Introduction To Hard 2 Da Kore (Hard2daKore Book 1) (2 page)

“What time you leavin?” I asked. “Korey, can you get me some aspirin please? My head is killing me.” She whimpered softly from beneath the sheets. “Oh, so that hangover startin to kick in now huh? I hope you know you threw up everywhere, and I had to clean that shit up.” I complained. “I’m sorry bae, please not now. Can you bring some aspirins and water?” She asked softly. I went into the bathroom and got 2 asprin capsules, then into the kitchen and got a glass of water. I brought them in the bedroom and placed them on the nightstand next to her, then back into the bathroom to take a piss.

I turned on the shower and adjusted the knob until I got that lukewarm temperature I liked. Right now was the perfect time for some music. So I rushed into the living room and turned on the stereo system. My ears immediately became consumed by the groove of 50 Cent’s song, 21 questions. "Now that’s more like it," I nodded as I rushed back into the bathroom and climbed into the shower’s spraying water. It felt good. I grabbed the soap and began to wash while singing along with the music. I had to put a quick pause on it because I heard the phone ringing.

“Sinni, get the phone!” I yelled, but got no response. I got out of the shower and rushed into the bedroom to answer it. “Damn, you that messed up you can’t even get up to answer the phone?” I said rushing over to answer it. “Hello?”  It was my cousin Jay. “What’s good Korey Manning, aka Da Mann Jackson?” said Jay jokingly. “What’s up Jayson, big head Tucker? I smirked back. “What took you so long to answer the phone? Must’ve had one of those long, hot and steamy nights wit’ yo girl huh cuz?” He added playfully.

“Yo nigga, it’s 7:30 in the mornin and here yo early birdass go askin me questions and what not. Ha ha, I was in the shower Jay.” I joked back. “Well, you know how we early birdasses always get the early worms too my nikka. What you gettin into today?”  He asked. “I’m gettin’ into gettin’ ready for work right now. So I can get into gettin this money, know what I’m sayin?” I replied. “Damn Mann, you workin again? What’s up with this you gotta work every Saturday shit? I thought weekends were your days off? I called you to tell you that me, D-Nice and Ivan and us was playin some of your hommies from Da Woodz in some hoodball today.” Jay said. I looked over at the clock, knowing that I had to hurry up or I was gonna be late for work. “I don’t think I’m gonna be able to play with y’all today Jay. I can try, but I think we got a lot of work comin in today. What time y’all playin?” I asked him.

“Round 12:30 1 O’ clock.” He answered. “I don’t know, I gotta see. Check it, if I finish early Ima try to make it down there to play.” I said. “Aight then, see if you can make it. And oh yea, if you do, make sure you get all that grease and oil ‘n shit off your hands from fuckin‘ with those dirty ass cars too. We don’t need you to be fumblin the damn ball like last game.” Jay said jokingly. “Whaaat? Grease, baby oil, butter or whatever nigga, I still play way betta than yo’ fake quarter backin’ ass.” I joked back at him.

“Yeah whatever, just don’t forget. Twelve thirty on the Turnpike. He said. “I heard cuzo.” I chuckled then hung up the phone. I looked over at the nightstand and noticed that my girl didn’t touch the aspirin or water, so I climbed onto the bed, rolled her on her back and sat her up onto a few pillows. I got the aspirin and water and tried to feed them to her. She resisted, but stopped after she peeked up at me, figuring out what I was trying to do.

“Here take this,” I said, slowly feeding her the pills and water. “Huh? Ouch. What time is it baby?” She asked grabbing her head gently. I looked back over at the clock. “About 7:30. I gotta be at work in a little while bae.” I whispered to her softly. “Go ahead then. I’m getting up in a little while.” She said softly. “I’m alright now, you can go, I’ma be ok.” She said, gently shoving me away. I looked deep into her beautiful half open, sleepy looking eyes and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“I’ll see you later on after work. I just don’t like seein’ you all messed up like this and…” “Babe, you must wanna be late for work, go ahead, we can talk later.” She interrupted then closed her eyes, rolled over and snuggled beneath the sheets. “Alright,” I whispered, then climbed my naked ass off the bed and hurried back into the bathroom to finish my shower. I can feel it already. It’s gonna’ be a long day. 

