Three Deep

Master Mind

At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Tyrell was sitting in the lobby of a Se Tera University dorm. Dressed in a janitor’s, uniform he lay back in the seat staring out the window. Tyrell started his job a week ago and already hated it. Cleaning the filthy bathrooms and floors in a college dorm was worse than one imagines.

Tyrell had been waiting for Sarrachi to pick him up for the past thirty minutes. He knew Sarrachi would be late, but it still pissed him off. This is one of the many reasons why he hated not having a car, waiting on others for a ride. It’s worse for him because those he waits on take pride in being late.

Tyrell put his head on the table in front of him thinking about his son and basketball. He couldn’t wait till Tyeshawn got older enough to play. He already had plans to teach Tyeshawn everything he knew about the game. He wanted his son to be a better player than himself. Tyrell smirked at the thought of Tyeshawn shooting hoops on the court, but his thoughts were interrupted when his phone went off. It was Sarrachi

“Man where the hell you at?” Tyrell exclaimed.

“Chill out dog, I’m outside,” Sarrachi answered. Tyrell got up and walked out of the door, looking left and right he saw no sight of Sarrachi.

“Nigga you aint outside. . . . Hello, hello?” Tyrell slammed his phone shut when he realized Sarrachi hung up. “This nigga right here…” He bit his lip in anger and took a seat on the steps of the dorm near some female students. The girls looked him up and down before they moved away. That was another thing that bothered him about this job. Being seen as the janitor by females his age, it weighed on his pride.

Tyrell put his hands on his head staring at the ground. Another ten minutes dragged by when the sound of rusty brakes scratched his eardrums. He looked up and saw Sarrachi’s worn out crown Victoria. The car badly needed a paint job and had no hubcaps. The only thing Sarrachi’s car had going for it’s self were the incredibly loud subwoofers Diamond installed.

Tyrell got up and entered the vehicle; Sarrachi was leaning back in the seat talking on the phone. He dapped Tyrell in their gang handshake and passed him a blunt.

“You know what B, you got an excuse for everythin’, you really do…” Sarrachi was in an argument with his girlfriend, and this time she seemed to be in the wrong. ”What? . . . Man I don’t care bout that.” Sarrachi paused listening to what she had to say. Tired of the conversation he sighed heavily. “That’s bull shit…” After hearing her last remark, Sarrachi ended the conversation without her knowing. He looked at Tyrell with a weary guise. “What you been up too cuz?”

“Work nigga, where you think I been at for the last eight hours? The club?” Tyrell responded. Sarrachi stared out the window and watched the female students walk by.

“Damn,” He murmured. “TY you flexin’ dog. You need to grab one of these ho’s.”

“Man, I aint sweatin’ them broads,” Tyrell lied; Sarrachi sucked his teeth. “Them ho’s can’t even handle a man of my caliber.” Sarrachi let out a short but mocking laugh.

“Nigga please.” He gawked. “Reality check nigga, you’re a janitor.”

“Man fuck you,” Tyrell retorted. “Not like you make six figures.”

“Far from it,” Sarrachi shrugged. “But janitor or not. All I’m sayin’ is, if I were you, I'd be ho hoppin’ and pussy poppin’.”

“Yea well, I aint doin’ Meka like that” Tyrell said. “She stuck by me and imma stick by her, ya know what I’m sayin’.”

“Cuz, I know exactly what you sayin’,” Sarrachi agreed. “But do you know what ‘I’m’ sayin’?” Tyrell smiled looking at his friend.

“You aint never gon change huh?” He smirked.

“Never” Sarrachi laughed. His phone went off again, this time it was Diamond. “Man what she want? . . . Hello?”

“What up ‘cousin’?” Diamond asked.

“Chillin’. Pickin’ TY up, what’s good?” Sarrachi answered.

“I need to holla at ya’ll bout this Murda beef. Shit don got real.”

“I knew it would,” Sarrachi said. He knew she was referring to the fight on Saturday night.

“Aye meet me at the bakery in ten. I’m on my way there now,” Diamond added.

“Say no more,” Sarrachi said hanging up; he looked at Tyrell.

“What’s up?” Tyrell wondered.

“More drama. Dia worried bout the Murda.” Sarrachi informed. “We might have to buss some heads.” Tyrell passed the blunt to Sarrachi.

“Man I aint got time for that,” he sighed. “I’m still trynna get myself straight.” He stared out the window as they drove off campus. “I swear yo, when I make it to the league, we aint gon be worried bout none of this bull shit.”

“I’ll smoke to that,” Sarrachi smiled as he hit the blunt. The two turned on the main road and headed deep in South Tera. Ten minutes later, Sarrachi pulled into the back of the bakery, Diamond’s car was already parked behind the building.

Sarrachi parked in the ally and hopped out. Still tired from work, Tyrell lingered a little. When the two entered the bakery, Diamond was on the couch cuddled with Bonez. Sarrachi sucked his teeth at the sight.

“Ya’ll joined at the hip?” He teased. He and Tyrell dapped them in their gang handshake.

“Sometimes,” Bonez replied. Sarrachi laughed at the response.

“Ohhh, I like that.” He grinned, understanding the joke. Tyrell sat on the chair in the kitchen area. He took out a guar and marijuana preparing to roll a blunt. Sarrachi sat down in a chair across from his cousin “So what’s up Dia? The Murda got you shook?”

“Shook? Boy you out yo rabid ass mind?” Diamond exclaimed.

“Aye, I’m just sayin’, you the one that called me up. Soundin’ like a lil bitch, ