Chapter Nine: It Can't Be That Bad

            Thursday had arrived without incident at work. With that being said, it was a good day for Glen as he walked out of work a little early to attend to personal going-on’s in his life sans Ropers and Gambling. He sent some text messages out, saying hello to Tommy, telling Amel he intends to take the day off, but will give advice via phone or text, and one to Rudy about the Filipino girl he was with last night.

            He entered Clinton Estates, the trailer park Jim and Jasmine Raynor’s trailer laid itself upon. The trailer park was a subdivision. However, Jim and Jasmine lived near the front entrance, so no looking or a visit to MapQuest or a use of GPS was needed. He parked in their driveway, in which didn’t have a car. The two had licenses, Jasmine obtained her recently after her sixth road test. However, tough love from their mother had ensured, if they want the car, save up and buy one on your own. Kinda crappy due to the idea that older brother Todd was given the Saturn Vue.

            While pulling up the driveway, he could see two preteen boys by the window that goes to Jasmine’s room. Glen had the idea why these two boys with smiles on their faces are being peeping toms, they may know Jasmine’s sexual identity or to ridicule the two residents. According to Jimbo some months ago, he said he had problems with a few residents due to the knowledge that he and Jasmine had mental issues.

            Glen laid on the horn and scared the two. They jumped out of their skin and looked towards the Ford Focus with Glen giving out a face of anger. They ran out behind some trailers and disappeared. The suit and dress shirt wearing Glen wasn’t looking to appear extremely formal for the dinner coming up. It was a reservation being held by Colleen Warnock at a nice fine Italian restaurant inside the large slab of Clinton Township and the Raynor/Rucker’s have been to this restaurant plenty of times in the previous thirteen years. When Shelia and Glen were dating, they attended a dinner with Jim, Jasmine, Todd, Colleen and her third husband. This is when Glen got to figure out that Todd was a serious homophobe and rather insensitive, he wanted Glen to agree with him.  Colleen, at numerous times, embarrassed Jimbo to the point in where he left the table just as the meals were served and did not return. Glen and Sheila went out to look for him while their Spaghetti got cold. He was nowhere to be found, which included the two getting in Glen’s then Toyota Corolla to find him walking away over a mile. They finally stopped him while Jim expressed serious hatred for his mother and blamed her for him not having any friends.

            Glen and Sheila returned to Glen’s then shady apartment with Sheila crying in embarrassment of her family. He comforted her and told her about his nasty-strict Mormon mother.

            He wanted to continue on with that pleasant memory, but Jim and Jasmine had exited the brown clapboard single wide. Jimbo had a black suit and a Sonoma sweater on, he was holding his winter coat while closing and making sure the door was locked. Jasmine had a little too much makeup and heavy eyeliner on, she wore her heavy pink coat and appeared to be wearing her favorite green silk blouse under that. The two entered the car and Glen informed them about two preteen boys he scarred away with the honk of the horn.

“Oh, those guys hate Jim.” Jasmine said while taking the backseat, she unzipped her coat and thanked  Glen for the heat.

He backed away and drove out of the park and onto the road north, asking for a speed limit of 45.

“Oh boy, it’s another dinner at Ragetta’s.” Jim says.

Glen shrugged, “I kinda like fine Italian dining.”

Jim looked to Glen, “Oh, I do too. I just wished I had a car and I could get there myself. I would love some Italian dining without my mother being a drama queen and humiliating me each chances she gets.”

Jasmine chimed in, “Yes, I agree. I need to get a car badly. As for insulting our mom, I think she started hating me when she caught me with another girl back when I was 14. She went on a religious rant.”

“Guys, you mom has some problems. I don’t think she hates you.” Glen said.

“This was just before you and Sheila were getting serious.”

“I like to change the subject a little.” Jimbo said.

“Sure.” Glen allowed.

“We have now improved to third place in HockeyScores. If it were to end now, we would get $2,000.”

“After taxes, it would be more like $1,200. Let’s go for first.”

“To go back to the subject,” Jasmine said, “I remember Todd calling me a fag. You know, recently, he said he wanted me to tape myself having sex with another girl.”

Glen looked into the rearview mirror, “Did he really say that to you, Jasmine?”

“Yes, he did.”

Glen looked forward, “I’m gonna have a talk with your older brother.”

