"Well Chess, Everything seems to be in order here.....We have all of the licensces and paperwork...and as far as I can see, you guys can open this thing up for business on Friday." said the Contractor. Max Carlyle.
"Thanks a lot Mr. Carlyle...you guys did good work" I said as I shook his hand. I had used his workmen to gut an old long abandoned apartment building and turn it into what would be one of the most stylish condos in West Philaelphia. We had used a substantial amount of money, gleemed from our card game to pay for the project which began about a year ago. The Building was given a complete new face and the inside looked incredible...It had cable, was wifi compatible
and had a rooftop that could be used for parties and affairs... Chris and I both had agreed that we were going to make this affordable , so that some of the people we knew could actually afford to live in a nice place like this.
"By the way Chess..Where is your partner, Chris?" asked Mr. Carlyle.
"Hmm, I don't know...He was supposed to be here an hour ago." I said, looking at my watch.
"Well, I gotta go..got another job to do." said Mr. Carlyle.
"Of course...Thanks again." I said.
It wasn't like Chris to miss a business meeting...even one as non-important and routine as this one. He was about the business. No Matter, I had some other business to attend to. I got in my car and drove over to Mabel Jenkins Soul Food joint. When I got there...Mabel , her sister, Cora
Beth and her other sister Anita were working hard...Getting great southern cuisine prepared for the lunch crowd. Ever since Chris and I had loaned her the money to start her restaraunt and her other sister,Victoria money to start her catering businesses...They had done nothing but bring in big money.
Because of it's location, Mabel's spot was where everybody came after Josie's closed...To get that good hot meal after a night of drinking and partying.... It was also where people came for breakfast and dinner dates. We liked Mabel. She was fine as hell and a good businesswoman. Chris always said that if she wasn't involved with our friend, "88", that would be the type of woman he would want to be involved with.
"Hey Mr. Chess..How you doin?" said Anita..the youngest of the four Jenkins girls.
"I'm doin good...where's your sister?" I asked.
"Which one?" she laughed playfully.
"Mabel...you know who I come here for gurl?" I joked as I playfully swatted at her.
Mabel had already seen me and she came out and greeted me with a smile and a hug..
"How you doin Chess..What you havin baby?" she asked.
I pulled out a couple of dollars and said-
"Get me two Fried Chicken sandwiches, a Coke and two sweet potato pies to go."I said.
"Chess..what you pullin out money for? You know your money is no good here partner." she smiled.
"That's what I came to talk to you about Mabel...You guys have been doing very good on this corner and it seems to me like you've already paid us back the money we lent you to start this
business......so in effect , you are officially the boss now...Chris and me are no longer your silent
partners...You are free and clear as of today!" I said.
"What? You guys were so good to me..I can't believe it." said Mabel.
"And we'll still be...We are still your friend Mabel...If anybody gives you any trouble, we are just a phone call away..It's just that, it's time for you to enjoy all of your profits and not have to kick a percentage to us anymore...We aint gangsters...We just saw an opportunity to help a sista out."
I said.
"I'm so thankful for everything you and Chris did for me and my sisters Chess. Hey did you hear that somebody tried to kill your boy Fathead last night?" she said.
"What?" I said..."No!"
"Yeah...two guys took shot at him as he was coming out of that strip club he likes. They missed and Fathead got away." she said. "He always get away...that's like the third time somebody tried to shoot him in front of that club...mybe he should find another club."laughed Mabel.
" Yeah maybe...hahahahaha, Wow...I'll have to tell Chris, when I see him." I said...No longer caring about Fathead and his gangster lifestyle...As far as I was concerned...that was on him...that was the life he chose to lead. Someone was always going to be trying to make moves to topple the king. That was why I was so glad that Chris had chosen to get out of the game.
"I saw Chris and his new girlfriend this morning." said Mabel.
"New girlfriend?" I said.
"Yeah...They came in here this morning for breakfast. I didn't dig her...she seemed like a straight chickenhead...Mr. Chris can do better than that..Her name is Wendy something or other" she said. I scratched my head....I didn't think anything of it...and I got in my car and went home. My wife Rell and my son were there waiting for me and the food.
"Hey Chess...you just missed Chris..He just left here a few minutes ago..." she said.
"Yeah?" I said.
"Yeah, he came by here with his new girlfriend..." said Rell.
"New girlfriend huh? That's why he missed our meeting?" I laughed, not really caring.