2

                    TIME 2 MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS      

(Korey)

The sign posted outside of the shop read: "
FRANKIE’S AUTO REPAIR SHOP…"
I’ve been working here for about two years. I pulled into the shop’s parking lot in my late 80's Oldsmobile Delta 88 and parked it next to one of the cars that needed to be repaired. I had on my dirty, blue, oil stained work jumper. I walked past the shop and down the block to the Dunkin Donuts' for a few donuts and some coffee. I walked into the shop and waited to be served. The attendants tended to a few of the customers who were already waiting in line. One of the attendant’s names was Ahmad. I like to crack jokes on him sometimes, to see if I could make him mad. He was from one of those Middle Eastern or Indian countries, maybe Pakistan or India. I get a good trip off of the way he talks.

Ahmad seemed like one of those guys that really didn’t want no problems with nobody. I couldn’t blame him either, because he’s skinnier than a quart of skim milk without the 1% lowfat. I stepped up to the counter. “Gud mornin’ ser, and wat well yu be havin tudae?" He asked smiling. I looked at him like I didn’t understand a word he just said. “C’mon man, you gonna have to tighten up on that English a little homey, now what are you sayin’?” I asked, acting like I still couldn’t understand him while fighting hard as hell not to laugh.

“Mornin, kane I hep yu?” He said again, still smiling. “Aight, that’s a little better, ok, now you can help me. Alright let me get one a those Boston creme joints right there, and one a them glazed twisty things right there, and uuummm let me get a skinny, I mean a medium coffee, black, no sugar no cream, nameen? And yo, can you hurry up before one of those flies gets on them please.” I said, and glanced over my shoulder to see the reaction of the other waiting customers. “You see now? No flies onlee donuts.” Ahmad smirked back as the other attendant got my donuts. I gave him a five dollar bill and waited for my change. “And can make sure ya man over there ain’t tryin a put no little bomb ‘em either, I know how yall gets down over there in Pakistan or wherever yall from.” I couldn’t help but chuckle, but Ahmad stopped smiling. I think I pissed him off with that one because he paused as he was counting my change and looked up at me angrily. “Yur change ser, thank you.” He said with a fake smile then put my change on the counter in front of me. “I’ma check ‘em too, ha ha.” I laughed, then grabbed my donuts and coffee and left.

As I walked towards the shop I could hear my boss Sal’s voice screaming from nearly half a block away.                                                                                        “Well, what do you want me to do about it!?" I heard Sal scream into the telephone receiver as I walked into the shop and past his office which was near the entrance of the shop. “Look, it’s not my fault that the parts haven’t come in yet! Your parts had to be ordered from overseas and.... Well as soon as the parts come in, the sooner I can fix your car! Well if you would’ve brought an American car we wouldn’t be having this problem now would we?” He screamed at the customer.

I walked over and punched my time card then walked towards the back of the shop. I noticed that the car I was working on yesterday was up on the hydraulic lift and some of my tools lay nearby. I started trippin a little because I know I put my tools back yesterday. It looks like somebody was working on it too... and with
my
tools! Now everybody knows how I feel about anybody using my tools, but who could it have been? I know it wasn’t Sal fatass. He don’t never do shit around here, and I know Joey didn’t touch ‘em, know better. Could it have been…? Na. He wouldn’t be caught dead up in here on a Saturday. Shit Sal can barely get him to stay late during the week so it couldn’t have been him. I was gettin heated.

Well, whoever it was, was about to hear it for real for touching my shit. Suddenly the sound of a toilet flushing was heard from the bathroom. Whoever’s in that bathroom must’ve been the one working on that car with my tools. Yeah, they in for some shit now. I thought to myself as I got closer to the bathroom. The bathroom door slowly opened. It was Mike, my long time friend and co-worker. He walked out of the bathroom rubbing his stomach. “Aahh, let me tell ya’ll somethin’ Kore, seems like I was shittin’ for damn near ever up in there. Probably lost about three or four pounds after that one. Whew, you betta stay away from over in that bathroom area for a while. It’s real toxic up in that mafucka right now.” He joked as he wiped his hands with a paper towel. What’s goin’ on dog?” He asked as he walked over to me and shook my hand. I returned a pound, knowing that just a second ago I was ready to rip the head off the nigga that came through that door. But that’ll never happen now. ‘Cause Mike, he can get that, because that’s my man right there.

