Tears of a Hustler PT 1

by White, Silk

  “Hold up, before you go let me get that girl’s address who put you on to the pregnant girl.” “Why what’s up,” G-money asked suspiciously. “I’m going to drop her a couple hundred, just to make sure she keeps her mouth shut, you dig? We don’t need no bullshit going on right about now,” Ali said strongly. “Yeah you right about that,” G-money agreed as he scribbled the address down on a piece of paper, then made his exit. “That’s a crazy motherfucker,” Ali chuckled as he stared blankly at the address on the paper.

  Chapter 11

  ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER DOLLAR

  “You ain’t never seen them pies? I’m talking so much white it’ll hurt ya eyes,” Butch hummed Young Jeezy’s words as he sat on the bench listening to one of his runner’s radio. Butch sat on top of the bench scanning the whole hood, when he saw a light scuffle break out. “What the fuck is going on now,” He asked himself, as he got up to investigate the situation. “Yo, what the fuck is going on over here,” Butch yelled out causing his workers to stop beating up on a crack head. “What’s the problem,” he asked. “Yo dis dirty muthafucka owe me fifteen dollars,” the young runner said angrily. “Fifteen dollars,” Butch asked in disbelief. “So you gonna kill the man over fifteen dollars?” “I ain’t gonna kill him, I’m just gonna whip his ass,” the young runner said without a care in the world. “Yo money get up out of here,” Butch said helping the fiend to his feet. “The object of the game is to make money, not chase money away.” “But the mother fuc…” “What’s your name lil' nigga,” Butch asked cutting the young kid off. “Andre,” the young man answered. “Okay Andre listen, if you choose to let the fiend build up a credit for fifteen dollars then that’s on you. If the muthafucka don’t pay you back he’s only hurting himself because now when he’s a little short motherfucker gotta pay the full price. Within a week I bet that fool pays you what he owes you,” Butch said kicking some knowledge to the youngster. “That corner boy bullshit is dead from now on, we going to look at this game like business men,” Butch said repeating something Ali told him not too long ago. “You about your business right?” “All day,” Andre replied placing a Newport between his lips. “Aight, then get back to work and lets get this money,” Butch said smoothly as he headed back over to the bench where he came from.

  Butch’s job was to keep the traffic in the projects, as well as the money coming in at a fast pace. Butch spent one year as a look out, and two more years as a worker to finally become a crew chief. It wasn’t that he was a good worker, but Ali wanted to test his loyalty as well as his hunger. Now three years later Butch was in charge of the whole operation, and still moving up on the ladder. Butch watched the fiends come and go, realizing that he would probably be bone dry in two hours if that. He quickly reached for his blackberry. Ali had supplied everybody on the team with a blackberry, but the phone was not to make calls, it was supposed to be used to get in contact with him or G-money by email only in case of an emergency. Anybody caught using their blackberry for any other reason would have a hell of a price to pay. Everything was about discipline.

  Butch smoothly slid his blackberry out of it’s case as he typed G-money a message. “Yo I’m thirsty, bring me something to drink.” He then placed his blackberry back in it’s case, and waited patiently for his re-up to arrive.

  Chapter 12

  SOME TIMES PAIN TURNS INTO PLEASURE

  “What you mean he said you can’t work there no more,” Coco asked with a nasty attitude. “Yeah that’s what Ali said,” Nancy said heatedly. “Mutha fucka just mad cause I was getting mines.” “I’m going to holla at G-money, next time I see him because this is some bullshit,” Coco said angrily like she was the one who couldn’t work there any more. “Girl I’ll be back in a few hours. I gotta go take care of something real quick,” Coco said as she grabbed her purse, and headed out the door.

  Nancy just sat on the couch searching through the classified ads in the newspaper, hoping to obtain employment as soon as possible. But she knew it wouldn’t be easy with her condition. “Who am I kidding? Nobody is going to hire a bitch who’s six months pregnant,” Nancy said tossing the newspaper across the floor. She couldn’t think of one person who would hire her. On top of that, she wanted to at least have five hundred dollars saved up for the baby. Nancy wanted to kill Dave since it was his fault why she got fired from McDonalds in the first place. Nancy’s cruel thoughts came to an end when she heard somebody banging on her door like the police.

