Underworld Ties

Laughs in the Yard

Bobby leaned back against the cold, hard bench in the prison yard, taking in the familiar sights and sounds that had become his new normal. The sun was shining, and for once, it felt like a good day to be alive—even if it was behind bars. He spotted a couple of new faces approaching, inmates he hadn't seen before but recognized from the yard.

"Yo, DeMarco! What's poppin'?" called out a tall guy with a shaved head and a wide grin. He had an unmistakable swagger, the kind that radiated confidence. Bobby recognized him as "Big Mike," a guy known for his imposing presence but surprisingly easy-going nature.

"Just tryin' to survive, you know? Same ol', same ol'," Bobby replied, chuckling. "What about you? Got any wild plans for today? Maybe a prison break?"

Big Mike laughed loudly, a deep belly laugh that echoed off the concrete walls. "Man, if I was breakin' out, I'd be lookin' way more stylish than this! Can't be caught in these prison blues, feel me?"

"Right?" chimed in a shorter guy next to him, who introduced himself as "Lil' Tony." "You gotta look fresh when you make a getaway! I mean, you can't be out here rockin' the jumpsuit and expect to blend in. 'Oh look, it's just another inmate!' Nah, fam, you gotta stand out!"

Bobby laughed, the sound echoing amidst the concrete. "I can just see the headlines now: 'Prisoner Escapes in Style, Leaves Behind a Trail of Fresh Kicks!'"

"Yup! And then they'd catch us at a gas station, filling up on snacks," Big Mike added, shaking his head. "That's how they always get caught—snack breaks. You can't be livin' life on the run with a bag of Doritos in your hand!"

"Facts," Bobby agreed. "But if I'm going down, I'm going down with a bag of Hot Cheetos. Those things are fire!"

Just then, a couple of inmates nearby were arguing over a game of spades. One guy was getting heated, waving his arms around like he was directing traffic. "Man, you trippin'! That's not how you play! You must've learned that from your grandma or somethin'!"

Lil' Tony leaned in, whispering to Bobby, "Yo, you ever seen someone get that mad over cards? I swear some of these guys treat spades like it's the Super Bowl."

"Right? Like, chill, bro! It's just a game. Ain't nobody gonna get a ring for winning a prison card game," Bobby replied, shaking his head in disbelief.

Big Mike rolled his eyes, gesturing to the commotion. "Man, I bet they'd fight over Monopoly if they had the chance. 'You landed on Boardwalk, son! That's my territory!'"

"Next thing you know, they're throwin' chairs and making a whole event out of it," Bobby added, laughing harder.

As the argument escalated, the guards swooped in, trying to restore order. Bobby watched, shaking his head. "These dudes are wild. They need to take it down a notch."

"Seriously," Lil' Tony said, feigning seriousness. "Maybe they need a therapy session. 'Tell us how you really feel about losing in spades.'"

"Right? 'I feel betrayed! My partner let me down!'" Big Mike chimed in, his voice taking on a dramatic tone.

"Next thing you know, they'll be crying about their feelings," Bobby added, laughing until his sides hurt. "Like, 'I just wanted to win, man!'"

After the chaos died down, Bobby shifted the conversation. "So, what's the scoop on the outside? Any juicy gossip?"

"Man, Mia's been keeping it real, trying to hold it down for Nicole," Big Mike said, leaning back. "She's been bossing everyone around like she's the queen of Detroit."

"Yeah, I heard she gave Nicole a pep talk about being strong. Like, 'Mom, you gotta channel your inner Beyoncé!'" Lil' Tony said, grinning.

"Man, I can just picture it," Bobby said, shaking his head. "Nicole's just trying to keep it together, and Mia's out here dropping wisdom like she's a life coach or somethin'."

"'You gotta slay, Mom! You can't let those bags under your eyes win!'" Big Mike added, doing a mock impression of Mia.

Bobby laughed until he felt tears in his eyes. "If I had known being a dad meant getting life advice from my teenage daughter, I might've reconsidered all this!"

"Too late now, bro," Lil' Tony said, smirking. "You're in it for the long haul. Might as well embrace it."

"Right? I'll just get a 'Dad of the Year' mug made when I get out. 'World's Okayest Dad,' you know?" Bobby said, rolling his eyes. "I'm still waiting for the day she asks me for advice on boys. That's gonna be a whole situation."

"I can see it now. 'Dad, how do I deal with a boy that's acting shady?'" Big Mike said, feigning seriousness. "And you'll be like, 'Well, I did get arrested once...'"

"Exactly! I'll have to tell her about my life choices," Bobby said, shaking his head. "That'll go over real well. 'Listen, kid, if you want advice, don't take it from me!'"

The three of them burst into laughter, the sound echoing off the concrete walls like a much-needed breath of fresh air. For a moment, the heaviness of their surroundings faded, replaced by the camaraderie of friendship and shared laughter.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the yard, Bobby felt a sense of hope. Sure, he was in prison, but he had his new friends by his side, making the best of a tough situation. Life might be complicated, but moments like these reminded him why he was fighting so hard to get back home.

"Alright, fellas," Big Mike said, getting up. "We gotta get back to our cells before they think we're plotting a prison break or somethin'."

"Yeah, wouldn't want to end up on the wrong side of the guards' batons," Bobby replied, grinning.

As they strolled back, Bobby felt lighter, reminded of the strength in laughter and friendship—even in the most unexpected of places. And when he finally got out, he'd make sure to hold on to these moments. Because when life gets tough, sometimes all you need is a little humor to keep pushing forward.