“Mike? What the hell you doin’ here?  You ain’t really known for doin OT. Times must be real hard if
you
up in here
today.” I joked. “Yeah well, you know. I figure I’d come and kill some time for a while. You know, make a little somethin extra for da pockets feel me?” Mike stated smiling. “Yeah I know. So you must’ve been the one fixin this bad boy over here then huh?” I asked. Mike replied: “Yeah, Sal told me you about to change the transmission filter on this one. So I started workin’ on it before you got here. He said he got some more cars comin’ in a little while." Mike was about to continue on, but was interrupted by a loud yell. “Koreyyy! Miikeey! Come here you guys!” Sal screamed from the inside of his office. Salvatore Sorano was the manager of:

FRANKIE’S AUTO REPAIR SHOP SPECIALIZING IN ENGINE & TRANSMISSION REBUILDING & ALL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS. “WE DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE!”

"Yeah right", I said to myself as I thought about the sign that hung outside. “Aww c’mon, I told this fat mafucka’to stop callin me that.” Mike sighed as we walked towards Sal's office. I glanced over at Mike who looked pissed as we entered the office. Sal was sitting in a large beat up office chair behind a desk, all 300 plus pounds of him. “Okay Mikey, I nee…", Sal started.

“Yo hold up hold up.” Mike interrupted. “What? What happened?” Sal asked, looking questioned. “Now c’mon Sal, how many times we gonna go through this name calling thing man? Would you like it if I called you Sally? This is a place of business right? Next time I’m not gonna come when you call me. My name is Mike not Mikey Sal. See what my shirt says? Mike not Mikey.” Mike snapped as he tugged at his shirt’s nametag which read Mike. “Okay Okay I’m sorry Mike.” Sal said insincerely. “Now listen… Mike.” He said cautiously. “I need you to go to the parts store and pick up two fan belts, one for a ‘14 Lincoln Town Car and the other for a ‘16 Benz S600. Joey’s towing the Lincoln back now. The belt is shot and I think the transmission is slipping. I’ll take a look at the Mercedes when it gets here, that car belongs to a good friend.” Sal said. “So….Korey.” Sal said, then paused and stared at me for a few seconds, like he was waiting for a response from me. “What’s up Sal?” I asked.

“You don’t have a problem with that do you?” He asked. “With what?” I replied, catching a hint as to where he was goin with this. “Problem with me calling you Korey” I kinda liked that Korey and Mikey thing. It’s got a nice ring to it.” “Yo cut the shit man!” Mike interrupted. “Okaay, okay” Sal chuckled. “Okay Korey, can you hurry up and finish the car on the lift so we can get it out of here before Mike goes to get the parts? They’ll be here soon, Mike you can give him a hand until then. Okay, back to work you guys.” He ordered.

Mike stared at Sal for a few seconds, and then shook his head before walking out of the office while I followed. “That mafucka, I tell you.” Mike complained. I just shook my head and thought. Yeah, just like I said, it’s gonna be a lonnng day.

3

I’M THE PO’BOY!      

(Po’ Boy)

“Hey! Is that you Po’Boy!?” I heard someone yell from across the street while I sat at a red light. “It’s me, Roxanne! Can I holla at you real quick Po’!?”  She yelled as she hurried towards my car. I could barely recognize her at first, but as she got closer I could see that it was Roxanne. “Damn Po’ Boy, it’s been a while since I last seen you and you still lookin’ good.” She said as she strolled up to my car. As fucked up as Roxanne looked right now, it wasn’t hard to tell that she used to be a good looking chick back in her prime. Roxanne Roxanne was what we used called her. Now you know a chick had to be finer than a dime if cats used to say her name twice.

She used to be one of Crosstown Dickey’s top of the line tricks. Every man and their daddy wanted a piece of Roxanne back then. She had that kinda body that was built for fucking. There was a rumor going around back then that her sex game was so good that she had guys screaming out
her
name over and over when she fucked them. Even bodied a few old timers who thought they could hang with her. That’s how she became the infamous Roxanne Roxanne. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” She asked. “I gotta run, what’s up?” I asked. “You see Po, I been out here all damn day tryin to make a few dollas to get my grand baby somethin for her birthday. My daughter don’t want me comin around. So I wanna try to get her baby somethin so maybe she might let me visit for a little while.” She explained sadly, leaning against my car.