CHAPTER 20

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The next morning

The first thing me and Slim did, was go to the car lot. Not to buy another Benz, oh no. Today I picked up a black Ford Taurus (SHO). It’s a five speed. It’s in mint condition, and it’s superfast. She’ll definitely serve the purpose. As soon as I drove her off the lot, I took her directly to the tint shop. I got the darkest tint I could get.

This car won’t be used for flossing. Tonight I’m going to take her for a nice test drive. She’s perfect; she’s jet black, no one will see her coming. Her windows are so dark that no one can see in, and she’s fast. Just in case shit gets hectic and the police jump on us, we’ll be able to get out of the hole with no problem.

Tonight is Judgement Day for Wu. He will wish he never fucked with me.

After dropping the car off, me and Slim start our day.

“Bang Man, I’m hungrier than a hostage! Can we go over to Mickey Dees to get a bite to eat?”

I make the quick left into the parking lot, only to be greeted by lying ass Latif. “Damn! I’m not in the mood for this bullshit today!” I pull into the space closest to the entrance. Latif dashes over to me. He has on the exact same clothes he had on the last time I saw him. When he gets over to the car, he puts on a big kool-aid smile. He then snatches his skullcap off his head.

“I told you!” he shouts. I smile. He has a haircut. The nappy cornrows are gone. His hair is cut down to a Caesar. “I told you!” he repeats, with a big smile on his face.

“Latif, what up?”

“You, Cash!” he replies.

Slim goes inside the store.

“Cash, what happened to the boots I asked you for? Did you find anything for me?”

“Nah, Latif, I haven’t had the time to look. I’ve been running so hard.”

“Yo Cash, let me hold a few dollars.”

“Come on Latif, damn!”

Slim returns with the food. When I see Slim’s face, I automatically think about what he told me the other day about the blessing account. I then hand Latif a$20 bill.

“Good looking out, Cash! I owe you a million, baby!”

“Shit, if you don’t, you will,” I reply. “All the money you’ve borrowed over the years.”

“Don’t worry; one day when I get back right, I’m going to repay you every penny I owe you,” he claims.

“Yeah right.”

“Nah, I’m for real Cash. You a good nigga. I told you before; I’m here at your disposal. Anything you need, I mean anything!”

My mind begins to run wild. Should I? Na! Fuck it, it’s worth a shot.

“Yo, I might have some work for you,” I whisper.

“What up, what is it?” he asks anxiously.

“We’ll kick it later,” I whisper. I don’t want to tell him what it is just yet. He might run around telling the whole world. “Check, if you’re serious, meet me right here tonight,” I whisper.

“What time?” he asks, with a look of starvation in his eyes.

“Meet me right here as soon as it gets dark.”

“Bet!” he shouts. His eyes light up. “I’ll be right here! Don’t bullshit me, Cash. I need some work.”

“All right then, later La!”

“Later Cash!”

We pull off. I wait for Slim to respond. I don’t want to ask him for his opinion. I hope he offers it. I need to know if using Latif is a good idea.

I wait and wait; Slim doesn’t say a word. I take it that he thinks it’s OK. If he didn’t he sure would have put me in my place.

We’re on our way to make a drop-off to Mike’s nephew. He has a sale for a bird and a half. This young cat keeps me so busy. What would I do without him?