The Candy Shop (18 page)

“My girlfriend, Teresa.”

“Where she at?”

“Right there,” I replied, pointing in the direction where Teresa was standing.

“Oh, she’s trying to score from K-Rock?”

“I don’t know what she’s trying to do. All I know is that she asked me to bring her out here because he owed her a favor.”

“Yeah, a’ight! Whatever!” he commented as if he didn’t believe one word I just said. “So, what’s up?” he continued.

“Whatcha mean?” I asked.

And before I knew it, he stuck his head through my car window and tried to kiss my neck. So, I jerked my head a little and asked him why he was trying to kiss me.

“Because I’m trying to be wit’ you. But, you’re playing games,” he replied as he pulled his head back out of the window.

“But, why?” I asked, hoping to get a logical explanation.

“Come on now, look at you!” he began to say, “You’re cute as hell. You got a banging-ass body. And I can tell you’re intelligent by the way you be talking sometimes. So, all I’m saying to you is that you don’t need to be going to a rehab center to get your shit together. ’Cause if you really ain’t trying to fuck with that dope no more, then I can help you.”

I laughed and said, “Now, how can you help me?”

“Trust me, sweetheart I know plenty of mu’fuckas who can getcha some of them meth pills. And when you get a couple of them joints in your system, you ain’t gon’ have no choice but to kick that habit.”

“Well, what is it going to take for you to get me some?”

“All you got to do is say the word and I’ll put you up in a nice-ass hotel and we can get the ball rolling.”

“Well, let me ask you this.”

“What’s up?”

“What are you going to get out of all this?”

“I’m just trying to be with you. That’s it and that’s all.”

“Do you have any idea how old I am?”

“I think you already told me. But, it really doesn’t matter, if you wanna know the truth,” he replied with such sincerity. And from his tone alone, I couldn’t do nothing but take him up on his offer.

So right when I was getting ready to give him the green light, Teresa came running up to the car saying, “Hey Faith, he said he’ll do it, but he’ll only give us fifty dollars in cash and the rest in dope.”

Papoose looked at me and said, “What the fuck is she talking about?”

“Well, um . . .” I said as I began to stutter.

So, he cut me off in an instant and said, “I hope you ain’t about to do nothing stupid with that nigga K-Rock.”

“Nah,” I replied as I shook my head.

“So, what is your girlfriend over here talking about? Because if you don’t tell me, I can go over there and find out on my own.”

Feeling my back against the wall, I saw no other option but to be honest with him, since he had an interest in helping me. So, I gave in and told him what me and Teresa’s intentions were. And of course, he made his objection toward it. And while he was going off at the mouth about why I didn’t need to lend out my car, Teresa just stood there and listened.

“So, whatcha want me to tell ’im?” She finally got a word in.

“Tell ’im she ain’t interested.”

But, Teresa wasn’t trying to hear that bullshit Papoose was talking so she looked at me for the final say. And that’s when I said, “Yeah, tell ’im that’s all right.”

Pissed off by my response, she said, “Why the hell you changing your mind today, out of all days? Shit, you know I need my fix.”

“Well, that’s too bad, because she’s got other plans!” Papoose interjected.

“What kind of plans?” she asked looking directly at me.

“He’s going to put me up in a hotel and help me kick this dope habit,” I told her.

“Girl, please, what hustler you know gon’ take a dope fiend off the street and clean her up when he can go out here and pick up any woman he wants, that’s already clean?”

“You looking at ’im,” Papoose blurted out.

“Yeah, whatever,” Teresa replied and threw her hands in the air.

“Sweetheart, don’t be mad ’cause ain’t nobody trying to get you off the streets!”

“I’m not mad, because I’m not ready to get off these streets.”

“It’s hard to tell ’cause as big as your stomach looks, you need to be at home,” he said laughing.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

“Yeah, that’s what they all say. But, I ain’t gon’ get on you too hard, ’cause you’re Faith’s peoples. So, to show you I ain’t no bad individual, I’m gon’ look out for you since I’m getting ready to snatch up your peoples right here. Now, all you gotta do is hold tight and I’ll be right back. A’ight?”

