The Gift & The Curse!

2009 Dodge Charger

Rell was devestated by Billy Ray's death, which I didn't understand because she never in the entire time that I knew her had anything good to say about him. In fact I honestly thought she was faking greif the entire week leading up to his funeral. Our relationship began to get somewhat frosty too.I mostly stayed away...Allowing her to grieve on her own.. On the day before the funeral...I was in the K&A Sandwich shop in South Philly, ordering an Italian Hoagie when Chris Thompson and two of his bodyguards walked in.

"Damn Chess, you get around brother man?" he laughed.

"Have to....Streets is talkin...or so I hear." I said.

"What you eatin?" He asked..

"An Italian and a Coke" I said...

Chris pulled out a wad of bills and told the cashier...

"His food is on me and could I have Three Turkey Hoagies, A Sprite and two cokes for my friends here?" He laughed at the young female cashier ,who was obviously impressed by his money and his swagger.He motioned to me to walk outside with him...and motioned for his two
bodyguards to stay put. We walked outside and he put his arm around me-

"Heard you was a stand up guy the other night at D-Rock's gym..wanna tell me what
you was doin there in the first place?" he asked.

"Not that I have to explain to you my whereabouts, but since it don't matter now..
I was there because Billy Ray was hidin out there..He's my baby's mama's brother." I said.

" Too bad..He was an asshole as well... I told Indian Joe that the Roc Boyz was down with
me and that we wanted to talk a truce. We were all supposed to meet in the Barbershop
at the Roc Boyz gym. That treacherous ass Indian Joe sends two hitters instead and does
me a tremendous favor...Takes out two of my hated rivals and a pain in the ass who I didn't e
even know was there...How lucky am I?" said Chris.

" But you and the Roc Boyz didn't have no truce....and you know that Indian Joe would only
want to hear one thing..That his money was coming back to him.. He aint the type to talk
no truce." I said.

"Chess...Chess... Who you talkin to? I'm the King of Philadelphia...I know that! I never
intended on any truce. I did that to wipe out those damn Roc Boyz...and to show all the
other playas that Indian Joe is not to be trusted. I didn't know your girl's brother or you
for that matter was gonna be there, honest to God Chess...I aint know...but I'm gonna make
it up to you." said Chris.

"Oh, you gonna make it up to me, how?" I asked.

"I'm glad you asked... My lawyer, Conrad is meeting me tonight at Josie's Bar..You know
where it is...I got some papers for you to sign." he said, no longer laughing and deadly
serious.

" Papers, what kind of papers?" I asked.

"You know that Gym that the Roc Boyz owned? Well, I bought it right after they died
from their, let's say" business manager" He initially didn't want to sell, but I made him
an offer he couldn't refuse...his life. Only thing is..I don't need a gym...I own enough fronts
,so I'm giving it to you....The Apartment buildings too...That's yours to do with as you
please, lock stock and barrell." said Chris.

"Hey man, I told you, I will not work for you..I don't want nothin to do with your business
Chris." I said.

"And you won't. The gym and the apartments are yours, after you sign the papers
at Josie's tonight...I won't have nothin to do with them. You have my word."he said.

"Soooo, no juice right...no laundering dirty money???" I asked...

"Not in your joints..I got that covered..I don't need the gym or the apartments....
they are yours...they're stone cold money makers bruh..You got a son, You about
to get married...I'm givin you a start at life...You won't have to work like a dog...
You'll own two lucrative businesses..." said Chris..

"So what's the catch?" I said.

"Friendship has no catches Chess..We been friends since we was kids...This is my
chance to do one good thing in my life...." he said somberly.

"One thing huh?" I laughed.

"Yeah......you can thank me later Chess, just be at Josie's to sign them papers." he
said.

Chris and I and his bodyguards went inside and enjoyed the Hoagies and sodas... I felt
great..Wait until I tell Rell about how good our lives was gonna be.. Chris looked like a
huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders too as he sat and ate and joked with us
and flirted with the cashier...

In Germantown, I would find out later...Indian Joe and four of his top asistants stopped
to get gas at the Hess Station...They didn't notice the Black Charger that drove up
behind them...They were busy talking and didn't notice the two men that got out of the
charger...They had on Black shirts and Black slacks and Black Shoes...They attached
silencers to their pistols and fired three shots into Indian Joe and four of his men a peice.

Indian Joe and his his guys collapsed in a pool of blood right there at that gas station and
nobody heard or saw a thing!!! The two guys got back into the Charger and drove off
into the night just like that....

I wouldn't find this out until the next morning, after I had signed the papers and become
the owner of "Chess's gym" and the "Checkmate" Apartments and lofts. I knew that
Chris Thompson was responsible for Indian Joe's demise...and I knew that one day
Justice would catch up with my childhood friend...but tonight....this night..everything
seemed right with the world.

(Conclusion next..........)