she cheated on to be with him, for all he knew. He thought she was loose when he met her. He told Jerome that Edina kept trying to convince him to have children, but he was against it. John admitted that he longed to be a father but did not want it in that manner. He said he admired Jerome for not settling until he found the woman he wanted. Jerome was flattered, but he felt sorry for John. For the first time in their friendship, Jerome had a full understanding of John’s behavior when it came to his relationship with his ex-wife. Nothing bonded John and Edina. A baby would have made things more toxic, and it would have involved an innocent person. Jerome understood at that moment how blessed he was, and he hoped that raising his new baby as a productive member of society would absolve him for the wrongs that he had done.

  A couple of hours later, it was time for Mariana to deliver. She had a baby boy. The entire family was delighted. Once everyone in the family met Jerome Dexter Jr., he was introduced to John. John looked at the baby and said, “He’s cute, but why does he look like an alien?” Jerome laughed but assured him that the baby did not resemble an alien; he looked like his mother. Jerome told John that he would be one of the baby’s godparents. John did not know how to take the news, but he was honored. Jerome let John hold the baby but had to instruct his friend on how to hold him properly. John found the feeling strange. Afraid that he was going to drop him, he quickly handed the baby back to his father.

  A word about the change in ownership in Chimera spread among some of the clients who had money invested in the company. Many of them were not pleased with the rapid exchange, and they demanded their money back. Since Bernie was no longer alive and Enzo Ambrosino owned what he could get his hands on, the clients went to him directly. To keep some of them quiet, he had to pay them off. This upset the entire Ambrosino family, who felt that the deal was a bust and the losses justified how they had handled Edina. To them, it was just business. They had not known her well enough for it to be personal, although Enzo had not liked her flip mouth. Burning Chimera’s home base had been a way to collect on insurance so that they could pay some of the people.

  Several of the clients needed the funds because the economy took a sharp downturn. The previous year, President Nixon had announced a freeze on all prices and wages in the United States because inflation had skyrocketed. Many of Chimera’s investors worked at factories that were highly dependent on steel and oil. Others were farmers based upstate who sold the bulk of their inventory to city vendors. When production of petroleum and steel slowed due to trouble with Egypt and their rationing of oil exports, and the United States’ support of Israel, companies began laying many of the workers off. The factory where Celia began her work career also closed. The unavailability of steel meant that they could not drill for oil on the mainland. Shortages of all products began to surface because companies could not increase supply. The farmers upstate had been affected by the economic downturn, and they could not nourish some of their livestock when the price of feed rose. They could not afford to fatten the animals. This affected the price of poultry the most, causing it to skyrocket. The situation for them became so dire that they resorted to killing the baby chicks by drowning them.

  These conditions had people reevaluating how they spent their money. Organized crime also took a hit. Many people were not participating in illegal gambling or other leisure activities. Instead, they were saving for gas, which was cheap but hardly available because of shortages. Long lines formed for blocks as many people waited for new shipments of gas at the stations. Debts piled up quickly. More people depended on welfare, and to deal with their dire situations, many of them turned to illegal substances, which were most prominent in the poorest areas of the city, the South Bronx and Harlem. When all the clients finished collecting on initial investments in Chimera, the Ambrosino family ended up losing millions, which added fuel to their fire when it came to seeking revenge on the remainder of the group.

  Ben decided to take a chance and venture back into Manhattan. It was still cold out, so he used that excuse to keep his face and head covered and avoid recognition. A friend of his reached out to him at his old address, and the message made it back to Ben when he sent someone to pick up his mail. The letter said that he wanted to meet up with Ben. The person was his closest friend from Vietnam. Ben contacted him over the phone and talked to him for hours to catch up on some things. His friend told him that the other guys were meeting up and that they could all catch up at the bar with a few drinks. A couple of soldiers from Fire Support Base Aries, who had served with him in Vietnam, made it back safely. Other fellow soldiers he served with did not make it back home, or they were severely injured when they returned.

  Ben sat in front of the television with his friends, watched MASH, and had beers. It was his favorite show
because it reminded him of his time in battle. A special report appeared announcing that President Nixon would address the nation shortly. Nixon announced that Kissinger and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam had reached an internationally supervised ceasefire agreement to end the war. This would begin the restoration of peace in Vietnam, and the agreement would be finalized within the week. Troops would withdraw within sixty days, all prisoners of war would be released, and January 27 would mark the official end of the draft.

  All the men sat there quietly. They could not believe that it was really the end. One of the men turned to Ben and asked, “If they are not done, why are we leaving now? Why did we even go there in the first place?” Ben did not say anything. He did not know if he had to answer this or if it was a rhetorical question. He only responded with a shrug. All of them had struggled with the deployment, and most of them had left with a lingering drug problem hanging over their heads. Some of them hid it better than others, and Ben thought he was one of those men. He was for a while, until he let the drugs be his anchor.

  Everyone in the group was unemployed. Many of the soldiers who returned from the war could not find jobs, and that contributed to the high unemployment numbers. Most of them were either on welfare or living with the help of their family members because they were injured or mentally impaired. Out of that group of friends, only Ben was dealing narcotics as a source of income. He had cash on him but nothing else, just like John and Jerome. Ben proposed a toast to all of their brethren who fought, won, and lost the war. Each one of them picked up a beer or shot glass and gave a celebratory toast.

  Chapter 12

  Jerome decided to visit the South Bronx to pick up some things from Mariana’s grandmother. He had never visited this neighborhood before. He did not want to have the Jet Mafia doing security detail for him. He felt that they would scare her grandmother, because they were big, buff, black, and intimidating. Mariana’s grandmother lived in the middle of gang territory, and the men of Jet Mafia looked like they belonged to an outside group. This made them bait for the gangs in the area. Such a situation could escalate quickly. Jerome also did not want to make residents suspicious of his identity. He sent the two Jet guards off for the afternoon. He would take a car service back to Yonkers. Jerome left the bodyguards at East 170th Street, right at Mariana’s grandmother’s building. When Jerome arrived, he picked up a box of hand-me-down baby clothes. Jerome had plenty of means, but Mariana considered it important to take her family’s offerings, as some of the items were family heirlooms passed on from generation to generation. He did not want Mariana traveling with the baby in this area. He felt that it was not safe.