Thursday, February 17, 2011

All Them Good Things


"One thing I always respected about you Chess is that you always kept it one hundred baby..You were smart...You went to college, got married, never got in the drug game and today...You livin the good life." I said to my friend Chess...as we had breakfast at Mabel Jenkins Soul Food Joint.

"Yeah man...I knew from the door that I wasn't built for the game." said Chess.

"Me neither...but I thought I was....." I said.

''Same here partner" came the unmistakable voice of one of the biggest baddest and realist brothers in the game, Chris Thompson...He used to be the big cheese in West Philly and Southwest Philly....and then one day..he gave it all up..Turned over everything to Arthur Newton...another childhood friend of mine, who is now called "Fathead" Newton....He runs West and southwest Philly.

Chris Thompson had some legitimate businesses while he was running things, After he got out of the game...He and Chess teamed up and now are millionaires many times over...They in Real Estate, got a shopping center, gyms, juice bars..
and the best thing...Unlike me...They no longer have to look over their shoulders.
I admire the both of them.

"Heard you gettin married Basil....and that you joined the church, goin to school and all...Damn man...you done done a 360...I remember when you and I were rivals..Friendly rivals..you had your thing on the trains..and I had my thing on the streets..but still..." laughed Chris Thompson.

"Yeah man...I been taking courses at Community College on my days off..I'm three months away from an Associates Degree." I offered.

"That's good man, real good ..You still workin on the trains?" asked Chess.

"Yeah man....I hope I live long enough to do all them good things." I said.

"I heard that that psychopath , Geechie Dan has a contract on you." said Chris Thompson.
"Allejandro, my old connect from New York City had a contract on him a few years back...but none of his people could get to that freak..He don't stay in one place long enough to pin him down....They worked out their differences I heard...but I was sure hopin somebody put a bullet in him..Never liked that guy."he continued as he sipped his coffee.

"Our man, Donald Smooth is in New York tryin to get the skinny on what's up with that...You know...He had a point man named Spade who came here and hired Elephant Jones, Gorilla Lewis and Tornado Jones to take you out...He came here himself with that freak,Johnny Boy...but as you must've heard..All of em have uh had rather unfortunate accidents..heh ,heh,heh.." laughed Chris Thompson.

"Yeah man...what? You got a Contract with God or something? Without you even liftin a finger..seems like everybody Geechie sent for you got wiped out without you doin a thing or even knowin about it...You scare me man, more than Geechie Dan" joked Chess.

There was that term again...Contract with God!! The pastor had used that term a few days ago....Was there something to it?? I didn't know...If I lived the week out I'd certainly know...I hadn't told Jenny yet ,just how bad things were..She was excited about us getting married soon...We had already put down money on a house...Thanks to Kevin's wife, Sepia and her business associate, Bonita....

Jenny had her job as a nurse, I had my job on the trains and I had enrolled at community college and almost finished..still...I wasn't gonna feel right until I knew that there was no longer a bounty on my head..

Maybe the only way to be sure was to go to New York and kill Geechie Dan...I only hoped that it wouldn't come to that...but how could I ever have any peace with that psychopath alive and free? Still, I had pledged to be a good man and a good man was not a killer.

"I wouldn't worry none Basil" said Chris..."You here in Philly...We got your back babe." he said.

"Thanks man." I said...but I knew that Chris and Chess didn't have the muscle to protect me from Geechie...Geechie had money and reach and could call in the
best....Although now of days..the "best" was a little depleted...Cats like Sonny Templeton, Junkyard Doggie, Malik Lockjohn...Jack Daniels and Tom Collins were all dead....and the rumor was...Nobody was really interested in coming to Philly for any reason...Philly was bad luck for hitters.... Geechie's money and persuasion could and would change that!

II-

A few days later, I ran into Donald Smooth in Josie's...He bought me a beer and sat down next to me..He talked quietly so that only I could hear what he was saying...

"Hey Basil...I don't know what to make of this...but word on the street is that Geechie aint himself now of days...He's obsessed with a certain Philly player who he says made a fool out of him...That playa or ex playa would be you." he laughed.

"I made him a lot of money man...and then I got out of the game..." I said.

"Hey Basil...I know man...but Geechie is old school...With him...you in it for life...you don't retire...He's stuck in his ways...but check this out...His number two, a cat named Richardson...you know him?"asked Donald Smooth.

"Yeah..That's the guy who put me on and put me in touch with Geechie Dan..A two faced snake.." I said.

"Was a two faced snake...He's dead!" said Donald.

"What?" I asked.

"He was messin with another players wife in Harlem...The cat walked in on both of them and shot them both to death...He in jail now...That's one less cat you got to worry about...He was the brains in Geechie Dan's organization...but the bad news is..Somebody did take the contract." said Donald Smooth.

"Who?" I asked.

"I don't know, I was tryin to find out, but everybody got tight lipped, People are that afraid to cross Geechie Dan..I'm kind of worried that they might pass my name along to him...just watch your back..Stay close to the vest." he said. "Let's take a walk." he said.

We walked outside and he passed me a .38 smokeless! It was wrapped up in a wash cloth and in a paper bag.

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's a gun..what it look like? The serial number is gone....Keep it on you...you may need it...If you have to use it..Use it ,wipe it clean and ditch it." he said.

"I don't know man." I said.

"I DO know.....Geechie Dan aint no joke...You may have to send him a personal message...That you aint the one to be trifled with.Now take this and be careful Basil." said Donald Smooth. "Me and my associates will try to watch your back as much as possible...Keep your ear to the wood babe." he continued.

"Alright man." I said.

"Look man, you got a nice lookin chippy that you gettin ready to marry, got a job, done bought a house and all...You wanna be around for all them good things right...I know the Lord takes care of us...thats why he made .38 smokelesses , so we can take care of ourselves , while he busy tending to something that may be more important. Now go ahead....Be easy Basil." laughed Donald Smooth.

"Always man." I said and we gave each other dap.

His logic was a bit twisted...but still good advice ,considering the circumstances!

(To Be Continued....)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like Basil, I hope he makes it out of this alive.

Vanessa said...

.I know the Lord takes care of us...thats why he made .38 smokelesses , so we can take care of ourselves , while he busy tending to something that may be more important."

LMBAO- Love that line Keith, Love this story too!

Swaggie said...

Man this storyline is tight..I'm diggin it so far!

Tate 2 said...

I love your gangsta stories the best.
This one is on some real other stuff!

Samuel Bastion said...

I love the spiritual aspect of this story...It's different.

Toni said...

This story is fascinating...Nice to see Chris Thompson and Chess for a change...You've been writing a lot of Kevin stories.

Keith said...

@Toni- This is actually a "Basil" story...He's a new character.