 

            Ten minutes and three miles later, due to heavy traffic, the clan had arrived and found a parking spot very close to the restaurant. It was a restaurant at the end of a strip mall, one of very many in Clinton Township. Ragetta’s had a nice big lighted sign up above the vest view with a green tint. The light was on due to the night beginning to fall-in with the Michigan cold coming through. The restaurant had large windows but all shades were closed. It wasn’t seriously busy for a Thursday and one could tell by the available parking up close. Up front were tables for one who wished to dine outside, preferably during the late spring, summer and early fall days. Also up front, was Todd, smoking a cigarette with a noticeable bump a little above his left eye and also a fat lip. Despite this, he stared ruthlessly to the three in the Ford Focus.

“Whoa, what the hell happened to him?” Glen asked.

Jimbo chuckled, “Bad night at the bar?”

“It’s probably due to his drug activity.” Glen suggested.

“Hmm, likely. I’m glad he finally got punched in the face.” Jimbo added.

Glen shut off the engine and Jasmine added, “Yes, me too.”

The three exited the vehicle and Jimbo asked, “What the fuck happened to you?”

“I beat these two faggots up.” Todd said ruthlessly while smoking a cigarette.

“Beating up gay people, Todd? You could get in a lot of trouble with that. That’s a hate crime.” Glen said sarcastically.

“Augh, shut up fag.” Todd said to Glen, pouring on the stare of death to him.

“Scary, Todd. Very scary.”  Glen remarked with a smile on his face.

“Well, those two faggots who you beat up, it looks like they beat you up.” Jasmine said.

“Yeah, did one of your drug deals go wrong?” Jim asked.

“No, fagboy, it didn’t. I beat those two queer baits up and took back my drugs and the money they were going to give me.” Todd said.

“And which group did you take from?” Glen asked.

Todd looked at him funny, “What the hell do you mean?”

“Well, I imagine you dealt with a gang or some people who believe they are a gang. So which gang did you take down to get double prizes?”

“Some faggots from Warren, I don’t know who the hell they are.” Todd said, next to smoke the cigarette.

“You don’t know who they are, but you know they are homosexual?” Jimbo asked.

“You took the words out of my mouth, Jim.” Glen added.

“Yeah, how do you know they are gay?” Jasmine asked.

“Take a look at you.” Todd said with a smile, dropping his cigarette as if he was trying to show that he is a hardass.

Jasmine smiled, “It takes one to know one.”

Glen and Jim laughed at that.

Todd slowly looked at the two and said, “Shut the fuck up.”

The two laughed on after his rude asking for them to stop, then Glen said, “Why don’t you two go inside and get warm, save me a seat, I got to talk to Todd personally.”

Jim and Jasmine complied, when they got to the door, they looked at Todd and chuckled.

Todd looked back to him ruthlessly.

Glen smiled at him and said, “Okay, Todd, stop with the stare of death there.”

“So, what do you want? Are you coming out of the closet now?”

“Do you have any other material besides homophobic remarks?”

Todd didn’t reply.

“You brother and sister may be mentally challenged and they are not as fortunate as you, obviously. And I know that the two may not be truthful at times due to the mental alignment. So be that, but I think you are not truthful about your fight there.”

“Well, how about I kick your ass, faggot?” Todd walking dangerously close to Glen, clinching his fists.

“But according to your sister, you have said some pretty interesting things about her, well, to you and even your mother, her issue with her sexual identity. According to her, you said you’d like for her to… well… get naughty with another girl and tape it.”

Todd didn’t reply, but his threatening body language to Glen was still in front of him.

“You said to your sister?”

“Step-sister.” He said with the threatening tone intact.

Glen shrugged, “okay, you’re right.” Then with the face of disgust, “You say things like that to your step-sister? Your family? I really hope you don’t have those kind of feelings for your mother.”

“Shut up, faggot!” Todd said with a shove to Glen.

He was pushed back a little and Todd stepped closer.

“You fuc---“

Glen swung his right leg up and kicked Todd square in the crotch.

Todd doubled down on the brick sidewalk and coughed, while so, Rob Warnock rushed out of the vest view, with a, “Whoa, whoa, guys.”

He got in between a backing away Glen and a downed Todd who began to whale in pain.

Rob took a look around, there was nobody out sans the passing by traffic.

“Hey, I saw everything, even when Todd pushed you. But someone had witnessed this and you too may go to jail.” Rob said to Glen, but he was talking to the both of them.

“Okay, well, I think the authorities would be interested in his drug dealings.” Glen said.

Rob shook his head, “Glen c’mon.”

“Rob, besides that, he has said some menacing things about his sister. This guy is a very sick man.”

Rob looked down to Todd who was up and holding his crotch.

