ova her shoulder.
My tone toward her changed. “I can’t do this. I gotta son who needs me, Betty,” I pleaded. “What if there is a fire? What if somethin’ happens where I need to get out and can’t?” My voice deepened more and more with each sentence. “We need to get Bo on the phone!”
I was so proud of myself. I didn’t allow Betty’s frown to intimidate me. At that point I was ready to pack my shit, and have Mike to take me the bus station. There were otha in-houses I could work for a few days, just until I raised the money I needed.
Within minutes, Betty had gotten Bo on the phone. We were sittin’ in our same exact seats as we did when I checked in. I looked Betty in the eye as she told Bo that I had a problem with one of her rules. Betty told some lie about a girl that left out late at night searchin’ for drugs. She said the girl got raped, and beat up which brought heat to her, ’cause the girl said she was livin’ with Betty in Bensonhurst. She laughed like she was outta breath as she bragged to Bo.
“Of course I had my men throw the bitch out. Her pimp ended up getting a bad rep with a couple other in-houses too,” she added.
She went on to make fun of me, sayin’ I must’ve had somewhere to go after two a.m., ’cause the padlocks didn’t go on until after that. She joked sayin’, “You know there’s an old saying, there’s nothing open after two a.m.…but somebody’s legs.”
Her expression lightened up somewhat; almost as if she and Bo had a connection. All I heard were, “Ummm huh, Oh I see…okay…will do.”
She made small talk with Bo for a few more seconds, then lit a cigar right in front me of. That meant only one thing, the conversation was about somethin’ profitable for Betty. I sat tryna make out the good and bad within her words, while the rich, deep aroma of the tobacco that somehow reminded me of spices, filled my nose.
Abruptly, Betty handed me the phone.
Bo started shoutin’, “Betty got good damn reason for lockin’ them damn doors! Hoes will be hoes! Anyway, how much money you made so far?”
I stuttered…“I made $750 last night and $600 the night before.”
“You got it all on you, baby?” His voice softened like the sweet Bo I knew.
“Yeah…my cut. I split with Betty.”
His voice rose again. “Bitch, give all that damn money ta Betty right now!”
“For what?” I countered, raisin’ my voice too.
“She need ta keep it for sake keepin’. All of it. Your stupid-ass got to New York and gone plum crazy. Hand it ova right now while I’m on the phone!”
I looked ova at Betty who wanted to smile. She leaned back in her swiveled chair blowing smoke in the air. She was just an evil old woman in my book. I started rummagin’ through my purse searchin’ for the money. I knew how much I had, but would keep the sixty I’d made in tips.
“Why I gotta do this Bo? Half of that shit is mine?”
“Stop back-talkin’ and count it up. Don’t miss one red cent. She’ll give us our cut when you get ready ta leave. Now, how much you givin’ her!” he shouted, keepin’ me from thinkin’ clearly.
“Seven-fifty,” I said softly.
“Hell to the naw! What about the $300 from the otha night?”
“Bo, I had to buy some personal stuff.” I was so emotional, almost in tears.
“You stashin’ money bitch? I hope not. If I got ta send somebodyyyy ta do a shake down, it’s gon’ be baddddddddd!”
’Of course I’m not Bo. We in this together,” I pleaded. “I used about $60.00 just to live…you know condoms, shampoo, and stuff like that.”
“Just hand ova what’cha got.” He paused. “I love ya gurl. I can’t wait ta see ya.”
I threw the money across the table to Betty with an attitude. I sniffled a bit tryna hold the tears inside. “Bo, did any mail come for me from the courts? Dre said he already filed papers to get Carlton. The court date is comin’ up,” I mumbled, hopin’ Betty wasn’t all in my business.
Bo’s
My tone toward her changed. “I can’t do this. I gotta son who needs me, Betty,” I pleaded. “What if there is a fire? What if somethin’ happens where I need to get out and can’t?” My voice deepened more and more with each sentence. “We need to get Bo on the phone!”
I was so proud of myself. I didn’t allow Betty’s frown to intimidate me. At that point I was ready to pack my shit, and have Mike to take me the bus station. There were otha in-houses I could work for a few days, just until I raised the money I needed.
Within minutes, Betty had gotten Bo on the phone. We were sittin’ in our same exact seats as we did when I checked in. I looked Betty in the eye as she told Bo that I had a problem with one of her rules. Betty told some lie about a girl that left out late at night searchin’ for drugs. She said the girl got raped, and beat up which brought heat to her, ’cause the girl said she was livin’ with Betty in Bensonhurst. She laughed like she was outta breath as she bragged to Bo.
“Of course I had my men throw the bitch out. Her pimp ended up getting a bad rep with a couple other in-houses too,” she added.
She went on to make fun of me, sayin’ I must’ve had somewhere to go after two a.m., ’cause the padlocks didn’t go on until after that. She joked sayin’, “You know there’s an old saying, there’s nothing open after two a.m.…but somebody’s legs.”
Her expression lightened up somewhat; almost as if she and Bo had a connection. All I heard were, “Ummm huh, Oh I see…okay…will do.”
She made small talk with Bo for a few more seconds, then lit a cigar right in front me of. That meant only one thing, the conversation was about somethin’ profitable for Betty. I sat tryna make out the good and bad within her words, while the rich, deep aroma of the tobacco that somehow reminded me of spices, filled my nose.
Abruptly, Betty handed me the phone.
Bo started shoutin’, “Betty got good damn reason for lockin’ them damn doors! Hoes will be hoes! Anyway, how much money you made so far?”
I stuttered…“I made $750 last night and $600 the night before.”
“You got it all on you, baby?” His voice softened like the sweet Bo I knew.
“Yeah…my cut. I split with Betty.”
His voice rose again. “Bitch, give all that damn money ta Betty right now!”
“For what?” I countered, raisin’ my voice too.
“She need ta keep it for sake keepin’. All of it. Your stupid-ass got to New York and gone plum crazy. Hand it ova right now while I’m on the phone!”
I looked ova at Betty who wanted to smile. She leaned back in her swiveled chair blowing smoke in the air. She was just an evil old woman in my book. I started rummagin’ through my purse searchin’ for the money. I knew how much I had, but would keep the sixty I’d made in tips.
“Why I gotta do this Bo? Half of that shit is mine?”
“Stop back-talkin’ and count it up. Don’t miss one red cent. She’ll give us our cut when you get ready ta leave. Now, how much you givin’ her!” he shouted, keepin’ me from thinkin’ clearly.
“Seven-fifty,” I said softly.
“Hell to the naw! What about the $300 from the otha night?”
“Bo, I had to buy some personal stuff.” I was so emotional, almost in tears.
“You stashin’ money bitch? I hope not. If I got ta send somebodyyyy ta do a shake down, it’s gon’ be baddddddddd!”
’Of course I’m not Bo. We in this together,” I pleaded. “I used about $60.00 just to live…you know condoms, shampoo, and stuff like that.”
“Just hand ova what’cha got.” He paused. “I love ya gurl. I can’t wait ta see ya.”
I threw the money across the table to Betty with an attitude. I sniffled a bit tryna hold the tears inside. “Bo, did any mail come for me from the courts? Dre said he already filed papers to get Carlton. The court date is comin’ up,” I mumbled, hopin’ Betty wasn’t all in my business.
Bo’s
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