  “Who is it,” she yelled out walking to the door. No answer came back. “I said who is it,” she said as she reached the peephole. Nancy huffed loudly when she noticed who it was. “What do you want,” she asked in a nasty tone. “I just want to talk to you,” Ali yelled from the other side of the door. “We don’t have a mother fucking thing to talk about,” Nancy said snaking her neck as if Ali could see her through the door. “Come, this won’t take long, plus I’m not leaving until you talk to me,” he threatened.

  Ten seconds later Ali heard a series of locks being unlocked. “You got two minutes, so make it quick,” Nancy said peeking her head from behind the door. “May I come in,” Ali asked taking a step further. “Nah you good,” Nancy said stopping Ali in mid-step. “Damn sweetheart I was just coming to bring you a gift for the baby,” Ali said handing the beautiful woman who stood in front of him a thick envelope. “Nah I’m good, I don’t want no hand outs. This ain’t no charity case,” Nancy said as she refused to take the envelope. “This ain’t no hand out sweetheart, this is a gift from my heart,” he said extending his arm once again. “Thank you very much. Is there anything else I can do for you,” she asked her tone dropping a notch. “No sweetheart that will be all,” Ali said politely as he and Mel headed back down the hallway heading towards the elevator.

  Nancy quickly shut the door, and proceeded to open up the envelope. Beasting to see what was inside, she ripped the envelope in four different places. Once she finally got it opened, she found that inside the envelope was a nice size stack of money along with a letter. “I don’t believe it,” Nancy said out loud as she began to count the money. Her final count was three thousand dollars. “Damn that was very nice of him,” Nancy said to herself as she sat down, and read the letter.

  Dear Nancy,

  If you are reading this, that means you have accepted my little gift. First of all let me start off by saying the money is not to try to buy you or your friendship that money is for that little one in your stomach. Me being a black leader and all feel it’s only right to look out for my people because if I don’t who will? But moving along I was wondering if maybe one day we might can go out and grab us something to eat if that’s okay with you. If so give me a call at (917) 555-0000. If you are not interested still give me a call. I’ve only spent twenty minutes with you and from that short time I could tell that you a sweet and special girl. Not to mention it’s plain to see you have a good heart. Well I don’t want to bore you, so I’m going to end this letter.

  P.S. I hope to hear from you soon!!

  When Nancy finished reading the letter, she thought that she was going to melt on the couch. Nobody had ever talked to or spoken about her like that in her entire life. For once in her life she felt special and good inside. “Nah he gotta be running game on me because he’s a drug dealer and I know it’s plenty of women who are with him or dying to be with him,” Nancy said to herself, trying to talk herself out of liking Ali and falling for his game. Nancy didn’t know what kind Ali was playing, but she definitely wasn’t interested. Besides, what would a handsome young man with money want with someone six months pregnant? Her thoughts were quickly interrupted, when she heard her microwave beeping. She rushed over to the microwave, and fetched out her butter popcorn, that she had been craving all day. As Nancy sat on the couch, eating her popcorn, she re-open Ali’s letter and read it over again.

  Chapter 13

  BROTHERS FROM ANOTHER MOTHER

  “Five hundred I make this shot,” G-money challenged dribbling the basketb
all between his legs, in street clothes. “That’s a bet, and you’ve been drinking today,” Skip said snatching a big wad of cash from his pocket. “Nigga must think he Tom Sheppard.” “Aight, let me get a warm up shot first,” G-money said still dribbling the ball. “Nah fuck that warm up shit, just shoot,” Skip said getting all up in G-money’s ear. “Yeah make the shot when the pressure is on nigga, you balling right? Five hundred ain’t shit to you, right?” He taunted as G-money got ready to shoot.

  As G-money was about to take the shot, he noticed a crowd form. Seeing other gamblers make side bets only got G-money even more hyped. “Let’s go three, two, one,” G-money said as he shot the jumper a few feet behind the three point line. The whole crowd erupted in a loud, “OOOOH,” when the shot bounced off the rim. “Nigga must think he Jordan,” Skip said as he broke down into a laughing fit. “Yo son gimme my money.” G-money quickly peeled five hundred dollars off his stack of money and handed it to Skip. “Small thing to a giant. There’s plenty more where that came from.”