"Yeah,I know her....She from the neighborhood....I don't dig her Chess...You better holla at your boy and warn him." said Rell.
"What's her story?" I asked as I chomped into my fried chicken leg and took a sip of my Coke.
"Her name is Wendy Thomas....She used to be married to some gangsta guy..but he's dead....She said she was in the Cayman Islands and just got back in town...but she probably lyin...She always
used to lie back when I knew her...I just don't think she right for Chris..but he seemed smitten."
said Rell.
I'd seen Chris with many women.....and I'd known him to have many women ,all at one time usually...but smitten was not what I had ever seen him...I would have to check him out. Only thing was..I couldn't seem to catch up with him.
One place I could catch up with him would be Josie's...It was Thursday...He'd be in there for the happy hour that featured Alaskan Crab Legs....Chris loved his seafood. I kissed Rell and my baby
boy and headed to Josie's.
Sure enough..There he was..in a very expensive new suit that looked tailor made....and with a very sexy looking woman sitting on his lap...I suspected this was Wendy. Chris had a drink next
to him and a plate of Alaskan Crab legs... Donald "Smooth " was sitting across from them with a
mallet and some butter..He was cracking the legs and dipping them in the butter and feasting..While Chris was feeding Wendy some jumbo shrimps, in between taking sips of his drink.
"Hey man, what's up?" I said.
"Heyyy Chess.....Sorry I missed that meeting with Carlyle this morning, I got held up.."he said.
"Ahhh, don't worry...We were just closing the deal....We open up next Friday....Chance,Paris and Blake have already expressed an interest in moving in there." I said.
"Ohhhh that's what's up....Did you uhh take care of that uh thing with Mabel and them?" he asked.
"Yup, they are free and clear just like we agreed.." I said.
"Oh Okay ,cool.....Excuse me for being rude.....Chess..This is my baby here....Wendy Thomas....
We been uh kickin it...Wendy, this is my oldest friend...Chess....We call him that cause he play chess all the time.heheheheheheheh." Laughed Chris....
"Hey now...My late husband..Georgie used to play chess too." she laughed.
Her late husband?? Why was there something about this girl that seemed familiar and sinister
all at the same time?
(To Be Continued...)
"Thanks a lot Mr. Carlyle...you guys did good work" I said as I shook his hand. I had used his workmen to gut an old long abandoned apartment building and turn it into what would be one of the most stylish condos in West Philaelphia. We had used a substantial amount of money, gleemed from our card game to pay for the project which began about a year ago. The Building was given a complete new face and the inside looked incredible...It had cable, was wifi compatible
and had a rooftop that could be used for parties and affairs... Chris and I both had agreed that we were going to make this affordable , so that some of the people we knew could actually afford to live in a nice place like this.
"By the way Chess..Where is your partner, Chris?" asked Mr. Carlyle.
"Hmm, I don't know...He was supposed to be here an hour ago." I said, looking at my watch.
"Well, I gotta go..got another job to do." said Mr. Carlyle.
"Of course...Thanks again." I said.
It wasn't like Chris to miss a business meeting...even one as non-important and routine as this one. He was about the business. No Matter, I had some other business to attend to. I got in my car and drove over to Mabel Jenkins Soul Food joint. When I got there...Mabel , her sister, Cora
Beth and her other sister Anita were working hard...Getting great southern cuisine prepared for the lunch crowd. Ever since Chris and I had loaned her the money to start her restaraunt and her other sister,Victoria money to start her catering businesses...They had done nothing but bring in big money.
Because of it's location, Mabel's spot was where everybody came after Josie's closed...To get that good hot meal after a night of drinking and partying.... It was also where people came for breakfast and dinner dates. We liked Mabel. She was fine as hell and a good businesswoman. Chris always said that if she wasn't involved with our friend, "88", that would be the type of woman he would want to be involved with.
"Hey Mr. Chess..How you doin?" said Anita..the youngest of the four Jenkins girls.
"I'm doin good...where's your sister?" I asked.
"Which one?" she laughed playfully.
"Mabel...you know who I come here for gurl?" I joked as I playfully swatted at her.
Mabel had already seen me and she came out and greeted me with a smile and a hug..
"How you doin Chess..What you havin baby?" she asked.
I pulled out a couple of dollars and said-
"Get me two Fried Chicken sandwiches, a Coke and two sweet potato pies to go."I said.
