The Ex-Con

Chapter 19: Wanting Out

Tuesday February 5th, 2008

4:30pm

Roderick

{Knocking}

I turned over in my bed and listened, and looked at the clock on my nightstand, I saw it was 4:30pm. "Oh shit!" I said as i jumped up, the room spinning, i tried to make my way to the front door. I stumbled down to the front door, I heard the voice, I heard that it was Savon. I opened the door.

"Yo what's up man?"

"My dude, you just gonna open the front door with yo dick hangin' out like that." He said looking down.

"Why yo gay ass looking at it." I said. "You want some?"

"Fuck you!" He said coming in the house.

"I don't roll like that." I teased. "Anyway what you want?"

"I came to check on you and see why you wasn't at school...but now i see why." He said, as i also looked around and seen empty liquor bottles around the living room. "What's going on dude, me & DaQuan been worried, we ain't hear from you at all yesterday, we was wondering what's been going on."

"And you're the only one that showed up?"

"DaQuan's working, you know that."

"And you?"

"Came to check on you before I headed to work you asshole." He said playfully, punching me in the arm. "Anyway nigga go put some clothes on bro." He said.

I headed upstairs and put some boxers on and as I came back down I heard loud music.

"Aye turn that shit down, it's too loud."

"My dude, the volume is low, your ass is hungover."

"Don't forget hung too."

"Hahaha right, not as hung as you think."

"How would you know?"

"I've seen bigger." He said laughing. "Anyway man, what happened yesterday?"

"Well i went to apologize to Jeremy, he didn't accept the apology, i went and copped some liquor, drank till i passed out, and that's where we're at now." I told him, making a long story short.

"So you try to drink yourself to death?"

"Naw it's just..."

"I don't want to hear it. Look Roderick, we've been friends for a long time, we're almost like family, you know that and you know that i'm going to call you out on your bullshit man, you need to get help, you're in a messed up situation, you're not in the right headspace, you need to go see someone, a psychiatrist maybe to talk about your problems." He said. "Now look i need to get to work but i'm going to stop by again later on and check up on you." He said. "I always got love for you, you know that but you need to do some heavy thinking my brotha." He hugged me as we got up and said our goodbyes.

Savon was right, i needed to go and make some changes, i don't know what i'd do or how i'd do it but i knew where i needed to start. I need to talk to Maurice, I WANT OUT.

******

******

DaQuan

6:00pm

I was at my job over at Benny's Burgers, Over on the corner of South Racine Avenue & West 63rd Street. I was working behind the grill. See while Savon's working over at Ray's BBQ Shack i got me a job doing the same thing, blocks over from where he was, because Ray didn't have an opening at his place, he referred me to Benny's. Pay was a little bit better too. I was busy taking orders when i seen someone come in and come to the counter.

"Hey excuse could i get a order of fries & a big stack burger?" The guy asked.

"Yeah, that'll be $5.40¢." I told him. I decided to make a little bit of small talk while i waited for his order. "So are you from here? Your accent sounds a bit different."

"Naw i'm from Detroit bro." He said.

"Cool that's what's up." I said. "So you work nearby?"

"Yeah, I work over at Aldi's right down the street."

Now i know where this dude is from, this is the dude that Roderick told me about. "Word word that's cool. Yo I think you know one of my homeboys." I said.

"For real? Who?"

"You know someone named Roderick?"

"Roderick...Roderick... Oh yeah I know who you talking about, he comes into the store a lot." He told me. "He seems pretty okay, pretty guarded but alright." He said. "So how long y'all been cool with each other?"

"Since the womb basically."

"Oh y'all brothers?"

"Naw not blood related but i consider him my bro."

"That's what's up." He said.

"Order's up." The guy on the grill said.

I went and got the guy's order. "Here's your order. Oh i didn't get your name."

"Word, my name's Marquez, Marquez Smith." He told me.

"Word? That's what's up man that's what's up. My name's DaQuan." I told him.

As we struck up a conversation my phone rang.

"Hey hold on man, i'm sorry about that, my phone's ringing." I said as I took out my phone and answered. "Hello......Wait, wait what do you mean he was in an accident?" I said, my heart starting to race. "Alright I'll be there, I'm on my way. Thanks." I said as I got off the phone. I went to my boss and told him that I had to go. I stormed past Marquez.

"Wait, what's going on?? What happened?"

"Roderick is in the hospital, I got to go check on my brother." I said. I got out of the restaurant as quickly as I could and got into my car and drove down to the hospital. "Roderick please be okay!!" I said as I drove.

End Of Chapter 19