He hung up the phone with a grin, almost a blush on his face. Donald had waited 3 days by the phone for her to call and she did, and he was home. He met her Saturday night at Club Synobes. She looked good, dressed right from head to toe and she would have been a prime catch for all to look upon and even to bring home to moms, if this is what Don wanted. But it wasn't. Though she had it, it was something nobody else would have pursued her for, not any of his partners anyway.

She had a sweet plan and the number of Wayne Parish, the studio producer over on Chene Avenue; the studio he has been trying to get into for the last year to record his demo. All he needed was 1 hour and he knew he was bound for a deal. He called Mike to tell him what had just happened. Mike was not home though, so he threw some clothes on and bolted out the door shouting departures to his mother and sister.

Half way to the Grease Pit (where they all hung out) he turned up the music and grinned widely out the window at some younger guys on the corner. They yelled his name and he threw up a peace sign. Jetting from the stoplight he almost slammed into the back of the car in front of him. He stomped on the brakes and cursed. But there was nothing on this day that could break his stride.

When he reached the Pit he noticed Mike's car, the red Jetta, in the lot. All smiles again he wildly parked the car and exited into the greasy restaurant. The music was loud inside and almost everyone was there. He walked over to the table where they were grinning and cheesing. They laughed loud because his reputation was not all that, where he had anything to be smiling about.

Judy, the fine, brown girl from high school, her running girl Chris, and her boyfriend Dee, all laughed. Mike dropped his head and blew smoke from his nostrils.

"What's up Don?" You get your check from the VA? Oh, that's right, this isn't the fifteenth." Mike talked and laughed in the direction of everyone else.

"It's all good, for real", Don grinned wider and sat down. "Money ain't everything yo." He said and lifted a cigarette from Mike's pack.

"Not in your world anyway." Judy blurted in her low-toned voice. They all laughed some more. The conversation switched to individuals and Don leaned over and spoke low in Mike's ear.

"She called today." He said and leaned back proudly. Mike raised an eyebrow and said, "What? She what?"

"That's right boy, we're meeting with Parish tomorrow. But I have to go over to her house and get some tracks she has for me. She said Parish uses certain sounds when he do demos and I want to be ready baby." He said grinning even more. His teeth were white and his head cut short so that his forehead shined under the fluorescent light of the restaurant.

Mike's face was flushed, pale even with the blackness of his face. Don's grin wiped clean real slow like. Then he opened his mouth like he was in shock. "Don't even tell me you don't want to go." He waited for Mike to respond, but he did not. He only looked away in the distant. "So what she live in Red Dog hood man, let's go make this happen and get paid."

Mike got up and dropped a five on the table. He bent and kissed Judy on the cheek and started towards the door.

"Oh so you just gone leave when Don-Bomb come in?" she raised her voice with every step he took toward the door. He turned around and shouted back, "Your place tonight, I got that special something for you." He said and exited threw the door followed by Don.

Walking faster toward his car, Mike lit a cigarette. Don caught up with him and started explaining.

"How do you know she telling you the truth man, how do you know she not setting you up?" Mike said as he stopped suddenly and cocked his head toward Don. Don stopped and he looked into the distance.

"Look, I know you and Judy getting married this weekend and I am not trying to mess that up, I just thought you wanted to make the demo as bad as I do." He said lifting his arms in explanatory motions. "That's all."

Mike agreed with a devilish "yes, I do." Just thinking about going over in the same neighborhood where they were almost killed by some ghetto-acting thugs triggered a bad feeling in him. He hated violence, and thugs and trouble, he just wanted to have a decent life and make some money. The two was hard to come by living in the city. But you had to take the chances if you wanted to get out.

"What time are we supposed to meet?" Mike said getting in his car. Don ran around to the passenger side and got in, then answered. "Six in the evening. We stay for an hour or two, cut the demo and go, you down?

Mike looked toward the door of the restaurant thinking about Judy and waiting for her to come out with an excuse why he could not go. He loved his music and was talented, but he loved him some Judy too. A man has to make many decisions in his life and this is one he could not turn down. Wayne Parish was the only guy in the hood who could cut a demo for you and get it heard by people that matter. Plus he was good enough to give anyone with some real talent a chance. This was his chance.

Judy believed in him and knew he could be a damn good guitarist but she kept reality before his face all the time also. Reality like, get a job and raise your children and finish school and have a real life. But he had dreams.

"Cool, I'm down." He said and slapped hands with Don. Don smiled like never before.

The next day was Wednesday and it was three-thirty. Don left the parking lot of his 8-hour job and headed toward the Pit where he was supposed to meet Mike. As always, he had the music blowing and his grin was showing. He passed by people he had know for years, and waved at them all. Don was not a well-liked person in his neighborhood because he was a thug. He knew everyone from elementary school throughout to high school and now that he and many of his friends were out of high school and shuffling about the community, there was not much to do but look at each other and talk about everyone around. So making this demo was a major break from the monotony.

The red Jetta was there. It was time to make that move. Before he could park the car he saw Mike come out the front door of the Pit, with Judy behind him. Mike stopped and turned around. Angry words were exchanged and Judy shot one Don's way. He felt her anger and resentment all the way from the front door. Her hand on her hip, her finger pointed sternly at Mike, and that deep-toned voice woofing words at Mike made Don thank God he was not tied to a woman.

When Mike finally reached the car, Don stood up and shook his head at the scene. Mike told him not to say a word and he got in the car. They drove out of the lot in silence with the music turned up loud.

When they reached the deep west side Mike frowned. It looked dark and eerie even at 4 in the afternoon. Mike turned down the radio. "I hope she on the ups."

"Man, why are you sweatin' this thing. I got the tracks didn't I? She real man." Don spoke as he made a right turn onto Chene Avenue, aka Red Dog Drag. The first thing Mike saw was some members of the Red Dogs sitting on a car parked the wrong way on a one way street. That was a definite sign of defiance.

The music was low as the boys rode, not wanting to draw attention. They cruised up the Drag sitting low in the seats. When they reached the corner Don turned left into an alley and drove a few houses up. He came to a stop and blew the horn. They waited, Mike in agony Don in suspense. He could not wait so he got out the car and walked toward the back door of the bottom flat. He stopped and turned around and summoned Mike from the car. Mike shook his head no. Don waved him off and continued.

Mike pulled his cell-phone from his inside jacket pocket and dialed Judy's cell-phone. It rang six times and Mike hung up. He thought about her and saw them one year from now together at the park. Her pregnant, him smiling. That was life to him. That made him happier and he then realized where he was. He awoke rudely at the pound of a fist on the window. It was Don.

"Come on in man they ready." He said grinning widely. Mike signed a deep relief and exited the car. He walked inconspicuously toward the back door. He heard voices inside the door and his heart pounded a little. Don was walking like he was suspended in slow motion. A dog started barking next door and Mike jerked his head around to see. It was a Rotweiller.

"Ay Don." Mike said in the weakest voice he had ever heard himself speak. He saw Judy again; this time she was having the baby. He saw Don standing in the doorway and a shadow behind him. The dog kept barking and he kept walking as if being pulled by some force. He stepped up into the doorway and entered the dark hallway.

Don turned around and walked away down the hall and the door slammed behind Mike. He turned and stared into the face of a Red Dog. Then he stared at the black barrel of the Red Dog's gun, and then everything went black after the gunshot.

Don came back into the hallway and reached inside Mike's jacket and pulled the 24-carrot diamond engagement ring from his pocket, looked at the Red Dog and said, "I told you I would get the money for the demo," and he and the Red Dog walked out the door.

Trust no one with your dreams
Author Unknown