The Durham Mob, page 20
“Call me and come by the apartment anytime. Come to see the kid. He likes you and so does my wife.” His son was born on April 7th, the same as William. Bobby and his wife swore that was the reason the kid liked him better than anyone else who came to their apartment. “I’ll do that.” He put the envelope in his back pocket and left the park. Bobby had given him six thousand for the watch and he seemed to feel good about it; like he was doing a good deed, maybe to ease his conscience, if he had a conscience. Bobby wouldn’t continue giving away money if he hadn’t made some money from the stock. He was a businessman, a crooked businessman, so, since he gave more than was required, he wasn’t losing. He was just sharing the profits like he was supposed to in the first place. It was over and there was nothing he could do, so this would be the last act and now, he could really put the whole adventure behind him. He never called Bobby again.
That evening, he called Billy and asked him to come by his apartment. “I have something for you.” Billy knew what that meant and he was expecting a lot of money. William knew he was going to be disappointed but he was safe, he hadn’t been arrested and he would come out with more money than he had in the first place. He decided he would give him two thousand, pay off the credit card and keep two thousand for himself and come clean with him about what had happened; that they had all been taken and there was nothing they could do about it. They couldn’t prove anything, plus it all happened in Germany several weeks ago. William would share this money with him and let it go. William thought, ‘If I had been a seasoned crook, I would have known what to look for, and Bobby probably wouldn’t have tried to take it all.’ But he wasn’t and it was over!
Billy had a big smile on his face. Afterall, he had made a total of six thousand dollars, which was more money than he had ever had in his life. He was disappointed that he didn’t get rich and it didn’t matter how much the stock was worth, it was just paper to him. He was a winner. He was disappointed, but satisfied.
William went back the second time to visit Coy to take some money to put in the commissary. He went through the same search procedure. Before he went in to see Coy, he asked the guard how he could leave more money for his brother. He was shown the same open window with a guard standing behind it. He went over to the window and told the guard that he wanted to deposit more money for Coy Smith.
The guard asked him how much and William said, “Three hundred dollars.”
The guard counted the money and asked William to sign a paper just as he had done the first time. He left the window and went to see Coy. Coy greeted him with a big smile on his face and gave him a firm hand shake. It was awkward and difficult to embrace across a long table and it was also forbidden. Even wives were only allowed to give a peck on the lips or cheek when entering and the same when leaving. They were not allowed to do anything that seemed sexual. How uncivilized to prevent wives and other family members from embracing their loved ones just because they had committed a crime and were incarcerated.
They sat across from each other and began the conversation. “You look relaxed. How are you adjusting to prison?”
“I’ve learned already, all you can do is one day at a time and your time will run out and you can go home. There’s nothing I can do about anything except what’s in front of me. They respected my education and gave me a job in the library, an easy job. I’m not here for a violent crime so the guards cut me some slack. I’ll be alright. Oh, there’s a guy here who said you used to be his teacher at Riker’s Island. His name is Horace Parker. You remember him?”
“Yea, I remember him very well. He’s a really smart guy and a very good writer. I got him a scholarship to North Carolina Central through Dr. Ray and he blew it. He didn’t show up for me to take him down. He’s so talented! I tried to help him but I guess he’s one of those guys who spend their lives in and out of jails. Too bad, tell him I was disappointed in him and so were all the other people who were lined up to help him, but I wish him well. Tell him I hope he gets his act together one day. Anyway, I put some money in the commissary for you today,” William injected to change the subject.
“How much did you put?”
“Three hundred dollars. I got the bail money and deposited it in my account. I’ll just sit on the rest until you need it.” He didn’t realize when he said it, that it implied that he would come back again.
“With money in the commissary, I can buy cigarettes and then I can trade them for other stuff that I can’t get at the commissary. Did you speak to Swazy about giving Larry some money for my appeal?”
“I haven’t seen Swazy. I’ll tell him when I see him.”
‘What appeal,’ William thought again. ‘He pled guilty! What a waste of money and a gift to Larry.’
“I really appreciate your coming up. Are you gonna come up every week?”
William hesitated. Coy noticed the hesitation and filled the silence. “I know all that’s gone down, it’s asking a lot, but you know I don’t have anyone else to come.” Where were all of those people he spent money on and supplied coke? William wondered if it bothered him that he didn’t have a single friend to visit him after all the money and parties at his crib. A million dollars didn’t buy a single friend and the only person on whom he could depend is the person he treated the worst. Now, he wanted that rejected person to be his only link to the outside world. How ironic! William was still silent. “I’ll do the best I can.”
A little anger and meanness came over William and he asked, “Where are all those people you gave coke to and all those women you screwed, and all the hangers-on that you gave money to?” He knew the answer but he couldn’t help sticking it to Coy. Coy just looked at him and said, “You know the answers to all those questions,” and he quickly changed the subject.
