A Hood Legend

by Victor L. Martin

  Menage put a towel over his head to ease the beaming sun. “Felix, I came a long way, from shit to sugar. When I was growing up in Liberty City I had nothing, but I don’t fault my mama because she did what she could for me and made sure I never went to bed hungry. Now that she’s happy, I’m happy. I didn’t have to take this path, but I did, so now I gotta live with it, you know? All this shit is bullshit man, really.”

  “Let’s not get into all of that right now,” Felix said pulling out his cell phone. “Hot out here, ain’t it?”

  “Yeah,” Menage said scratching Vapor’s ears. Felix’s call was short. Moments later two small boats appeared in the water.

  “What’s going on?” Menage said. “Send Vapor back to the mansion.” Felix was silent. Menage thought the boats were headed toward the yacht but they were slowly coming their way. “Hey, where those boats goin’?”

  “Mine is going back to Miami.”

  “And what about the other one?” Felix slyly looked at Menage. “What? How ... who shit is that? No ... Felix, I don’t have a boat ...”

  “It’s yours, son—a gift for new fatherhood.”

  The look of shock was on Menage’s face. “Say word?” he said as the boats slowed down. The Skater 46 was forty-five feet and seven inches long with a twelve-foot beam. The speedboat seated five high-backed yellow bucket seats. It could accelerate up to 170 miles per hour depending on water conditions, fuel and load. The only two custom modifications were the small cabin located on the lower deck and a solid gold throttle. The interior of the boat was painted money green and Menage’s Way was prominently written on the stern.

  “How fast can it go,” Menage said after they stepped off Felix’s boat and onto Menage’s new one. Felix’s boat was now heading back toward Miami.

  “Only one way to find out,” Felix said as he strapped himself into the passenger’s seat. Menage looked at the helm controls. Everything was digital. Taking a seat at the helm, he ran his right hand over the solid gold throttle. It was unbelievable, and it was his. Grinning like a five-year-old on December twenty-fifth, he began to strap himself into his seat.

  “Just push the red button on the right. It’s the quick-start,” Felix said.

  “Do we need to wear the helmets?”

  “No, but I don’t want you to open her up fully—not with me on it anyway.”

  “Chicken,” Menage said taunting him.

  “Yeah, you say that now. Push the damn button. Let’s test her out,” Felix said. Menage pushed the quick-start and the two thirteen hundred horsepower engines came alive. The whine from the engines sent Menage back to the time when he was a Marine, because the sound he now heard was similar to that of an AV-8B Harrier taking off.

  “Felix, what the hell’s pushin’ this thing?” Menage said as he waited a few seconds for the engine to warm up. He sat back and relaxed as he grabbed the wheel with his left hand and gripped the throttle with his right. He looked forward and waited patiently as Felix pulled the straps tighter across his chest. He didn’t quite yet trust Menage’s boating skills. Menage slammed the throttle forward. For a second nothing happened. Then all of a sudden, the boat shot forward and quickly ripped through the waters like a knife. Menage eased off the throttle and glanced at the speed, as the boat felt as if it was floating on a cloud. The speed was 67.1 knots. He slowly pushed the throttle forward again, increasing the speed to 75.1 knots, then to 95.3 knots ... and 107.4 knots as he kept the boat on a straight course. Felix was now wearing a helmet and told Menage to do the same. Menage quickly did as he was told, as the boat seemed to be gliding on air.

  “Can it go any faster?” he yelled, his voice filled with pure excitement.

  “Yeah, but—” Felix’s words were cut off when Menage made a sharp turn, now moving at a speed of close to 156.5 knots. Menage noticed that the throttle still wasn’t wide open and he didn’t know the boat’s top speed, but the current velocity was incredible.

  “I can’t believe this!” he yelled. They tore through the waters, racing to the unknown. Menage felt so free and the boat was under his full command. He decreased the speed and maneuvered the boat into a figure eight shape before coming to a full stop.

  “This is the life ain’t it, kid?” Felix said wanting to light up a Cuban cigar. The boat rocked softly with the moving sea as they dropped the small anchor.