“Listen,” Rob said softly and having his hand out, “I know that he does some bad things. He’s not keen on homosexuals, me and his mother have talked to him about it and we are making progress.”

Glen shook his head and looked away, “Saying to your sister that you want her to have sex with another woman and tape it for his personal pleasure? He did ask that, you know.”

“Okay, but, do you think Jasmine may be pulling your chain? I don’t want to knock on her mentality so to say, but she has a history of being a compulsive liar.”

Todd began to stand up, while holding his crotch and from what it looked like, holding up tears.

“I buy Jasmine’s story.” Glen said with confidence.

Rob looked to Todd, then back to Glen while trying to keep a gap between them, but Todd was walking away.

“Look guys, I don’t think anyone saw this but me, I hope there isn’t a camera around.” Then with a raise of his voice, “but what we are going to do is, we are going to go inside and forget about all this. Are we?” Rob asked Todd.

Todd looked up and bit his lip in anger.

“Todd, I saw you shove him first.” Rob said.

“He kicked me.”

Rob stood with his back facing the wall and held his hands out, “Gentleman, we are going to forget about this.”

            The three walked inside Ragetta’s. The entrance had a hallway down, so it made look obvious that Rob was the only one (inside the restaurant, at least) to see the melee. All shades inside were barely open, but Glen and Todd fought by the brick wall. The restaurant had a carpet in the front area, but the dining room and bar had floor tiles of a beige color. The tables were covered in a white cloth and chairs that were black wood with red and black striped cushions for one’s rear end. An Italian woman nearing senior citizen age with black hair and looked very good for her age, had greeted the three. Todd leading the way with a red face and bruises previously from the fight with the gang had her drop the smile and asked with sympathy, “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Todd blurred out and walked away.

She was about to ask if he would like to be seated, but it appeared to her that he found his spot.

Rob approached and she turned back, “May I help you?”

“Yes, I’m at the Warnock table and so is he.” He said while pointing his thumb up to Glen.

“I also see that he is also there, is he okay?” She asked.

“Yes, he was playing flag football and he got hurt. He isn’t taking it too well.”

Glen laughed at first, but coughed it up and played like he was clearing his throat, “Excuse me, ma’am.”

She finally smiled, “I’ll escort you two to your table.”

“Why thanks.” Rob said with a smile on his face.

The Dining room area besides the now six people sitting at the Warnock table, in which it sat eight with four on each side, had only two other tables occupied. Both tables had well-dressed couples who appeared to be around Glen’s age.

The woman handed menus to Rob and Glen, but Rob refused and said, “I know what I’m getting.”

Glen said thanks and he sat across from Todd whose face was still red and appearing upset. He also acknowledged a white suit and blouse-wearing Colleen who would usually greet Glen, but this time she didn’t. Glen had wondered if she already knew what was going on, in which he couldn’t care less. He took one final look at Todd, then opened the menu.

“Would you like something to drink?” The woman asked.

Glen looked to her, “I’ll stick with water.”

And just like that, the patrons at the table sat in silence sans a few chuckles from Jasmine and Jim. Glen scanned through the menu, Todd stared dangerously at Glen, Rob kept an eye on Todd and Colleen wondered.

“Jim, Jasmine, I like to know what is so funny?” she asked.

The two stopped chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, next to sound a little threatening.

“Whoa, we thought of a joke earlier.” Jasmine said.

He placed her elbow down and held her head up on her hand while smiling, “Well, I like to know what joke you guys have in mind, especially with Jimbo refusing to hug and kiss me. I really hate that you refuse to do this.”

Jimbo didn’t bother to regard it.

Then Glen looked over his menu, “Do you think he’s a little too old for that?”

Before Colleen could answer, a woman had bellowed out her name.

They all looked over to the sound of the voice minus Todd who kept his stare at Glen, an obese woman with curly brown hair had approached with a well-dressed chubby tall man behind her. The hostess Glen had seen earlier was leading them to the table with that kind smile. Colleen got up with a smile about to crack her face wide open and the two connected with a hug.

“How are ya, Louise?” Colleen identified the woman.

“I’m so good.” She said.

Glen had never seen this woman before, but her voice sound awfully familiar to those who act in these paid programs he had seen on regular TV on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, whoring out a product that claims to be very special. And that made him think of those rare times when he was bored and watched these idiotic hour-long advertisements with many times a golden voiceover would state that he could have the product for four easy payments of $19.95. And most times in not, a few months after that, the product advertised is available at Ropers, for a lower price if one were to combined the four easy payments.

