It's been seven years, I'm a free man.I got out as Ron went to pick me up.He looks flashier as he's sporting a blue suit and a pink tie, accompanied by some black Dress shoes.He's got a Ronald Reagan esc type of haircut and is wearing some Versace shades.
"You look stupid …" I say as I enter the car.He got in the car and we headed back to the neighborhood.Believe it or not, I was the last one to get out.Danny got released five years earlier and James got out three years earlier.I always got letters on his business is doing great and those upstate cunts let us be.I hate that, it makes them look like they have all the power.Well anyways, they have a new big business in selling products, they've gotten into everyday items they stole.
"Good to be free huh ?" Said Ron as I give him a dirty look and reply
"Yea, I mean a free man can never be ungrateful you know …"
Ron nods as he drives, I notice his flashy look more as I didn't notice his gold rings and gold bracelet and watch.I guess we loved the poor man's wealth before, now I see they've upgraded in a new lifestyle.
"Here …." He says as he passes me a briefcase that was in the backseat.I open it to see clothing and jewelry, along with a stack of cash.
"The hells this ?" I ask as he says
"You can call it my getting out gift …."
We get to our old neighborhood to see it totally new.I don't know how but it looks worse to me.
We drive by some children riding bikes and kids playing basketball in the streets, yes a whole portable rim outside.They move quickly as we get to the apartments.Ron parks as we exit, the apartments got a new color.It went from its stone blue to an Ivory white color.The gate to the apartment went from black to a vermilion red color.The grassy patches got fixed up and has a flowers growing, it feels like I'm on acid just looking at the place.We walk into Ellie's home that had completely changed.The walls went from beige to a pink flamingo color, the living room got totally changed.Red leather chairs, a nice red leather couch.The tv is mounted to the wall, huge Motherfucker.The kitchen has a flooring with black marble and the refrigerator blue.Whoever made this home has the mind of a child.I feel nauseous just being in here but I guess they call this taste.I walk by the hallways and see a painting of Marvin, very well made.I see the bathroom is occupied, it's Ellie's dad.
I go into Ellie's room to see the Three again.
"There he is, the old bastard !" He said as it's somewhat true.I'm 26 now, the rest of em are barely turning 25 or already are.I start to look at them and see a similar style of suits and dress shoes with jewelry around them, just like Ron.
"Christ what are you wearing Dalton, did Ron not give you the clothes we gave him ?" He ask as Ron says
"I did, it's in his briefcase right there…" he says as Danny adds on
"Go change in the guest room over there." He walks me to a room next to the bathroom as I enter and closes the door for me.I look around the room as it's flooring was wood, the walls were wine red.There's a window with blinds as next to it hanged a a framed picture of The U.S raising its flag on Iwo Jima.I looked at this mirror hanging on the wall as I looked at myself.I feel sick as I can't even feel my reflection encourage me.I quickly get changed as I'm wearing a salmon pink suit with a blush pink tie.I got given these retro striped socks and brown dress shoes.I put on a Cartier Watch and a gold ring, feels odd.We didn't live like this before, we lived luxury through respect and foods.Now it's just clothing and cars and houses.I walked out and walked back into the room as they look at me in awe.
"Look at you, a new man …" says Ellie as Danny adds on
"God has graced us good …."
We ended up going to a warehouse that is owned by Ron's uncle.We enter to see a stocks full of chocolates, cigarettes, cigars, liquor and more.It's all organized and filed properly through these guys Ellie hired to take care of it all.It's legitimate but the thing is.They didn't pay for these items, once a month they'd have them stolen and even the truck drivers got a PSA to look out for their surroundings because of it.
We walk into a room with a table as all five of us sit, I can still hear in the background is a little radio as "Bo Diddley " was playing.I look around as I see two guys around the room.One is to get us drinks and such and the other keeps us secured of any danger.
"Aye Get us all a glass of whiskey…." He says to the man behind this little bar he had setup.
"I'm in it Sir …." He replied as Danny says
"Listen Dalton, since you've been gone we've been getting up in this little business we've made.The 19 club that Marvin, god bless his soul, started for us is still kicking.These other little crews understand now, if you want something done or need someone dead.You ask us, imagine that power, you need permission to kill someone from us.We're big time now, those gangster movies we've watched and those fantasies, it's real now ." He says as they all laugh.The man gets to us with drinks all around as Ellie slips him a hundred dollars.
"Thanks kid…." He says as the man thanks him.
They all drink as me and Danny don't, Ellie starts to pull out a briefcase as he says
"Now our only problem is a little top guy, higher than us that has a problem, he had a problem with us not giving him a cut…." He says as they all listen.
" I got confused and said the hell I need to give you money for, we made it on our own, I don't recall you were along with having us all killed …" he says as he continues on.
"Well he says it's the principle to this whole thing, I got mad and said "principle, you can kiss my ass with your principle " and ever since he's held a grudge, to be truthful with you Dalton he wants us dead if we don't cough up Thirty thousands a month….he's trying to Pimp us …." He says as Danny looks angry and James looks furious, Ron looks clueless.
"Well now me and that guy have been at war over this, look I could pay him the money if I wanted I just don't see why I should, hell he almost got James killed outside his own home, pity they missed because Danny boy tortured the fuckers who did it into confessing why they did…."