  “Yeah, this bitch is a fuckin’ beast,” Menage said slumped back in his seat with a towel over his head.

  “So how you feel about getting married?”

  “Change the subject,” Menage said. He loved Chandra and meant what he’d said about making her his wife, but he looked down into the water to see if he could spot any fish—anything to get his mind off marriage. “Hot as fuck out here,” he said wiping his face.

  “Yeah, so what do you plan to do with your ... uh ... stable of women? And what happened to that older lady who had that stretch BMW?”

  Menage sat up and took the towel off his head and smiled. “Oh, yeah, man, that chick was crazy. I mean, she was so stuck up just because she was rich—paid out the ass, trips to France, all that bullshit, you know. Anyway, like I told you before, I met her at Palm Beach and she had some guy come up and give me a card with her number on it. Come to find out, she never been with a black man. Get this, said she want a thug.” They both laughed. “Anyway, I called and she was like playin’ games. Call me back, or I’m busy, all that bullshit.”

  “How is that? I thought you were the player,” Felix said.

  “Fuck you Felix, but anyway, check it: One day I finally go see her and all she do is jack me off—no sex or nothing ... and for forty-five she had a body—tits and a round, plump ass, gap and everything. But then, a few weeks later, she came to my crib and get this, yo, in a fuckin’ helicopter. That’s my word—landed in my backyard. Anyway, we got high and she wanted me to try that nose candy—no haps though, so shorty gets fucked up, Felix, gone. Man, that night was wild as hell. She even put dope on my dick and sucked it off, but when I got a hold of that ass, I put it to her good ... all ... night ... long.” Felix looked at him and shook his head. “Wait, I ain’t finished. After I sexed her, she started flippin’, talkin’ ’bout she’ll take care of me and move with her to Sweden.

  “So what did you say?”

  “I played like I was wit’ it—I lied.”

  “What!”

  “Damn right I did. I gave her a taste of how she ran me on the first go ’round, but I did have to hit that ass a few more times before I sent her on. She stopped calling about four months ago. I last seen her doing some event on TV in Denver ... it’s messed up, though.”

  “What’s that?” Felix said smoking a cigar. He couldn’t keep himself from smoking around Menage any longer, but he was careful not to blow smoke in his direction.

  “See man, I just wanna do my own thang, do it my way, you know? I don’t fuck wit’ nobody in a major way, but now look ... a motherfucker tried to burn me.”

  Felix put on a straw hat and tossed his cigar in the ocean before pulling out another one. “Human beings are like animals; we must go against each other. You know the old saying: Only the strong survive ... the weak are cast to the side. That’s life, and it’s not only the strong but also those who are smart. What good is a strong fool, huh? Think about that.”

  Menage stood up and put on his shades. “Things have to change, man. I can’t stay on your island forever and I know I can’t spray every chick that I see with a fat ass when I leave. But I feel like a pussy hiding out here. I gots to do something and you know I’m right. Are you feeling me on that?”

  Felix put down his cigar. He knew that what Menage had said was right ... well in a way. He knew enough about life to know that a man always had something to prove. He knew that Menage wouldn’t stay on his island much longer and he also knew there was no way to talk him out of it.

  “You know Chandra won’t go for you going back to Miami. I know you wanna get in the mix of things, but son, you’
ll be a father soon and you need to put that in that thick skull of yours. You gotta see what’s important in life. It’s not sex and money and a Benz on twinkies.”

  Menage let the words sink in and sighed. Chandra would trip if he left the island. He thought that maybe he could sneak off, but he knew that would be too much on her and he had a weak spot for tears. Besides, he didn’t wish to put her though any more pain.

  “Any idea who’s behind this?” Menage said as he sat back down.

  Felix took off his hat and wiped his forehead. “If I knew I’d have him at the bottom of this ocean, but I don’t have a single clue.”

  “I wonder what the police got.”

  Felix smiled. “If they had anything I’d know.” He then told him that his nephew would reach him with the information concerning who was behind the hit. Other than that, all they could do was wait, he had advised. Menage began to smoke his first blunt since he’d been shot. He got so high that he was unable to drive the boat back. Felix called ahead and told Chandra that they were on their way back to the mansion. As he tied Menage’s Way to the pier, Chandra was there waiting with a stern look on her face and Vapor was at her side, barking at the boat. Chandra wasn’t too pleased when she learned that Menage had been smoking weed.

