Chapter 12

Pray for him and pray for you....

 

Chapter 12

 

     Ti Ti and Desmond were inside Ti Ti’s parked Green Nissan Sentra car, examining a picture. Desmond pointed to the photo,

“You seen him? That's our mark. We have to collect from him. If he does not pay it's extra to kill him. I don't know why Croatian Joe wants him dead so bad.”

“That Joe is a mean one. That's the baddest Vich there is.” Said Ti Ti.

“He almost owns all of Pedro. He has the harbor on lock I know that much.” Returned Desmond.

Ti Ti started the ignition. He glanced over at Desmond as if there was something to tell him,

“Oh yeah. I saw your boy today. The white one. Jay?”

“ John? Oh get the f**k out of here! You didn't smoke that cracker!” Screamed Desmond.

“Now I didn't see him until the last minute.” Ti Ti back peddled.

Desmond pounded the seat and then punched the dashboard. Ti Ti let out a loud belly laugh,

“Is it true he dunked on you up Peck Park last summer. That's the real reason you want to kill him.”

     Ti Ti attempted to repress his laughter but cannot. Desmond shot him daggers,

 “Yeah well is it true on of the Gracies had you in a submission hold?”

Ti Ti stopped immediately,

“Yeah so what?”

“By your little toe? I heard you were screaming like a b***h.”

     An enraged Ti Ti tried to grab Desmond by the neck. A zap was heard as Ti Ti backed off suddenly. Desmond showed Ti Ti his new high powered stun gun.

“Let's keep our hands to ourselves to ourselves boy. Anyway he owes me twenty dollars and I want it.”

“Your going to shoot that white boy for twenty dollars?”

     Desmond kicked the dashboard and yelled at Ti Ti.

 “It's the principal man. That's what we do. We start letting go people think we're soft. People think we are soft we don't eat. Now let's get the f**k out of here. Go man!”

     Ti Ti pulled off out the parking lot onto Pacific.

“At least I didn't get dunked on by some racist surfer white boy.”

“You can't ball or you would! S**t I'll dunk on you.”

“No you won't”

“Yes I will!”

 

      John drove down the quiet city streets as slow jams music played on the radio. Josh had his head in his hands, while Jimmy was in the back knocked out. Josh spoke in a low voice only heard to John,

“Johnny if you could go anywhere in the US. Where would you go?”

Without pausing; he answered,

“Vegas man. I love Vegas. But just to visit. I mean I would never leave Pedro.”

“No if you had to leave?”

     John stared at Josh defiantly, “No place! I would never leave Pedro. That's like a death sentence. This is the greatest place in the world man. Why, where would you move?”

Josh paused then looked straight ahead,

“Hermosa Beach!”

     John stopped the car with a screech. Jimmy's voice could be heard in the back,

“Yo calm the f**k down.”

     John was struck with disbelief,

“Hermosa beach! That's twenty minutes up the road.”

“So what. That where I would go.”

“You would leave Pedro? Why?”

“I just would man.”

“Why man. There is no place out there like Pedro.”

 “Because it's a pretty cage. No one ever leaves Pedro. It's like the real Hotel California man. You never leave! Well I want to leave man. I want to run around on the beach and get out of here.”

“Perdo has a beach!”

“I like Hermosa's. I just want to leave dude lighten the f**k up.”

“Well if we don't find that f*****g guy in the picture. You don't ever have to worry about leaving.”

“True!” Jimmy yelled.

“Shut the f**k up! F*****g lush!” Josh returned

 

     Freddy practiced as Octavious peeped in the door way. His worried expression was tattooed on his face.

“Fred. Fred.”

     Freddy examined  Octavious as a father would his son. He walked over to Octavious,

“Hey how you doing? Are you okay?”

     A somber Octavious pouted,

“Me and mama going to pray for you tonight.”

      Freddy eyes watered,

 “Thanks man.”

     Octavious shut the door as Freddy yelled out to him,

“Thanks buddy. I'll see you later. We will play later.”

         A smile crept across Octavious's round angelic,

 “Thanks. Okay. I can't wait.”

Octavious walked away from the bar.

     The Spot was empty with the exception of Conner and Peter Kim who appeared disappointed,

“You need a ride? I’m leaving this place is dead.”

     Conner snatched his stick case.

“No, I have a game to play.”

     Peter Kim walked out, stopped and then turned around toward the bar. He caught Conner morphing into the small Latino man. The small Latino man walks up to the pool table with an impish grin. Freddy saw him out of the corner of his eye,

“My my just in time.”

“I'm never late for a date. S**t I’v been here all night.”