“Oh, by the way, Sid just arrived, Coy recounted. It’s funny how well Sid made his adjustment. He entered his cell in his prison clothes, put on his slippers and sat down to relax like he didn’t have a worry in the world. He won’t do hard time. That’s the way to do it, accept it and do your time. Sid seemed right at home.” The meeting was short. There wasn’t much more that they could talk about at the time. William left. Again, as the first time, he was driving that ninety miles thinking about how he was going to handle the situation. At that moment, he didn’t want to make that drive once a week. He was no longer comfortable talking to Coy. They hadn’t talked alone, face to face in more than two years. It was difficult! He had trouble looking Coy in the eyes. Coy could read what he was thinking and when he looked at Coy in the eyes while he was talking, he could read him also. They were both victims of the past two years; the neglect, the lies, the deception and the total lack of brotherly love or communication. All that did not make it easy for William to make those visits. Coy had no choice and needed him. “See you next week,” he said, half smiling.
When William arrived at his apartment, he decided to call his mother. “Ma, I just went to visit your son.”
“How’s he doing?” she asked, her voice revealing the pain and worry from a mother. “How’s his health?” Coy had a history of heart trouble and all the drinking, coke and all-nighters hadn’t helped. William thought that maybe incarceration might be good for his health. “He looks good, Ma. Now, he can get the rest he needs.”
“Does he need anything?”
“All he needs is money so he can buy soap, cigarettes and stuff like that.”
“I wish I could go to see him but it’s too far for me and you know I’m not doing so well myself.” She always said that. It became difficult to tell when she was sick or how bad unless she was in a hospital. “You don’t need to see him now, anyway. The way he treated you and all of us, he’s lucky I went to see him and I don’t know if I’m gonna keep going.”
“What do you mean? You have to go to see him!”
“Why? He cheated me, stole from me, lied to me, cheated his own sister and disrespected you. Do you know, his ex-wife and son didn’t even get anything from him? For Christmas, he sent a fire truck to his son by Lauren. She flew all the way to North Carolina to deliver it and came right back. Not even a Christmas card and nothing for his ex-wife. How cold was that? He deserves what he’s getting and I really don’t want to talk to him!” Her voice changed from sorrow to anger. “He’s still your brother and my son,” she said, staccato like, stressing each word. “He needs you!”
“I needed him the past two years. Where was he? He was in his fine apartment with all his new friends and girl–friends. I won’t even tell you the stuff he did to me!”
“And I don’t want to hear it! We are family, not a very close family, but we’re all we got. We have to help each other. Now maybe he hasn’t been the kind of brother he shoulda been, and he certainly hasn’t been the kind of son to me, but maybe part of it is my fault. I tried to raise you guys as best I could. I didn’t have much, but I did the best I could.” On and on she went. He had heard that speech before. She would often blame herself for his short comings but at times, she would say about Coy, “That boy is just like his no-good Daddy!”
“I know all this but I can’t just forget what he did to me. It wasn’t a long time ago; it was just a few months ago, the last two years. When I needed him, he just ignored me! He only called or came by when he was showing off or when he needed something. Why should I help him now?”
“Because he’s your brother,” she said in that angry voice he had heard many times. “He needs you and I will be disappointed if you walk away from him now. The bible says, ‘I am my brother’s keeper.’ No matter what he did, you have to forgive him and God will bless you.” Again, it was all familiar. He didn’t even believe in God, but she would recite that biblical stuff to get her way, and of course the line that all mothers use, “I am your mother!” William wiggled and moaned but she wouldn’t let him off the hook. “I didn’t raise you to be like that. I want you to go to visit your brother and help him get through this. You know he has a bad heart!” That’s another line she used many times. “I need you to do this for me. Don’t let your poor mother down.” Those were more lines he had heard many times. He guessed she continued to use them because they always worked, at least half way. He wouldn’t always do what she wanted, but enough to give her some satisfaction.
“Okay, Ma, I’ll go for a while if you’ll stop beating up on me.”
“That’s my baby.” There that one was again. He was the youngest so she often referred to him as “My baby.”
“Tell him to write to me and I will send him anything he needs. Call me next week and tell me you went back to see him and how he’s doing. That’s the last word. I don’t want to hear anymore. I’ll be looking for your call. I love you, baby, and your brother too. Bye.”
“Bye Ma.”
CHAPTER 38
Charlie Red came by William’s apartment one evening looking very serious. He said he wanted to have a business conversation with William. “Hey, I got some serious shit to lay on you. You probably don’t know this but I’ve been working with Swazy and Bob in their business.” He meant the heroin business. “And I’ve learned the business well. These guys don’t do any work. They have lieutenants and workers to do all the work and take the risks. I do some of the work myself for them. These guys are making tons of money, you know that. You see all the new cars and diamonds and all the other shit these guys are showing off. I know enough now that I can do what they do.”
“And you are telling me this because…?”
