Chapter 3: Hot Summer Nights

The first night in our new crib was cool. We had a central air and cooling unit that helped starve off the Midwest's August heat and humidity. Moms loved that. She crank the air up to a cool 65 degrees and marveled at the speed in which the entire three bedroom, three level townhouse was cooled. We even had cable TV.

Pops had called and told us his agent was told by the Cardinals that they were planning on calling Pops up to the big leagues when the rosters expanded on September 1.
More impotantely though, Sonny and I had seperate bedrooms. No longer did we have to share rooms and sleep on bunkbeds. I could play with my army men in peace and he could talk to his girlfriends without my eavesdropping and picking up his mack daddy lines.

Moms made my favorite that night, too; fried chicken, brocali and califlower with CheezWiz on top. Man, life was good.

"Now, ya'll listen," Moms said as Sonny and I set plates for dinner. "There are going to be some changes in how we live around here. It's time for you two to learn some responsibility. Sonny on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you need to wash dishes."

"Moms..." Sonny protested to no avail.

"Boy, shut the hell up and listen," Moms said, rationing portion of fried chicken to her offsprings.

"Like I said, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you got dishes and Cass you take out the trash. On Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays, Cass, you wash dishes and Sonny you take out the trash. Ya'll rotate on Sundays. Tonight, Sonny is your night."

"Each night, I want my kitchen floor mopped. Take turns. Sonny, tonight's your night. Both of you are responsible for cleaning your own rooms and I want them done on Saturdays, along with the upstairs bathroom."

"Whatta ya' mean," Sonny interuppted again.

"I mean, Saturday, Sonny, you clean the bathroom and the Saturday after that, Cassius you clean it. Simple ain't it."

"And what you gon' do," Sonny foolishly asked.

"I'ma keep these damn lights and air on, put food on the table, clothed yo' ass, ya' know, things like that."

"You'on pay no bills," Sonny smart alecked. "Pops do."

"Yo' daddy don't pay a damn dime on no bills, boy," Moms corrected. "Shut the hell up and eat yo' damn food, Sonny, befoe I pop yo' ass right square in the mouth."
Sonny retreated, but I was surprised when Moms said Pops didn't pay any bills. I just knew he was chipping in on something. I was disheartned to find out other wise.

After dinner, Sonny and I started on our new chores. It was a late dinner, so by the time we were finished it was our bedtime. Moms had dosed off right after she ate dinner so by the time we were done cleaning the kitchen, she was sound asleep.

It was late and the only thing for us to do was stay up and watch television. Moms' master bedroom was on the lower level of the townhouse and our bedrooms were on the third floor, giving us more freedom than the law allowed.

After a brief home made session of Wrestling at the Chase, Sonny sent me to my room so he could whisper sweet nothings to one of his girlfriends from the Southside. I had no problem leaving, especially after Sonny put me in the full nelson and made me scream uncle.

"I'm telling Moms, watch," I cried out as Sonny relinquished his grip. "You gon' be in trouble."

"Shut up, fag," Sonny shot back. "You always talking 'bout telling Moms. Take yo' lil' punk ass to yo' room and you betta not say nothing or else it's on when she go to work in the morning."
Sonny was close to six feet tall at thirteen and sort of physical. He was way stronger than I, so the threat was well taken. I went straight to my room.

As I changed into sleep clothes, I kept hearing what sounded like a rock or pebble being pelted against my window. I was startled at first. I peeped through the window blinds and saw that cute girl Gabriel down below looking for more rocks to throw. The sight of her was comforting.

"Gabriel?" I asked, "whatta ya' doing?

"I'm trying to see my new boyfriend," she deadpanned. "Come on out."

"I can't" I retorted. "My momma'll kill me."

"Well, I'm coming up," she said.

I was stomped. "Coming up? Whatta ya' mean, coming up?"

"I'ma climb up there," she explained.

This girl is crazy, I thought. How in the world is she going to climb up my roof to get to my room? She easliy showed me.

My room was in the back of the townhouse and right outside my bedroom window was the rooftop. Right below the rooftop was a ledge that connected the roof to our backporch. By jumping on the ledge, all Gabriel had to do was reach out and grab the roof and climb up. She did.

"Ain't 'chu gon' help me?" Gabriel barked as I watched in amazement.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. I reached out to help her complete her mission.

Gabriel had changed from what she was wearing earlier, but that wasn't a bad thing. She wore khaki short pants and one of those yellow designer polos from Izod LaCoste and the outfit fit her to a tee.

"Gabriel, what are you up to?" I asked as she tried to make her stint on my rooftop a comfortable one.

"Go get me a pillow, please Cassius," Gabriel demanded. "Cassius...ooohhh...I love that name. Cassius Clay Winston, my baby for life."

"Here you go," I offered, giving Gabriel the only pillow I had on my half bunk bed. "I like your name too. Well your first name at least. What's your whole name?"

"Gabriel Monique Robinson," she said, "my daddy named me."

"Where's your daddy at right now?" I wondered.

"Gone," she answered.

"Gone where?" I probed.

"Gone to meet his maker," she informed, sensing I was getting a little bit too nosey. "But I'on wanna talk about him right now, where yo' daddy?"

"My daddy is in Louisville," I boasted.

"Where's Louisville?," she unashamely asked.

"In Kentucky," I answered, wondering "you ain't never heard of Louisville before?"

"No," she said matter of factly, "not ever. Why yo' daddy in Louisville? Don't he love ya'll."

"Yeah, girl, our daddy love us," I retorted. "He's down there playing baseball for the Cardinals."

"Whatta ya' mean for the Cardinals?" Gabriel wondered. "I thought the Cardinals was from St. Louis."

"They are," I explained, "but they have a minor league team in Louisville and my daddy playing for them until the Cardinals call him up September 1."

"For real?" Gabriel said in amazement. "Yo' daddy play for the Cardinals?"

"Not yet, but almost," I cauntioned.

I went on to break down to Gabriel how the minor league system works for major league baseball and when I was finished, she surprised me by giving me an innocent peck on the cheek.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"'Cause I like you," she answered, "and you my new boyfriend."

She went on to explain to me how her mother had accidently killed her father in self defense when Gabriel was five. She said family members had told her she was there when the incident happened, but she couldn't and wouldn't want to remember it happend. She said her father physically abused her and that is what she remembered.

"A gang of ass whuppings," Gabriel called the abuse, "body slams and choke holds. I'm glad she shot him."

"Where's your momma?" I asked.

"At work." Gabriel answered. "She leaves at ten at night and comes home at eight in the morning, screaming at me and my lil' sister about what kinda work we ain't done the night before, while my big brother get to do whatever he wanna do. Where yo' momma?"

"Hopefully in her room sleep," I answered, "she goes to work in the morning time."

"Well that's cool," Gabriel assured, "I'ma gon' go in the house befoe my Grandmomma wake up and be wondering where I'm at. You wanna help me down?"

As Gabriel made her way off of the rooftop and onto the backporch, I heard the sound of car window being smashed. I looked out toward the alley and by the time I looked back at Gabriel she had booked. Before long the car alarm was blazing and I didn't know what to do. I didn't know whose car it was, so I decided to just close my window and mind my business.

One of the three car theives looked right at me as I closed my blinds, but I prayed he didn't see me. I'd seen him, so he must had seen me. I thought about informing Sonny, but remebered the all out assault I had just recieved from him and scrapped that idea.

I decided to go to sleep and not even worry about the car thieves. I didn't know them and they didn't know me. Besides I wanted to hurry up and get to bed so that I could dream about Gabriel's pretty self.

chapter 3 continues...