He said all this as Danny adds on
"Yea so that's why we setup, this Friday, we get him done for good…." He says as James gives a talk
"Look Dalton, we grew up in that neighborhood, it was like a jungle and we changed it all.And it basically feels like this motherfucker wants our little legacy to die out, we've spent too long to change it."
Through all this I was just at shock at all this information.I couldn't relax myself, I had to step out.
"I'll be back ….I just gotta take a breather …" he says as they all understandably nod their heads.I look around the warehouse as the workers work their system.I just couldn't feel this was real, we lived like Robin Hood crooks before, now we're living like Bill gates took a shit on our wealth.
They always lived the fantasies of those gangsters in movies and they got to feel it now.They probably feel comfortable with this life but my god it's too much pressure.I just felt I'd be robbing places and eating steaks to celebrate.Now it's million dollars deals and killing off those who don't fall in line and building an empire.I walked back inside as they've all gotten up and we're getting ready to exit.
"Where y'all going ?" I ask as they walk by me.
"Don't worry about it, you just go home and relax alright, we'll see you later tonight….here take my car …." Says Ron as he passes me his keys.They all leave as I walk out slowly.
I'm at the apartments as I walk around the neighborhood.I look around as I'm about to turn a corner, I see clowder of cats.All sorts of em as they're all chasing on down the street.I looked for a second but ignored it.I got back into the same route that Billy got embarrassed when he walked in.It feels like poetry with all this symbolism attacking me.
I walk back around and get to the apartments as I see Ron standing outside, next to the gates.
"Ron you alright ?" I ask as Ron says happily
"All our problems are gone …"
We walk inside as I see Ellie and Danny in the living room watching tv.
"Aye Dalton you been alright ?" asked Ellie as Danny passes me a shot of Hennessy.
"I'm Alright thanks …" I say as I confront Ellie.
"The fucks going, where'd y'all head up too and why did Ron say we all our problems are gone ?" I ask furiously as Ellie gets up and says calmly.
"Well just know our little situation is taken care of …and think about this, Casinos …" he says as he expresses more with hand gestures.
"Casinos ?" I ask as He replies
"By November we should be into the casino way down in Vegas, we got a contract with a guy who's building up a resort, we'll have Ron here run the place, some under the rug type of deals…" he says as Ron smiles in enjoyment and they all celebrate with shots.
We celebrated more by going to a burger spot near the neighborhood.We got our food and we sat on an outside table.As cars passed by, we four were finally in more casual clothing for a burger place.Ellie nearly convinced us to go in suits but it's too hot for all that.We ate and reminisced,
"Na I'm telling you, back in 10th grade, Ricky was that guy, nobody would mess with him…."
Said Danny happily as we laughed.
"He's fight you just out of boredom, you remember him and that kid went at it in the school bathrooms ?" He asked me as I confirmed it.
"Motherfucker left the kid looking like a panda with the black eyes he had…." Said Danny as they laughed and ate.
"He'll I remember with your dumbass trying to steal who was it, Mr.Lennox Car…." He said to James as they laughed harder.
"The hell you talking about ?" Asked Ron as James took over the story.
"Well in 11th grade, this hard ass teacher kept picking on me and Marvin in class, so he thought of the idea of taking his crash and messing it up…." He said as they laughed more and he continued.
"Well he distracted Lennox by starting a fight with a student, it got the whole classes attention and Lennox goes rushing in like "knock it off you !" So went behind his desk and snatched the car keys…."
He said as They continue eating while listening and laughing.
"Well we ditched 6th period and jump the fence, went to where he parked and started driving it, it was if I remember, a 85' Benz.Yea so we drove around the school area until school ended and we see Lennox coming out angered as we parked his car and ran….."
This intrigued them all as Ron asked
"What happened after ?" To which James replied
"Next day, he made us write an essay on why it was dumb and read it to the class every Friday for the rest of the semester…."
"Jesus, seems like you got off light ?" I asked as he said
"Yea….hell we were all trouble makers back in those days, Christ I miss it you know…" said James as well all looked into the distance in nostalgia.
We've all about finished up eating as I said
"Alright I'm done here, y'all ready to go ?"
Ellie got up and called his driver as he said
"Yea, I'll call this slow fuck to come pick us up …" he said as we all got up and Ron was nice enough to throw away the trash into the trash can.We stood around for a minute as we still reminisced.
"You remember banana man ?" He asked as we all laughed expect Ron.
"The yells banana man ?" He asked as I took this one.
"A friend of ours, he dressed in a banana costume and during a school football game, big game too…..during the half time, he ran on to the field and ran around with an American flag and security was chasing him but he dodged em out…." He says as Ron's intrigued and asked
"Did they get em ?" To which I continued,
"Well he ran up to the 50 yard and placed the American flag down, he ran it towards where he entered as security chased but thankfully he jumped that fence fast enough to escape them…..even better, our home team beat them…." I say laughingly as Danny adds on with a smile
"Yep we won that one …."
Finally the car arrived and we entered as the driver starts to take us to the apartments.
"You know I wonder what happened to that guy…" says Danny as we all think curiously about him.