“Because I want to start my own business and I need a partner. You’re one of the few people I trust. I know what to do and I can teach you. I need someone I trust to watch my back. I don’t need to make all the money. I’d rather share and work with somebody I trust. What do you think?” William was silent for a minute. He was surprised at what he was hearing, especially about the offer to go into that business. He had never considered it, although like many others on the outside, he certainly wanted the fruits of that labor. Several of his homeboys were making big money and doing a lot of showing off. They had attracted and screwed some of the prettiest girls in New York. Like most people, he certainly wanted the comfort and security that money could buy. “This is kind of sudden. I had not thought about this before. Let me think on it for a minute and I’ll let you know. You know I’d like to have a pocket full of money and all the new bitches, but this is a little heavy for me. Let me sleep on it. I will say that if I decide to do this, it will be because I trust you.”
“I can dig it. Think about it and let me know. We can make a lot of bread. Later.” After he left, a thousand thoughts were rushing through William’s mind. ‘I can pay off my car and I won’t have to work on a job again. Maybe I could do it for one year and save, maybe a hundred thousand and quit. It sounds great but I don’t want to go to jail, especially for drugs. My life would be over. I would never be able to teach again. My mother would just die.’ He decided to talk to Coy about it on the next visit. He avoided talking to Red for a few days while waiting to visit Coy. He drove those ninety miles to visit Coy. After only a few seconds of, “What’s happenings?” he told Coy about Red’s proposition. Coy had become a hardened criminal. He wouldn’t sell heroin before he went in but he sold a lot of coke. “Look at it this way,” he said. “There are two or three hundred thousand heroin addicts in New York City who buy every day, sometimes more than once a day. They’re gonna continue buying and using. There’s nothing you can do about it. You just have to decide if they’re gonna be buying your heroin, or Swazy’s, or Bob’s.”
“That’s cold!”
“That’s reality. You can’t change the situation; you can join in or not. That shit’s gonna continue. If you got the stomach for it, go for it. You know the money’s great.”
“Why didn’t you do it when you were hustling?”
“I just preferred coke. Now, I wish I had. Sid and I got all the pussy with coke, but we used too much of our own product. We had to sell the coke ourselves. Heroin is easier. I wish I had done the heroin. But, see, you got a big problem. You got a conscience. When you’re a heroin dealer, you have to detach yourself from the human side and just think about the business side. Buy the product, let the workers do all the work and collect your money on Friday’s.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is easy! Decide to do it or don’t. You’re doing too much thinking.”
“What about the risks?”
“How many drug dealers do you know, and how many do you know have been arrested lately? There’re risks in anything that pays that kind of money that doesn’t require a PhD, and PhD’s don’t make that kind of money. Keep in mind, cops are paid to look the other way. Everybody’s in on it. Nobody cares about those drug addicts! You have to be able to live with your decision.”
“You think, maybe I could do it for a year and save a lot of money and quit,” posed William.
“Do you know or have you ever heard of a dope dealer who retired? When you start making that kind of bread, you can’t just walk away. You’ll convince yourself you’ll do it one more year and… so, do it or don’t, now, let’s change the subject.”
They talked more about what was happening in New York.
On the way back, again, William had all this stuff running through his mind. He wanted the rewards but could he sell the product? He debated with himself for three weeks before he made a decision. Red had popped by several times during the period and simply asked, “Any news?” Of course, he was referring to William’s decision. Finally, the door-bell rang. William opened it and it was C. Red. “What’s happening, Mr. Smith?”
“It’s your world. What’s happening with you?”
“What did you decide to do about the proposition? I hope you’re gonna work with me?”
“I thought hard and long and I can’t seem to make myself do this. I want the bread but I don’t want the risks. I really want to do it, but I’m not going to. I appreciate your coming to me, and trusting me, and you know I trust you. I hope it works out for you and maybe I can borrow a few dollars one day and get some free coke.”
“I’m really disappointed but I understand. This isn’t for everybody. I’m gonna ask Wakefield: he already works for Swazy but I’ll see. You’re still my main man. Later.” Red left. William felt bad because he liked Red and trusted him. He was loyal and dependable. That’s why the other guys let him catch some crumbs from their tables. But they still used him and didn’t show enough respect for him. He wanted to do it for Red as well as make a lot of money for himself, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He had already lost his ethical virginity by letting himself get involved in some of Coy’s deals, but he didn’t want to lose his soul. “What profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul.”
The door-bell rang and William answered. It was Bob. The southern guys always came by unannounced. That was part of the culture. Back home, nobody called and said they wanted to come by or that they were coming by. They just showed up at the door. So, they did the same thing in New York. Bob entered carrying a small airline bag. “What’s up my man? You hiding any ladies in the back?”
“No just me. What’s up with you?”
“Whatcha gonna do with your brother’s Cadillac?”
“I don’t know. Why you asking?”
“I’ll buy it from you. I want to give it to my lieutenant. What do you want for it?”
“I hadn’t thought about it. If I sell it, I need to get at least four thousand for it.”
“Okay, I’ll give you four thousand right now. You got the papers?”
“Yeah, I got everything right here in my apartment.”
“Let’s do some business then. Count out what you need.” He threw a small carry-on bag on the sofa. William opened it and it was full of money, mostly small bills. William emptied the money on the sofa and began counting.