  “Come on we like family, I don’t like taking your money like this; its too easy,” Skip boasted as he threw his arm around G-money’s shoulder. “Nigga you only took five hundred from me, you talking like you a million or something,” G-money replied still a little salty that he had missed that shot. “You talking like you wanna run it back,” Skip challenged counting G-money’s five hundred dollars in his face, just to rub it in. “Nah maybe later, we gotta go take care of something real quick,” G-money replied as he deactivated the alarm, and started up the engine to his Benz just by a press of a button on his key chain.

  “When are you going to get you one of these joints,” G-money asked pulling out into traffic. “Not my style B.” Skip said placing a blunt between his lips. “You know I save all my money, you never know what might happen.” “Yeah you know in this business you might get ya head blown off tomorrow”, G-money said half jokingly. “Then all that money is going to go to waste.” “God forbid if I get killed tomorrow, I know my son and his mother will be straight,” Skip said letting out a light cough. “Plus that’s what its all about anyway my little man. I work for him, so when he gets older he ain’t gonna have to work for the white man or no bullshit like that. Why you think white folks are so far ahead of us? Because white people are born with an option, either they can work if they want, or they can not work if they don’t want. You know why? Because their parents done already put in the work so their kids won’t have to, you dig?” “Yeah I can dig it,” G-money said taking in the knowledge his friend was throwing at him. “Yeah well that’s what I do with my money,” Skip said passing the blunt to G-money.

  “Damn nigga why you always wet the shit all up,” G-money complained as he pulled up right in front of the boxing gym. “Why you stop here,” Skip asked curiously. “I gotta go holla at Spanky real quick,” G-money answered quickly as he slid out the driver’s seat and disappeared inside the gym.

  * * * *

  Spanky stood in the middle of the ring in the gym going hard with a sparing partner. For Spanky it was like fighting a girl the way he landed any punch he wanted to his sparring partner’s exposed face and head gear effortlessly. “Okay that’s enough,” Old school Freddie said tired of watching Spanky beat up on the other fighter. Old school Freddie was a boxing expert, and one hell of a trainer. He had been training Spanky since the first day he stepped foot in the gym. Freddie saw fire, and hunger in the young man’s eyes since day one, not to mention Spanky loved to hurt people. When he first started boxing, he never went for the knock out. Instead he would talk shit to his opponent while landing vicious blows. His plan was to try to in flick as much pain as possible. That was until Freddie told him to stop playing around in the ring and go for the kill. He would always tell Spanky, “A ring is no place to play, even if you know you can beat your opponent because one punch can change a fight.”

  “Yo Freddie get ya old ass out the ring before I come in there and knock you the fuck out,” G-money yelled staring down the old man. “You young punk mother fuckers swear ya’ll so tough. Anybody can shoot somebody, but can you fight? Come in this ring and I’ll show you what real tough guys do,” Freddie said opening up the ropes inviting G-money into the ring. “Old man I wouldn’t even brake a sweat,” G-money countered as he gave Spanky a pound.

  “You better stop fucking with Freddie, his hands are still kind of nice,” Spanky said in a matter of fact tone. “I’ll wash that nigga up stupid quick,” G-money said waiving off the old man. “But anyway what’s good? You ready to make this move?” “Yeah, come with me to the locker room real quick,” Spanky said leading G-money towards the back. “I don’t be wanting people all up in my business,” Spanky said once he and G-money were alone in the locker room.

  Spanky quickly unlocked his combination lock and grabbed a book bag from his locker. “Clock work,” he said handing G-money the book bag. “That’s what I’m talking about,” G-money said looking at the neatly stacked money in the book bag. He quickly thumbed through the bills just to make sure everything was straight. “You been doing a good job,” G-money said reaching down in his draws removing a healthy Ziploc bag full of Ecstasy pills.

  “Yo this a double; you think you can handle this,” he asked handing Spanky the Ziploc back. “Yeah Christie should be able to handle this,” Spanky replied as he quickly stuffed the Ziploc bag in the small pocket of his duffle bag. “Ali doesn’t know anything about this right,” G-money asked curiously. “You crazy! It look like I’m trying to get killed,” Spanky said seriously. “Ali don’t want me involved in no kind of street activities.” “Because you got a career and a future; me and Ali ain’t never going to be shit but criminals you understand? I don’t even know why you fucking with these pills for anyway,” G-money told him. “I understand what ya’ll saying, but if Christie got the clientele then I’m going to supply her,” Spanky looked at G-money for a comment. “Supply and demand, Ali taught me that, plus more money is always better. You can never have enough money.” “You right about that,” G-money agreed.