He was also irked by the two kissing each other, as the kiss seemed to appear more romantic than for affection, Jim and Jasmine also shared the same irked feeling, as Glen looked over to Rob who wasn’t paying attention. His eye was caught at Todd’s whose face was getting less red but the ruthless stare from hell. Glen regarded him with a sarcastic smile.

Todd lip-synched, “Fag.”

Then Colleen said to Louise, “I have the family here.”

Louise looked over to the family and gasped dramatically, with her boisterous voice that filled the restaurant, “James!”

Jimbo shook his head.

She opened her arms filled with fat and stomped to Jimbo while saying, “Can I have a hug and kiss?”

Jimbo leaned away with a horrified look on his face.

This prompted Louise to attempt to hug him, nearly hitting Jasmine in the process as she began to be horrified.

Jimbo leaned forward nevertheless while pushing away the jelly arms on seeing the wide smile on Louise’s face.

“James, give your Aunt Louise a hug.” Colleen demanded.

“Mom, look what she is doing.” Jasmine said while attempting to move her seat away.

Louise finally got a grip on Jim’s shoulder and proceeded.

“Take it easy, Jerry Sandusky, take it easy.” Jimbo said loudly.

Louise stopped while Glen chuckled at that, also at the same time, Colleen gasped in disgust while Rob chuckled a little. It also got the attention of the two couple sitting in the dining room, as well as the hostess and a waiter standing by. Whether it was Jimbo with his voice or what happened just earlier. Regardless, Louise backed away and was visibly upset. Jasmine made it worse by pouring on a dirty stare at her that she saw, but Jasmine nearly got knocked off of her seat. She took the seat next to Glen as her male friend or perhaps husband sat on a chair across from her and next to Rob.

Colleen peered to Jim, “James, you…”

He interrupted, “I know, I’m a bad person, an asshole, piece of shit, I know. Can we just settle down and eat?”

She shook her head and pointed at him.

Jasmine chimed in, “Can’t we just eat!?”

Obviously, she was beginning to get sick of the drama too.

“Uh guys, let’s just forget about this and settle down.” Rob said.

Colleen looked away with disgust, but she went to her seat.

The young mustached waiter slowly approached to Louise’s end and introduced himself as Rocco. The hostess went to Jasmine’s end and noticed that her silverware was accidently knocked off. Jasmine offered an apology in which the hostess stated, “No problem, I’ll get you clean silverware.”

“Thanks, sorry that my family is dramatic.”

She regarded that but pretended that she didn’t hear it.

Rocco asked Louise, “Ma’am, if you are not ready to order, I can come back to you.”

Louise didn’t reply and seemed to not comprehend.

“Ma’am?”

No reply.

Rocco then went to Glen, as he kindly requested Spaghetti.

And the other patrons of the dining room went back to their own life, but keeping an eye on further drama.

           

            The dinner continued nevertheless as all meals were served. Jimbo’s Aunt had come back to reality a few minutes past the horrid insult. As a couple of minutes passed by, she dominated the conversation on her life. This is where Glen learned that she is a Harbor Drugs employee, just almost as long as he existed on this earth. She happen to be a district manager but no longer part of the district that covered Jim and Todd’s store. Otherwise, Jimbo would likely have to find another job by referring an important member of his slave organization by the name of a notorious child molester. The conversation went to different ways, talking about her personal life and how her husband who sat across from her made a booboo by accidently knocking over an antique lamp and brought on the insult to her man. Next, it went on to her shopping experience as appetizers and bread arrived. Her shopping experience was very poor as she shoved breadstick after breadstick down her throat and eating with her mouth open. Glen tried to be a gentleman about sitting next to this yammering woman with poor eating habits, but he was disgusted and whispered to Jim, “You’re aunt is scaring me.”

He whispered back, “She’s not my aunt.”

“Oh…I imagine your mom wants you to think she is your aunt.”

“I did actually believe that she was related, until Sheila told me at 10 that she really isn’t.”

“Hmm…” Glen said.

And still, Todd continued that stare from death to him.

“Really, Todd?” Glen asked, attempting to get the attention of everyone else sitting at that table.

But only Rob caught this, then to Todd, “Todd, take it easy, will ya?” with his voice barely going over Louise’s voice being muffled by crumbs of breadsticks trying to go down her throat.

“I’m sorry,” Glen interrupted Louise, “but could you perhaps not talk with food in your mouth?”

Louise paused at this while Jasmine laughed hard, Jimbo followed suit and ever her husband.