  * * *

  Menage ran down a dark street, unable to lose the thing or whatever it was that was after him. He didn’t look back to see what it was, like the white people in horror flicks, and for some reason they would always fall and stay there. Bullshit! He ran faster, but now he felt hot breath on the back of his neck.

  He screamed and caught himself, abruptly awakening. He’d been dreaming, and Vapor was sitting at the edge of the bed, huffing and puffing in his face.

  “Move, boy,” he said rolling over and feeling slightly dizzy.

  “Doctor’s orders, huh?” Chandra snapped. “I’m shocked at you. You know you don’t need to be smoking, and don’t try to play me by saying it’s for your pain.” She got up, went to the bathroom and came out with a cool, wet rag. She put it on his forehead and sat next to him on the bed. “You okay, boo?” she whispered. He closed his eyes and rested his head on her lap.

  “My head’s killin’ me and I feel like I can eat a cow. Call the help or somethin’.”

  Chandra called Miss Welton and ordered a meal for Menage. He put his arms around her waist and buried his face between her legs, like a whining baby.

  “Oh, please. Don’t try to get on my good side acting like a baby ... all right, big baby, it’s okay.” After Menage ate, they made love again.

  * * *

  DJ smiled to himself as he headed down Northeast 151st Street. Things were looking good. His power move had come through the night before and he was on his way to pick up Lisa. He wore black Timbs, denim Esco pants and a lightweight pullover shirt zipped halfway down, revealing his new red gold piece. It was crafted in the shape of a man and a woman in a 69 position with the woman on top. It was almost nine-thirty, and he called ahead of time and told Lisa he’d be late. His truck drew attention as it slowed at a stoplight with the system knocking. He didn’t know why Dwight wanted to see him, but Tina had called afterward and put him at ease. There was still no word on Menage, but he knew he was still in a coma. Yeah, just like the title of the Wu Tang song blasting, “Bring da Ruckus,” is how he felt.

  Now that he was a major player in the game, Tina might get back on his dick, he thought. The sex was good and so was the head. He laughed at how she was playing Dwight. He put all his trust in that bitch and she ain’t shit, he thought. It wasn’t his fault Dwight was blind as fuck, but pussy always did that to a weak man. DJ knew it was his calling to be on top and he didn’t care about anything else. A nigga gotta live, he felt. When he pulled up in front of Lisa’s apartment, she was outside before he put the SUV in park.

  “What happened to your Lex?” she asked as he backed out slowly. She wanted to see if he would tell the truth or lie.

  “It’s a long story ... what Biggie used to say? Wreck it, buy a new one ...”

  Well, at least he didn’t lie, she thought. “Yeah, if you got it like that. Did you miss me, DJ?” She wondered if he could tell she wore a thong under her tight, Apple Bottom jeans.

  “What do you think?”

  “I don’t know ... you tell me,” she said lightly rubbing his arm.

  “Yes, I missed you. Hey, how was your trip?” DJ listened to her tell him about her trip and then she listened to him tell her about the little meeting they were headed to. She laid her head back and closed her eyes as they cruised down Seventh Avenue. They listened to music without speaking for a few minutes, and DJ turned down the radio and dialed a number on the phone that was mounted on the armrest between them. He used the speakerphone. After the fifth ring, the phone was picked up at the other end. Lisa was now gazing out the window.

  “Hello?” Dwight said through the speakerphone.

  “Yo, Dwight, this is DJ. What’s the deal?”

  “Nothing much, still waiting for Tina to get off work. What’s going on?”

  “I’ll be there in a few. I’m on my way now and I’ma stop and get some wine or something. How about Chardonnay?”

  “Yeah, that’s fine.”

  “Look, I got a special lady friend with me. Is that okay?” He glanced at Lisa and smiled.

  “No problem, she can chat with Tina while we talk. I’m sorry I didn’t suggest it myself. So much is going on.”

