Portray

Run in with Nap

Four years earlier . . .

"Yo, that's T-dawg."

Tray opened his eyes to several figures standing over him. His jaw stung from getting sucker punched.

"Damn yo, thought twelve snatched you up." he heard a familiar voice say.

He saw Tuck emerge through the small crowd of people with his arm extended.

"Nihga dressed like some bum." One of Tuck's cousin's commented on the condition of Tray's clothes.

"Yeah, look like you been through hell." Tuck took in the sight of his boy.

The two conversed for a moment. Tray mentioned that he needed a ride to get home. His homeboy agreed to take him on his bike. Then they were off. Tuck had a trick bike with spokes for Tray to stand on while holding onto the back of the seat. The ride along the way was bumpy. The soreness in his ankle came back like a lost cat.

"I heard they snatched up Eric." Tuck said.

"How you know?"

"Swung by the boy's crib. His mama said she got a call from the station."

Tray shook his head at how the events of tonight were playing out.

"Man, think he gone mention us?" Tuck asked, concerned.

"Wouldn't put it past the boy." Tray replied, knowing how weak Eric was.

"shit popped off quick, I didn't have time to grab the cash."

"Yo ass ain't," Tuck laughed under his breath, "I did tho." he then patted the side of his pants.

"One of them pigs said he knew you..." Tuck said.

"Ion know what that's about.."

He thought of all the possible ways the cop could've known him. The fact that he had kept his nose clean, as far as working for Nap-o, he wasn't sure how he came across their radar.

Moments later they turned on Tray's block. He decided to walk the rest of the way once they were a few houses down from his place. Tuck paddled on his bike besides Tray. A distance down from his house, he saw his mama on the porch in her rocking chair.

"Aye hold up for a minute." Tuck said, planting his feet on the ground to stop his bike.

He then dug inside his pants presenting a small amount of folded bills .

"Here hold this dawg." he said, extending his arm out to his homeboy.

"Nah, that's all you." Tray gently pushed Tuck's hand down.

"Nihga, be modest with ya mama." Tuck replied, "I know you ain't getting the bag like you used to and you got a kid to look after."

He thought on it for a minute.

"Bet, good looks." Tray said humbly, dapping up Tuck after taking the cash.

Approaching his house, a fowl stench snuck up on them. It lingered in the air. The smell got stronger the further they walked up the sidewalk.

"Agh, fuck is that smell?" Tuck grimaced,  disgust written across his face while covering his nose.

"Gotta be my mama and them damn chitilins."

"Dawg, it smell like straight ass!" Tuck exclaimed.

"Yo ole freaky-self, how you know what that smell like?"