Her head snapped to him, “Don’t laugh.”

Rocco had approached with meals, it seemed to be the first of the two since eight people ordered and not all of it could go onto one large carry-on, so he started with the four who ordered Spaghetti.

The husband stooped laughing as his Spaghetti was put in front of him.

Then she said to Glen, “And you, I don’t appreciate you humiliating me like this.”

Rocco handed down Glen’s plate of Spaghetti, he regarded that but said to Louise, “Fine, but I don’t think Jimbo here appreciated being humiliated earlier.”

“What do you mean by that? He embarrassed me by calling me…” she sighed and looked away for a minute, then looked back to Glen, “who are you?”

Before Glen could respond, Colleen spoke, “Louise, I’m sorry, that’s Glen. He was going to marry Sheila.”

“Oh, oh. I’m so sorry,” she said, dropping the disgust, “I don’t think we’ve… met. Yeah, you were Sheila’s boyfriend.”

Although that sounded a little grim to him, he continued, “Fiancée, actually.”

“Okay, I’ll… do what you asked. I’ll try to not to talk and eat, I’m sorry.”

“No biggie.” Glen said, surprised that she was doing a 180.

“Aren’t you working at Ropers?”

“Yes.”

“And you hold a management position there?”

Before Glen could say no to that, Todd had spoken, “No, he’s human resources,”

Louise looked at him and also the rest of the table while Rocco placed a Spaghetti plate in front of Rob.

“You know HR, it’s a job for women and gay guys like Glen.”

“Todd!” Colleen and Rob yapped. Louise and her husband looked over with disgust, and included in that was Rocco.

“Dude, chill out with your hatred for gay people, you’ve gone too far.” Glen said.

“Is that all you can think of, you pussy?” Todd said ruthlessly.

“Okay, Sheila told me once about you little visit at the mall some years ago, somebody you met online.”

“Holy shit, she told you that?” Jimbo asked.

Todd stood up quickly, “You faggot, I’ll fuckin’ kick your ass!”

Glen smiled at the disbelief that Todd would go this far in a public place to show his confusion and frustration, while Rob and Colleen forced him back down. Rocco walked away quickly with disbelief.

“Todd, calm down.” Rob said.

“Yes, Todd, you being an idiot.” Colleen added.

The hostess had rushed to the table with a harsh walk and stopped by Colleen with a threatening look on her face.

Rob saw this and said, “Ma’am, I’m so sorry.”

She pointed sternly at Todd and said to him, “Listen you, there are three very big men working for me in the kitchen. One more insensitive remark, and I’ll get them out here and they will beat your ass.”

“Whoa!” said the two couples a table of three who arrived earlier, also Glen, Jimbo and Jasmine.

That dangerously followed by applause from the seven other customers, Glen, Jimbo and Jasmine followed while they smiled at Todd who bowed down in defeat.

 

“So, you are dealing with the mafia?” Jasmine asked.

Her, her brother and was-to-be brother-in-law all stood in front of Ragetta’s while allowing the Michigan cold to reach them.

“Yes, pretty much.”

“What if you fuck up?” Jimbo said while smoking a cigarette.

“I’ll just get my ass kicked, nothing more.” Glen added.

“I dunno, I’ve seen Casino and Goodfellas. You are going to be part of the organization.” Jasmine said, while smoking a cigarette herself.

“Yes, but I know Jimbo wants to get far away from any kind of dependence from his mother, and Tommy wants something better than working at some fast food joint serving stoned fat white people.” Glen said.

“So do I,” Jasmine said, “I want away from this shit too.”

“Yeah, but fuck Tommy. You’ve said he has screwed you over many times.” Jimbo said.

“Not many, I’ve profited from him. In fact, I really got into this with him giving me the kicker.” Glen added.

“I don’t know, something tells me he will fuck up the greatness between you and the Italian mafia.” Jimbo said.

“You would too.” Glen said with a smile on his face.

That stopped Jim from smoking his cigarette and replied, “What?”

“You would too.” Glen answered.

“You know, I can see why Todd took a swing at you.” Jimbo said.

The door had opened and Colleen peeked out, she didn’t have her coat on, “You guys, you’ve been out here for too long, your food is getting cold.”

The three just looked on, Jim and Jasmine took a puff of their cigarettes respectively.

“Guys, why have you been out here for too long?”

The three just stared on.

“Are you guys mad at me?” She asked, beginning to shiver.

No reply from the three.

“Listen, Todd will be in real trouble when he gets home. Me and Rob have told him many times to stop with all the homophobic remarks.”

