shit almost looks as good as my house,” said Wink, walking over to the chess board, which was perched on the coffee table.
“And that’s the way it’s ’pose to be,” said J-Bo.
He watched Wink and Krazy as they both got comfortable. Krazy did everything except take his shoes off. He was going through the many cassette tapes, while Wink pretended to be knowing what he was doing on the glass chessboard. Nice and comfortable, that’s how J-Bo wanted them. He had learned over the years that the best way to get somebody to sit in a crack house and stay put, they first had to want to stay put. So, J-Bo made the necessary investments to make his crack spots as comfortable as possible. His workers would be glued to the houses, all the while making him filthy rich!
“What you know about what you’re sitting in front of?” asked J-Bo as he took a seat across from Wink.
“I know I’d beat you,” Wink said with as much confidence he could muster.
So eager to learn, thought J-Bo. He pulled back a closed smile, then waved his hand across the board. “Your move.”
Wink pushed his center pawn up two squares, only to me matched by J-Bo’s. J-Bo matched Wink’s every move, until all his pieces were scattered out across the board.
“I wouldn’t make that move,” advised J-Bo.
Wink shifted his hand from the knight he was about to move over to his rook.
“I wouldn’t make that move either,” warned J-Bo.
Wink made a frivolous move, pushing his queen next to J-Bo’s. J-Bo moved in for the kill, bypassing Wink’s queen and taking his bishop instead.
“You see what I see? That’s checkmate,” said J-Bo.
Wink looked the board over in complete disbelief.
“Don’t worry yourself about that. You lost before you even made your first move,” said J-Bo.
“Run it back,” said Wink. He turned the board around and hurriedly went to setting up the pieces, but J-Bo stopped him.
J-Bo just smiled. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what?” asked Wink.
“Look at the board.” J-Bo waited a few moments, then continued. “You see how all your pieces are scattered out? Your king was left vulnerable. You see, young dawg, in this game we play, every man has to be his own king, and we gotta learn to use everything and everybody around us to get to where we trying to go, and that’s to the top. Everybody around me is like a piece on this board, and some less, including you. You got the basics down, how the pieces move, but now you’ve gotta learn how to use them to protect you.”
Wink nodded in agreement while looking down at the chess board.
“You see, I’m not no chess wizard, but I know how to play the game. I know the rules and each piece’s purpose. What you just did is sat down and jumped into a game head first, not knowing how to win the game. And the same goes for this street game you just jumped into. You gotta learn the game. Don’t be so eager to play. Watch and learn. I’ma ask you one last thing, then we can get down to business. What piece do you think you are on the board?”
“Right now, I’d say a pawn,” said Wink.
“Not quite, but at least you didn’t say a king. I’d let you know when you’re a pawn,” said J-Bo. He turned to face Krazy, who was standing in front of the stereo system violently rocking back and forth to the new Dayton Family LP.
“What’s his name?”
“Krazy,” said Wink.
“Yo, Krazy, turn that down and take a seat.”
J-Bo stood up and started pacing the floor in front of the coffee table. He occasionally looked Wink and Krazy in the eye as he explained the breakdown. “Under no circumstances are you to give anyone credit. I don’t give a fuck if Jesus Christ co-sign the shit. Don’t do it. All shorts come out of y’all pay, not mine. No company. This is a place of business, not a chill house or hangout. If they’re not coppin’, no stoppin’.” J-Bo continued to pace while he jogged his brain. He wanted to make sure he covered everything, so there would be no excuses.
“Oh, yeah. Always separate mine’s from yours. I’m putting the work in your hand, Wink, and you’re responsible for it. I’ma pay y’all a thousand a week starting off, and the more we sell, the more you’ll start making. It’s on y’all how you split the grand up.”
“What about the police?” asked Wink.
“There’s a hole right here,” J-Bo said, walking over to the fireplace. He lifted the wooden panel and stepped aside for Wink and Krazy to see.
“If there’s a raid, just throw everything down this hole. All the money and dope. I’ll have Gator dig it out the chimney later.”
“What about if a nigga tries to rob us?” asked Krazy. “We need some heat.”
“Ain’t a nigga in his right mind gon’ rob none of my spots. Just remember, separate mine’s from yours. When one of y’all leave for the store or something, don’t be carrying mine’s with you.
“Nah,” said Wink. He and Krazy were too busy looking over their first sack.
“J-Bo, you up here?” asked Gator as he hit the door twice, then stepped inside.
J-Bo hid the sack behind one of the throw pillows on the sofa, then met Gator in the kitchen.
“I got some youngin’s I want you to meet,” said J-Bo as he walked Gator into the living room.
“This is Wink and Krazy. Y’all, this is Gator.”
“A’ight,” said Wink and Krazy. From one glance, they could tell how the old, dusty, skinny man standing before them got his handle. He had a mean overbite, which made it impossible to close his mouth. His side teeth hung over his bottom lip just like a real-life gator.
“Gator is going to be bringing a lot of customers through here. He’s my man, and this is his house, so respect him. But the no credit thing applies to him as well, no matter what he says,” said J-Bo.
“I’m not going to work the youngin’s,” Gator spat as he lied through gapped teeth.
“Yeah, that’s what you said about the last workers. Come on and walk me to my car. I got something for you.” J-Bo stopped and looked at Wink and Krazy.
“Y’all need anything? Y’all straight?” he asked.
“We good,” Wink answered for them both.
“A’ight, Gator got my number. Call me if something comes up. And remember everything I said.”
Wink and Krazy nodded and watched as J-Bo led Gator downstairs. Wink reached behind the pillow and poured the rocks onto the coffee table. He looked up at Krazy, then extended his hand with a smile.
“We on, my nigga.” He gave Krazy some
