A Failure to Communicate

Chris Thompson no longer sold drugs, so he had no people on the streets doing anything. No organization. All he had was himself. Nobody really knew where he lived. He had two known girlfriends and he never stayed with either of them more than two nights in a row. He hung out at Josie's Bar and at the Diner, but nobody had seen him there.

I wasn't around my gym or my apartment buildings either..I was staying with Rell and our son mostly. I didn't know where Donald Smooth was...but word was , he had hired new security for the card game that we ran. Only problem was..we weren't running the card game. We had shut it down until further notice.

This made all of the players mad because they wanted to play cards and gamble. This infuriated Diamond Jack Quimby, because he was in Philly with no where to go and no action. He knew that everything else was Fathead Newton's and that Fathead had friends in New York City..friends who's feathers he didn't want to ruffle.

He put the word out on the street that he wanted Chris, Me and Donnie found and that he would pay handsomely for any word on where we were. Chris had figured this, so he sent word to Fathead Newton to set up a meet with Diamond Jack.

We agreed to meet in an old Airplane hanger out near the Philadelphia International Airport.
Donald Smooth, five six foot four brothers with .45's and myself met Fathead Newton, his two bodyguards and Diamond Jack and five of his guys there. From the beginning the meeting was
tempestuous.

"Where is Chris Thompson?? I came to talk to him" shouted Diamond Jack Quimby....a small light skinned man with a mousey type face and a pointy nose.

"My name is Chess, you want to talk to Chris, you talk to me." I said.

"Apparently errand boy, you don't know how to speak, when you're spoken to" said Diamond Jack..

"Now guys, guys..come on now....let's not get like that" protested Fathead trying to smooth things over...

"Call me an errand boy again and I'll show you what a little man looks like with a size 12 up his
ass." I said to Diamond Jack.

"There you go runnin your mouth again nigga...looks like I'm gonna have to shut it for you." He
said as he stepped to me. He never got any further...I hit him square in his jaw and knocked him to the floor in front of an astonished crowd of men...

The little guy was astonished....he was getting ready to reach inside of his coat for a gun when a steel plated .44 magnum was pressed to his temple and he heard the voice of the man he had come to see.

"Now..Now...Now.. there Jack....where are your manners? See, where I come from...when somebody wants something....The thing to do....is to ask for it.. You stuck up my card game and you didn't even ask me...now you gon try to flex with my main man Chess?? Ohhh no,no,no friend... See ,I'm a quiet laid back kind of guy..but believe me when I tell you....I will kill you and think nothing of it...I'll sleep like a baby tonight...Please beleive me....Now, you get up slowly, dust yourself off and go right on back to whatever hole you crawled out of in Atlantic City. You wanted to see me, you've seen me...My answer to you is no. No, as in you can't have any of my card game, No...there is nothing here to negotiate and Yes...I will kill you myself if you dare set foot in Philadelphia...You feel me little fella?" said Chris Thompson.

Diamond Jack Quimby looked around....It was clear he didn't want to tangle with me again...Donald Smooth was laughing his head off and the five brothers he brought with him had
Diamond's men covered...

"Chris....I can see that what we have here is a failure to communicate...I'm leaving..but this aint
over...Ohhhh hell no it aint..I'm comin back and I'm coming back heavy....I want this card game..all of it...you don't need it, you aint a gangsta no more Chris or so you say..Play or get played Chris...you know the game..you can't straddle the fence" he said..

"Keep Talking Little man, you're talking yourself into an early grave...but don't worry,I'm going to send some beautiful flowers to your funeral." said Chris.

"Oh Yeah" laughed Diamond Jack...."I knew all of you when you were punk kids..Fathead,I used to work for your drunk ass father..and you let these two niggas talk to me like that? You disapoint me, you fat black bald headed tub of lard you." said Diamond Jack.

Fathead Newton walked over to Diamond Jack..He had heard enough. He was shaking his head.

"I think you've caused enough trouble Jack...Get outta here." he said.

"You Fat punk ,you finnally got some guts huh?I'm comin back and I'm cleaning house." he said as he and his men walked out, got in their cars and drove off.

"You might get a surprise Jack...a big surprise." yelled Donald Smooth.

"He's a dead man, he just don't know it...." said Chris ,rather morosely.


Donald Smooth looked at Me, Chris and Fathead...smiled and then said-

"Hmmmm....That went rather well didn't it?"


(To Be Continued......)