Black & Ugly (20 page)

Black and Ugly

for my mother. I don't understand why she is so dead set on bringing me down all the damn time. I just take the money and run out the door, praying my umbrella will protect my hair.

~~~~

"Excuse me, can I talk to you for a minute?" this guy asks from the driver seat of a red BMW with cream interior.

"Not really. I'm on my way to the store a few blocks up," I respond, not wanting to get closer to his car only for him to realize I ain't attractive after all.

"Come on, beautiful. Let me take you to the store, please."

Beautiful? Although this is the second time in a week someone has called me beautiful, I still figure he can't be talking to me.

I move closer to his car with the umbrella in my left hand and bend down. I want him to see me. I want him to make sure that he still wants me to get into his car after he sees a close-up of my face.

"What do you want with me?" I ask, talking through the rolled-down passenger window.

"For starters I want you to get your fine ass out the rain." He smiles.

I look him over real good before just jumpin' in his car. I haven't talked to a man that handsome since Jay.

If he says the word, I'll be all over him.

I can't tell how tall he is, but by the way his knees are bent, I'll say he has to be over six feet. He's wearing a pair of sweatpants and two T-shirts. I love the
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way his chain falls against his chest and how he's rock-ing a shaped-up goatee and mustache. And the smell of his car is an aphrodisiac. I smell this scent on Jay when he comes to see me sometimes. I think it's Black Ice tree air freshener.

"Can I take you to where you're going, please? I hate to see beautiful women walk in the rain."

"Okay, but don't try nothin'," I say like I care if he does or not.

We're driving and I notice his hairy arms. Although I am attracted to Jay's body, which is as smooth as a newborn baby, a man with hair always turns me on.

"So you live 'round here," he asks, "or do you just like walkin' in the rain in strange neighborhoods?"

"Unfortunately, I live around here. But I ain't never seen this car or your face, so I guess you don't."

"Naw. I'm here on some out-of-town business, and I'm renting this car because I got one just like it where I'm from, so it makes me feel at home."

"Oh." I smile, hoping Miss Wayne's honest about me having a pretty one. "What kind of business? Since you're renting a BMW, I take it ... it must be serious," I add, wishing I had not made that comment.

Sky always says it's bama-fied when girls jock niggas just because of their rides. She thinks it's bad taste to compliment anybody on anything.

"I'm in the disposal business."

"What kind of disposal business?" I ask as my curiosity gets the best of me.

"The disposal of trash and junk that other folks
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don't feel like dealin' wit'."

"Oh?" I hope I don't sound too stupid.

"What's your name, beautiful?"

"Please don't do that. Don't keep sayin' things that aren't true."

"First off, I don't say shit that ain't true. Now, if you don't believe me, that's your hang-up, but you are very attractive."

"And what's beautiful about me?" I ask, already sensing a lie coming on.

I mean, I have a new hairstyle and everything, but it doesn't take away from my complexion or my face.

I'm still the same ugly girl I was yesterday, only with hair.

"For one, I love your smile. It's beautiful, you got all your teeth and everything," he jokes. "Secondly, I'm a man who loves chocolate women, so you're perfect.

And that body. Damn!"

"You must be one of the few men in the world who like dark-skinned women," I say as he pulls up at the store.

"That's not true." He smiles. "There are plenty of dudes who appreciate chocolate, and there are a lot of brothas that don't. To be honest a beautiful woman is a beautiful woman."

"Is that right?" I smile.

"Yes, it is."

I'm so interested in him finding me attractive that I don't want to get out of the car. I play with the thought of him being here when I come back. Would he leave?

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Is this all a game? Did somebody pay him to mess with ugly Parade?

"You never did give me your name, lil' lady."

"Parade," I reply, realizing he asked me that more than five minutes ago.

"Well, Parade, I think you are very beautiful and I don't have a reason to lie," he says and gives me a serious look. "I'd like to pick you up, take you out and get to know you more. I
need
to get to know you more. You have any plans?"

"No," I respond, shocked that he still wants to hang out even after having a close-up view of me. Maybe the Maybelline makeup I bought works after all. I can't afford MAC just yet, even though Sky says it's the only makeup that really works.

"Well, run into the store and get what you need." He hands me a fifty dollar bill. "When you come back, we'll discuss our plans for this evening."

"Okay." I smile at the mystery man who wants to have something to do with me. "Did somebody pay you to meet me? Is this a joke?"

He looks at me and says, "This ain't no joke, Parade. I am very much interested in getting to know you more."

I get out the car and close the door gently, switch-ing my curvaceous figure as much as possible without going overboard. My body's the one thing I
know
is intact. And if he still wants to be bothered after seeing me close up, everything else will be a breeze.

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16

Eclipse (Cannon)

"I'M ALREADY HERE AND AT work."

"Good. I left the money in your room as well as pictures of the people you need to see."

"Yeah, I got that earlier. And just so you know, I
work under the name Cannon."

"Cool wit' me. So, what are your plans?" Smokes
asks.

"Well, I work real slow, but I'm accurate," Eclipse
says as he watches Parade's sexy body move within the
store. "I like to visit only the people on my list and
nobody else. I hope Silver told you that about me."

"Yeah, he did, and that's exactly what I need -

something nice and quiet. They're already waiting on
me to make a move."

"I'm glad you appreciate how I work," Eclipse says
then pauses, "because I find that if you put people in
certain positions, they'll tell you everything you need to
know."

"Cool. Look, your room at the Embassy Suites is
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paid up for a week. I take it that'll be enough."

"No, Mr. Walker," Eclipse states seriously, "that will
not be enough. I'll move as quickly as possible, but I
don't get started until the second or third week."

"Well, how much you intend on charging me, man?"
Smokes asks, sensing he's a rip-off. "Silver said you're
expensive but damn."

"Mr. Walker, I'm a professional," he articulates
slowly. "You're paying for the job to be done right and
in order for me to do that, I must go undetected. That's
why I've been in business so long. I still have victims'

relatives calling me now. You know why?" he asks then
pauses. "Because they consider me family. Now, if I go
in a situation asking a bunch of questions, I'll draw
attention to myself - unnecessary attention - and I
can't have that. I befriend them, find out what I need
to know then do what I do best. I'll leave knowing
everything about them while they'll know nothing
about me."

Smokes is quiet but he appreciates his seriousness
concerning handling business. He still thinks he's too
expensive, but at this time there is nothing he can do.

Eclipse has already started working.

"And my prices are standard," he continues.

"Fifteen thousand and fifty dollars, not including my
expenses."

"And fifty dollars? What's the fifty dollars for?"

"For something else that just came up. I can tell
you, with me coming out from Texas, I usually charge
more than that. However, since you know Silver, even
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