“A’ight,” Teresa said and then we both witnessed him as he dashed to the apartment building sitting directly across the street from where we were parked. And almost immediately after he disappeared by the black iron door, Teresa rushed over to the driver’s side door and began to throw a whole bunch of questions at me.

“What the hell has gotten into you, just that fast?”

“Nothing.”

“Shit! I can’t tell, when you got that motherfucker answering all your questions for you.”

“Look, all I wanna do is get my shit straight. And he said he’s gon’ help me. So, why would I turn that down?”

“Faith, that nigga is a fucking heroin dealer. So, how in the hell is he going to wean you off some shit he’s out here selling, all day long?”

“He told me he was going to get me some of those meth pills.”

“Girl, please, that shit ain’t nothing but a fucking Band-Aid. ’Cause if the shit really worked, don’t you think it wouldn’t be a soul out here getting high?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, you better find out. ’Cause, this game out here is for real. And trust me when I tell you that Papoose got some other shit up his sleeve for your ass. So, you better keep your eyes open and watch every move that motherfucker takes.”

“Oh, trust me; I will.”

“You better, because I’ve seen him fuck up plenty of these bitches’ asses out here behind dumb shit. And the nigga didn’t blink his eyes one time.”

“Well, I’m not gonna have to worry about that, because I’m gonna tell him from the door that I don’t tolerate men hitting on women.”

“And you think that’s gon’ work?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, think again. ’Cause that nigga doesn’t have one ounce of respect for no one but himself.”

“Yeah, okay. We’ll see,” I replied in a casual way, only to let Teresa know that all that stuff she was talking about didn’t apply to me. So, I let it go right over my head.

Soon after our discussion had ended, Papoose came running back toward us with a blue logo-type tee shirt in his left hand. His other hand was balled up in a fist, so he could have anything hidden in there.

Sounding out of breath, he walked up to Teresa and handed her a couple pills of his dope. And like clockwork, her face lit up like a corner street light. “Good looking out!” she said with one of her most famous cheesy expressions.

“Don’t mention it,” he told her. “Just take your ass on home and get off these streets.”

“But, how am I gon’ get there? Faith was my ride.”

“Here take this twenty dollars and call a cab.” he continued as he handed her a twenty-dollar bill.

“A’ight. No problem,” she said, as she eagerly took the money out of his hands.

“Are you gon’ be all right?” I asked her while she was trying to get herself situated.

“Oh yeah, I’m straight,” she replied, acting all giddy.

“Well, take care. And I’ll see you later.”

“A’ight.” She walked away from the car.

“I wonder if she’s going to be all right,” I commented to Papoose the moment he sat down in the passenger seat.

“Hell yeah! Homegirl is a veteran out here. So, trust me, she’s gon’ be a’ight!”

“If you say so,” I replied, sighing heavily; and then I started up the ignition and drove off.

We drove approximately thirty-five minutes and ended up in the Great Bridge section of Chesapeake. And when we came upon the Marriott Hotel he instructed me to pull over, so I did.

“You got your license on you?” he asked me.

“Yes, why? You need me to get a room in my name?”

“Yeah,” he replied and handed me three fifty-dollar bills.

I took the money out of his hand, got out of the car, and walked into the hotel. It only took me about five minutes to book the room and pay for it, and when I returned to the car with the room key in hand, he had a smile on his face.

“What are you smiling for?” I asked him as I handed him the key.

“I’m just looking at how cute you are,” he responded as he exited the car.

“Now, how many times are you going to tell me that?” I asked, desperately trying not to smile.

“What, ya don’t appreciate compliments, or something?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?” he asked as we entered into the lobby of the hotel.

“It’s nothing really. I just don’t feel like I deserve a compliment right now. I mean, look at me. I got on the same clothes as I did yesterday.”

“Shit, that ain’t nothing a shower can’t handle.”

I laughed at Papoose’s sense of humor and we both continued carrying on our conversation all the way to the room. Now, once we entered into the room, shit got a little more formal and it was evident that he couldn’t wait to show off his manhood, too. But, I felt it was necessary to slow things down a bit because for one, my stomach was beginning to growl, and two, I was also getting ill with the stomach cramps. So, right then and there, I knew that if I was going to do anything with this man, he was gonna have to pump me up with a couple of those meth pills and get me something to eat.