  “I bet that’s right,” DJ thought. “Any word on Menage?” he asked. Lisa was all ears now, but she didn’t look his way.

  “Nah, I’ll call Felix later on today, I guess.”

  “Okay,” DJ said smiling. “I’ll see ya when I get there.”

  “All right, peace out.”

  DJ pressed the END button. Lisa sat in silence. She wanted to tell DJ all about Benita and Menage, but she couldn’t find a good reason to do so. So what he knew Menage—big deal.

  “What about my place later tonight?” DJ said reaching over to rub her thigh.

  “Huh?”

  “I said ... what about my place tonight?” DJ repeated, reaching to hold her hand this time.

  “Oh ... I don’t know ... I have to go in early tomorrow,” she smiled and caressed his hand. She had already called in and said she wasn’t coming in tonight, lengthening her vacation, and she didn’t want to push it. As they drove under a streetlight, she noticed him looking at her. Damn, he’s fine. I’m sure we wouldn’t get any sleep, she thought.

  “Come on, we can just chill and talk. It ain’t all about sex,” DJ lied. Once he got her under his roof, he’d run every trick in the book to get between her legs again.

  “Yeah, right!” she said. “But I’ll think about it.”

  DJ knew how to get any woman. Well, at least he thought he did, and he had an idea and a song to help him. It was dark in his truck and the only light came from his radio’s knobs and Navi screen. “Lisa,” he said in a deep sexy voice, “I want you to show me something tonight.”

  She turned in her seat and looked at him. “Show you what?” she asked. He didn’t answer.

  “DJ ...”

  “Shhh,” he said.

  Seconds later a song by Xscape, “Softest Place on Earth,” started playing. Lisa got the picture. The softest place on earth tonight would be between her legs—if she was willing. Lisa closed her eyes as the song eased her mind ... and body. Damn, he got game, she thought.

  * * *

  “Baby, are you ready yet?” Dwight said as he walked into the den.

  “Yeah!” Tina yelled back from the bedroom. She felt a little nervous about DJ coming over, but after she heard he was bringing a date, she felt better. She was glad he was moving on ... well a little. Now if she could just get Dwight to do the things that DJ did to her in bed, then he’d be the total package. Her low cut jeans fit her like a glove—might as well show DJ what he was missing. When DJ arrived with his date, Tina answered the door and he calmly introduced the tw
o women. Lisa walked into the living room and was shocked by the lavish sight. Thick carpet, leather chairs and a huge fish tank flushed into the wall.

  “Dwight’ll be out in a sec, DJ,” Tina said. Before she could turn around, Dwight appeared at her side and the introductions were quick. Tina took the bottle of wine from DJ and carried it to the kitchen. Dwight asked Lisa if she could excuse he and DJ for a moment.

  “Tina’ll keep you company. I promise we won’t be long, and it’s nice to meet you,” Dwight said. He and DJ left the living room and vanished down the hall.

  “Uh ... Lisa, right?” Tina said handing Lisa a glass of Henny.

  “Yes, thank you,” Lisa said taking the glass.

  “So, how are you tonight? And if you don’t mind me asking, how long have you known DJ?”

  What! Nah, she didn’t just ask me that. Who the hell she think she is? Lisa thought. But all she said was, “I’m fine, thank you. DJ and I just met.”

  “Well, the two of y’all look nice together,” Tina said touching Lisa’s knee.

  Ho, please, Lisa thought. She wished DJ would hurry the hell up so they could go. Hell, she might as well stay with DJ tonight. Lisa could tell that Tina thought it was all about her. But why shouldn’t she? She had a good-looking man, nice crib, and a huge diamond bracelet on her wrist—one she kept flinging around to make sure Lisa saw it.

  “I been on my feet all day,” Tina said.

  “You work?” Lisa asked thinking that all she did was sit around drinking wine.

  “Do I!” Tina said sipping her wine. “Girl, I pull eight to ten hours a day ... six days a week most of the time.”

  Lisa was shocked. The woman put in more hours than she did. “Well, I can see it’s paying off,” Lisa said looking around the condo.