Again, no reply from the three.

“What do you guys want?” she said while exiting the restaurant, she put her arms around herself while shivering, “why do you guys give me the silent treatment?”

No reply from the three, Jasmine dropped her cigarette and stomped it out.

“Okay, what do you guys want to know?”

Jimbo slowly said, “The truth about Todd.”

She sighed, “Look guys, I know what he does is wrong, but we are trying to get some extra money.”

The three did the silent treatment again.

Again, she sighed, “Okay, three guys from Warren beat him up and took the money and the pills, are you happy? Now Glen, I know your cousin or brother is in a biker gang. We could use his help on this.”

Glen shook his head, “He’s leaving for South Carolina tonight.”

“Well, what about the rest of his gang?”

“Most of them are going too.”

“Well, what about the rest of them?”

“I’m not helping Todd with his revenge.”

She shivered, “Is it because the insults?”

“No, because I simply dislike Todd.”

“Me too.” Jimbo added.

“Me three, mom. You know he said that shit about me making a porno movie of myself for him to watch, he’s sick.” Jasmine said, her voice cracked at the end of it, “and you don’t do shit about it because you are ashamed of me, yet, you allow Todd to sell drugs and do the bad things he does.”

Colleen’s eyes widen, Jim and Glen could tell she felt bad, she advanced forward with open arms, “honey?”

Jasmine backed away with a sobbing voice, “No, mom. Stop with this shit, Todd’s an asshole and you allow it. Your selfish, you pop pills and when things don’t go your way, you use Sheila to have people feel sorry for you. I lost her too.”

“Me too.” Jimbo added.

“Me three.” Glen added.

 

Later, the three had rode in Glen’s Focus and was about to make the turn into Clinton Estates. Glen had driven while this time, Jasmine rode shotgun. No one spoke as all that could be heard was cars catching wind and the sound of the heat coming out of the register. For the first minute, Jasmine sobbed. But she told the three that she won’t cry anymore and be as emotional as her asshole mother.

To which Glen replied, “Listen, you have the right to be upset. You can cry all you want.”

“Thanks, but no, I don’t want to be like her.” Jasmine said.

“You are not like her.” Glen said.

Glen piloted the Focus onto the driveway a minute later. And Jimbo made the exit, pulling out his keys.

Jasmine was about to leave, but she turned to Glen and said, “I can see why Sheila loved you.”

Glen didn’t reply.

“Have you tried to find love? Because I’m surprised that a guy like you doesn’t have a girl.”

“Well, I haven’t really looked until recently.” Glen said.

“Is it guilt? You know, Glen, I won’t resent you if you do find love again. And I don’t think Jimbo would either, my mom, well… forget her anyway.” Jasmine said.

“I know Jasmine. I know, I will.”

She exited the car but before closing the door, “If I were straight, I would love to be with you.”

“You’ll find the female version of me pretty soon.” Glen said.

“Yeah, that would be great.” Jasmine said, she then closed the door.

And he saw the two enter the trailer, just to make sure.

            Glen drove off and got out his Bluetooth set to make a phone call. He was navigating while handling his phone to call Tommy. He had no idea if he was working or if he was off, his work schedule at the fast food joint was at three random nights. Tommy couldn’t care if it interfered with work, he would answer his phone.

“What the fuck are ya doin!?” Tommy asked.

“Tommy!?” Glen said.

“Glen, don’t do that shit.”

“Tommy!?” Glen again.

“You faggot, you know about that cop…”

“Tommy!?” Glen interrupted.

“Yeah, I can hear you, dickhead.”

“I know about Juby ripping you off.”

“Yeah, that faggot owes me a hundred dollars.”

“Listen, I got promoted with the Albanian’s and I’m above him. They got rid of a guy.”

“What, that fuckin’ cop!?” Tommy asked ruthlessly.

“Not him, someone else. Look, I got Juby in a shit spot.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s going to make a bet that LeBron James goes under 34½ against Golden State. That game is about to start very soon.”

 

Juby sat in a bar in Urban Detroit, talking to two black males and said, “LeBron James, he goes under 34½ and I’m putting 500 on it.”

The two black males filled with muscle while one was chubby had looked among themselves with smiles on their faces, one of them whispered, “too easy.”

Juby didn’t catch it, “What?”

They looked back and the chubby man said, “We’ll take it.”

 

Tommy chuckled over the phone, “Man, if he falls for that shit, he’s a dumb motherfucker.”

“We got job security, Tommy, we got it.” Glen said.