Midnight Blues

two.

The chaotic sounds of children yelling on the streets and cars honking blended well in the New York streets. This was natural for there to be so much going on in the city. It would be alarming if the streets were too quiet.

Anthony tucked his hands into his pockets as he walked along the streets of Harlem. A smile laced onto his face at the sound of a few people calling his name. He was well known in his borough. Well all around New York. People loved him and his family since he could talk. Half of New York loved him for how well mannered he and his family were, and the influence his parents had on the city. The other half of New York loved Anthony for his business and what he could offer.

He wore an expensive brown suit and a hat to match. He was dressed to perfection. He made sure that he looked clean and crisp at all times.

Suddenly, Anthony halted in front of the building before him. He headed into the restaurant and respectfully tipped his hat to whoever he encountered. He slid into the booth nearest to the door and looked down at the familiar menu. He pulled a coin out of his pocket and began flipping it as he waited.

"Welcome to Honey's. How may I help you?" He heard a voice near him.

Looking up, he gave the woman a small seat and nodded towards the seat in front of him.

"Ant, what are you doing here?"

She slid into the booth and rested her notepad next to her.

"What's with the new hair, Diane?"

She waved him off and ran her hands over her big curls that she achieved with a roller set.

"Shut up! What are you doing here?"

"I came here for some good food. Wanted to see my lil sister, who clearly doesn't wanna see me."

Diane sighed heavily and rested her hand against her older brothers.

"Ant, you know Mama and Daddy don't want you at the house or at the restaurant."

He looked down at the table and picked at the edge of the menu. He felt an immediate rush of sadness run through him. He hadn't spoken to his parents since he was seventeen. It hurt him to see that their lives continued on when he left the house. They didn't seem to care that they'd left him on his own. Of course they had their reasons but it still hurt nevertheless.

Anthony was never someone that liked authority, much less working in places where he didn't have a say. He started working at the age of fifteen at Honey's with his parents. It was a family business that'd been open since he was ten years old. Both of his parents were great cooks and decided to work on opening a store in the heart of Harlem. Everyone loved coming to Honey's. Everyone loved being there. Anthony loved Honey's for their food. He just hated working there.

Prior to being in the kitchen, Anthony would drop off newspapers to peoples doors. It didn't take him long to realize that working eight hours a day for other people wasn't for him. Things changed when he noticed kids at school coming in the classroom with new shoes and new clothes. It wasn't news to him that there were also the white kids running around with bigger and better things, because their fathers were controlling the streets. He then realized that there were other ways he was able to make money.

Ways that he can make money and be in control of his payroll. Ways that he can make money and be in control of everything.

So, he dropped everything and began to make a name for himself in the streets.

Of course there were many people that were against his dreams.

"How are they?"

Diane looked at his nervous hands.