  “So what’s good? You still rolling to the strip club with me tonight,” Spanky asked. “No doubt we in there,” G-money replied rubbing his hands together. “Aight, so I’m about to go shower up, and I guess I’ll meet you there.”

  “Aight bet. I’m a call you when I’m on my way,” G-money said as he gave Spanky a pound, then headed towards the exit. When G-money made it back to the gym area he saw Old school Freddie doing some push ups. “You need to be working out your jaw instead of your arms” G-money said breaking down into a laughing fit. “My jaw is far from glass, young brother,” Freddie challenged. “One of these days I’m a whip your old ass up and down this gym,” G-money said as he made his exit.

  Chapter 14

  IT’S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

  “Yo that nigga, Michael Vick, is about to go to jail son,” Dave said standing on the corner drinking a forty, talking to his friend Maurice. “You crazy. Vick got too much money to go to jail; niggas with money don’t never do no jail time,” Maurice told his friend. “Damn B, I might have to catch a jux (commit a robbery) tonight,” Dave said looking at Maurice. “Why, what’s up?” “Nigga I’m broke,” Dave said patting his pockets. “What happened to that shorty you had? I thought she was holding you down,” Maurice asked looking at his friend for an answer. “Man fuck that bitch. She ain’t shit but a gold digger,” Dave said turning up his forty ounce. “I tell you this though, when I find her I’m a put my foot in her ass.” “Why don’t you just let that girl be?” “What the fuck you mean,” Dave barked. “Bitch keeping me away from my seed, I don’t play that shit.” “Damn, I didn’t know all that was going on, but if I see her I’m a definitely let you know,” Maurice assured his friend.

  Before Dave could say another word, he noticed an all black S.U.V. pull up to the curb. The smoked black tinted window made it impossible to see inside. Immediately Rell hopped out of the S.U.V. and made his way towards the corner with
Debo right on his heels. “Yo Dave what’s good my nigga,” Rell asked giving Dave a pound skipping right past Maurice. “Oh shit Rell, what’s poppin? When you get out,” Dave asked smiling from ear to ear. “I been home for a couple of days now, but fuck all that I came to see if you still about your money,” Rell said looking Dave up and down. “You know I’m about my paper. I just don’t got nothing popping right now,” he said throwing back his forty. “So you telling me you and ya man standing on this corner right now just for fun,” Rell asked sourly. “Basically,” Dave answered shame fully. “My money is kinda funny right now, but you know I’m a bounce back like I always do.”

  “Aight this is the deal, this corner right here,” Rell said pointing to the ground, “this my corner now! But I want you to run it for me. I’m going to get you a hammer, workers, and all that; all you have to do is sit back and make this money.” “Aight bet. That’s what I’m talking about,” Dave said giving Rell a pound followed by a hug. “That’s why I respect you so much, you always looking out for ya boy.” “If I don’t then who will?” “I’m a put this block on the map. You don’t have to worry about shit, just hit me with that product and it’s on,” Dave said convincingly. “Aight, but I’m a tell you from the jump that we can’t afford no fuck ups, you dig,” Rell said as he, Dave, and Debo stepped inside the bodega. “Come on B, fuck ups ain’t even in my vocabulary,” Dave said grabbing another forty from the freezer. “Aight, I’m just letting you know cause if you have any fuck ups you gonna have to report to the big man,” Rell said pointing at Debo. “Nah baby I got this, all I ask is that you let me put my man, Maurice, on so he can hold me down,” Dave asked twisting open the cap on his forty. That’s your call, but we about to do it real big out here, so I hope you ready like you say you are,” Rell told him. “Rell you know I’m always ready to get this money. You know how I get down.” “You might even have to bust that ratchet,” Rell reminded him. “You know my gun game is still serious,” Dave boasted. “Time will tell. I’m a send somebody around here to hit you off tomorrow,” Rell said as he gave Dave a pound, and broke out.