     He turned back into Conner,

“Nice to see you.”

     Freddy racked the ball,

“ I knew that was you.”

An older Mexican women and Octavious are holding rosaries, while praying with their eyes closed. Candles are lit throughout in the sparsely decorated apartment.

     The Latino man and Freddy were eye to eye. He bent down to breaks but popped back up to point at Freddy,

“I hope you brought your A game there is a lot riding on it.”

      A likeness of Octavious replaced the Latino man but spoke in Conner’s voice

“You have a lot riding on this game.”

     Freddy watched in horrified amazement as the Latino was suddenly next to him.

“It's your shot.”

The bar transformed. A dark, eerie atmosphere rolled in like a cloud. The jukebox snapped on automatically and the song Devil Went Down to Georgia while Conner Square danced around the table,

“Nice touch!”

      Freddy bent at the knees and broke. He hit a Solid in the hole. Conner reached inside and pulled out the ball as it began to glow. Freddy doesn’t look at the ball,

“Your shot buddy.”

     The small Latino man morphed into Fat Tony and clanked two balls in at one time in one pocket,

“You're in trouble my friend.”

     Thirty minutes passed since they had started playing,

    Freddy hit another shot. The Latino man was in the left corner pocket. He looked up and he transported to the right corner pocket. Freddy peeked up again and the Latino man was standing by the side pocket smiling,

“Will you stand still?”

     Freddy lined the stick up with the ball, when suddenly two hands seductively grabbed his stick from behind,

“You have to put more ark on your stick Fred.”

     Conner walked around the opposite end of the table. Freddy stuck the ball in the right corner pocket. Freddy saw that Desmond replaced Conner,

“The world had changed for you. It's not just your life but that young boy

     Desmond morphed into Ms Lui but still spoke in Conner voice,

“You see never bet with money that's not yours.”

     Freddy surveyed the table and noticed the balls had disappeared. He stepped back away from the table. Frekka replaced Ms Lui's. He stepped toward Freddy bellowed in a loud, Croatian accent.

“Why did you beat me? I taught you everything. Pool was my life.”

     Freddy retraced his steps fearfully and dropped his stick,

“I'm sorry Frekka. I never knew, never knew.

     Conner again stood before Freddy,

“Sorry for what Fred take your shot.

     He had fake pity in his eyes for Fred,

“But the ball are gone.”

      Conner searched Freddy strangely,

“They’re right there Fred.”

      The table was transformed back.

Octavious and his Grandmother are on their knees praying loud and confidently. A gentle breeze blew through the apartment touching the 99 store bought candles.

    The same gentle breeze invaded the bar. Freddy felt it and was instantly relaxed. Conner appeared serious for the first time that night,

“Somebody loves you Freddy. Make the shot!”

     Ti Ti morphed from Conner, ran to Freddy and hovered over him breathing heavily,

“Make the shot!”

    Octavious stood on the table, but again spoke in Conner’s voice,

“Make the shot!”

     Freddy bent down and lined up again. He noticed clean shot to the left corner. He sang out,

“Eight ball corner pocket.”

“You’re not trying to give me a last shot. You’re trying to win it all. You can't do it.”

     Conner’s voice echoed in little whispers through the bar. We are the Champion came on the jukebox but dragged evilly. A sexy, blonde woman danced topless in front of the pocket as a distraction. Freddy kept his concentration and struck the ball. The first ball goes in the side pocket. The cue ball abused the Eight ball and drove it slowly toward the corner pocket. It teeters on the lip, but doesn’t drop. Conner laughed,

     Octavious and his Grandmother continued to pray and the breeze grew stronger.

A stronger wind came through the area, rattling the bottles in the bar. The wind moved the ball into the pocket. Freddy fell to one knee,

“Thank you Jesus, thank you Octavious.”

     Conner packed up his stick, tipped his hat and strolled of out the front door. He looked back,

“I'll see you again. Still want to know my name?”

      Freddy nodded his head yes,

“I already know you.”

     Conner stepped out of the bar. The small Latino man carried his stick case and gimped toward the parking lot. He found Peter Kim asleep in his car. He changes back into a smiling Conner. He tapped on the window of the passenger side. Peter Kim lifted his head up and squinted out of the window,

“Hey Conner. How you doing?”

     Peter rolled down the window.

“Can I still get that ride? I have to visit some friends and I can't be late.”

     Freddy was fast asleep on the pool table. A small brown arm tapped him. He was startled until he noticed Octavious.

“Hey how you doing O?”

Octavious hugged Freddy,

 “You won, you won!”

Freddy knelt down to Octavious level,

 “Thanks buddy.”

Author's Note

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