"Chess..what you pullin out money for? You know your money is no good here partner." she smiled.
"That's what I came to talk to you about Mabel...You guys have been doing very good on this corner and it seems to me like you've already paid us back the money we lent you to start this
business......so in effect , you are officially the boss now...Chris and me are no longer your silent
partners...You are free and clear as of today!" I said.
"What? You guys were so good to me..I can't believe it." said Mabel.
"And we'll still be...We are still your friend Mabel...If anybody gives you any trouble, we are just a phone call away..It's just that, it's time for you to enjoy all of your profits and not have to kick a percentage to us anymore...We aint gangsters...We just saw an opportunity to help a sista out."
I said.
"I'm so thankful for everything you and Chris did for me and my sisters Chess. Hey did you hear that somebody tried to kill your boy Fathead last night?" she said.
"What?" I said..."No!"
"Yeah...two guys took shot at him as he was coming out of that strip club he likes. They missed and Fathead got away." she said. "He always get away...that's like the third time somebody tried to shoot him in front of that club...mybe he should find another club."laughed Mabel.
" Yeah maybe...hahahahaha, Wow...I'll have to tell Chris, when I see him." I said...No longer caring about Fathead and his gangster lifestyle...As far as I was concerned...that was on him...that was the life he chose to lead. Someone was always going to be trying to make moves to topple the king. That was why I was so glad that Chris had chosen to get out of the game.
"I saw Chris and his new girlfriend this morning." said Mabel.
"New girlfriend?" I said.
"Yeah...They came in here this morning for breakfast. I didn't dig her...she seemed like a straight chickenhead...Mr. Chris can do better than that..Her name is Wendy something or other" she said. I scratched my head....I didn't think anything of it...and I got in my car and went home. My wife Rell and my son were there waiting for me and the food.
"Hey Chess...you just missed Chris..He just left here a few minutes ago..." she said.
"Yeah?" I said.
"Yeah, he came by here with his new girlfriend..." said Rell.
"New girlfriend huh? That's why he missed our meeting?" I laughed, not really caring.
"Yeah,I know her....She from the neighborhood....I don't dig her Chess...You better holla at your boy and warn him." said Rell.
"What's her story?" I asked as I chomped into my fried chicken leg and took a sip of my Coke.
"Her name is Wendy Thomas....She used to be married to some gangsta guy..but he's dead....She said she was in the Cayman Islands and just got back in town...but she probably lyin...She always
used to lie back when I knew her...I just don't think she right for Chris..but he seemed smitten."
said Rell.
I'd seen Chris with many women.....and I'd known him to have many women ,all at one time usually...but smitten was not what I had ever seen him...I would have to check him out. Only thing was..I couldn't seem to catch up with him.
One place I could catch up with him would be Josie's...It was Thursday...He'd be in there for the happy hour that featured Alaskan Crab Legs....Chris loved his seafood. I kissed Rell and my baby
boy and headed to Josie's.
Sure enough..There he was..in a very expensive new suit that looked tailor made....and with a very sexy looking woman sitting on his lap...I suspected this was Wendy. Chris had a drink next
to him and a plate of Alaskan Crab legs... Donald "Smooth " was sitting across from them with a
mallet and some butter..He was cracking the legs and dipping them in the butter and feasting..While Chris was feeding Wendy some jumbo shrimps, in between taking sips of his drink.
"Hey man, what's up?" I said.
"Heyyy Chess.....Sorry I missed that meeting with Carlyle this morning, I got held up.."he said.
"Ahhh, don't worry...We were just closing the deal....We open up next Friday....Chance,Paris and Blake have already expressed an interest in moving in there." I said.
"Ohhhh that's what's up....Did you uhh take care of that uh thing with Mabel and them?" he asked.
"Yup, they are free and clear just like we agreed.." I said.
"Oh Okay ,cool.....Excuse me for being rude.....Chess..This is my baby here....Wendy Thomas....
We been uh kickin it...Wendy, this is my oldest friend...Chess....We call him that cause he play chess all the time.heheheheheheheh." Laughed Chris....
"Hey now...My late husband..Georgie used to play chess too." she laughed.
Her late husband?? Why was there something about this girl that seemed familiar and sinister
all at the same time?
(To Be Continued...)
2 comments:
Interesting...can't wait for the next installment.
As soon as she said my late husband, I would have made her late.
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