“I’m not feeling too good,” I warned him as I sat down at the foot of the bed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked me from the other side of the bed.

“I’m hungry, for one. And I’m starting to feel a little ill,” I replied.

“Well, I guess you can order some room service. But, I’m gon’ have to make a phone call to get you dem meth pills.”

“Okay, I’ll call and order room service. But, will you make that phone call for me, before I get too sick to do anything?”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m gon’ get on top of that now,” he told me and pulled out his cellular phone.

Now by the time he made the phone call to his methadone connection, I had also called in a breakfast order for guest services to deliver it to the room, and it came in no time. Papoose and I both sat down at the table and enjoyed every bite of the buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs with cheese, and the plentiful amount of turkey bacon they’d stacked on the plate. We each had a tall glass of ice cold orange juice that set the entire breakfast off. And before long, we were both laid out on the bed with our stomachs filled to capacity. He was stretched out on one side of the bed and I was on the other side, lying back with my eyes closed, praying that this friend will knock on the door in the next twenty minutes or so. And to my surprise, he did. So, Papoose greeted him at the door.

“Come on in, nigga!” he said and gave the guy a handshake to shoulder hug.

And when the guy stepped around the door, he and I recognized each other immediately. But, he was the first to say something. “Yo’ don’t I know you?” he asked me as he walked closer to the bed.

I nodded my head.

“From where, though?” he pressed on while Papoose stood alongside him and waited for me to answer.

“I’m Tee’s friend,” I finally responded.

“Tee?” he said with uncertainty.

“Yeah, Tee,” I said as I turned completely around toward him. “The one whose brother got killed out Grandy Park, not too long ago.”

“Oh yeah!” he said, as he placed one hand over his mouth and laughed. “I remember you. You’re the chick who came over there and saved Teresa and her brother Eugene from getting their ass fucked up real good, because they owed me some dough.”

“Yo, how she do that?” Papoose interjected.

“Yo, Papoose man, Shorty right there is a lifesaver, son! I mean, when dem two fucking junkies couldn’t come up with my dough, Shorty came through for them and paid me herself.”

Papoose smiled and said, “Word!”

Lamont nodded his head and said, “Yep. She saved their ass!”

“Damn, Faith, you’re all right!” Papoose said to me.

“Yeah, she’s cool!” Lamont blurted out. “But, a few weeks later, I had to slap her ass on the floor for trying to stop me from fucking her friend up.”

“Oh shit! She’s a trooper too!” Papoose said with excitement.

“Yeah, she’s got plenty of balls! But, I had to strip dem joints from her after she ran up on me,” Lamont replied as he continued to chuckle. But then his laughter stopped when his cellular phone started chirping, so he said, “Wait, let me see who just sent me a text message.”

So, Papoose walked away from him to give him enough space and privacy to read his message. But, it seemed like whatever message he had just received was very short, because he closed his Sidekick back up and placed it right back on his hip. And from there, he went into business mode. “So, whatcha trying to get?” he asked Papoose who, by this time, was sitting at the table, counting a small stack of cash he pulled from his pocket.

“How much are they going for?” Papoose wanted to know.

“Five joints a piece,” Lamont replied, as he pulled a clear Ziploc bag from his left pocket.

“Well, ummm . . .” he began to say, as he ran a few numbers in his head. “Give me twenty of dem things.”

“A’ight,” Lamont said as he counted out twenty white tablets and handed them all to Papoose.

In exchange, Papoose handed him one hundred dollars. After the transaction was completed, Papoose escorted him outside the room. But before Lamont made his exit, he looked back at me and said, “Have fun!”

And of course I didn’t respond. I just waved the clown off and said to myself, “Good riddance.”

Now while they were both standing outside in the hallway, I could hear them laughing and joking. But for the life of me, I couldn’t make out what they were saying. So, I lay back on the bed and turned onto my stomach for a little comfort and here came Papoose walking through the door, smiling like he had just won the fucking lottery or something. And that’s when I asked him, “Whatcha smiling for?”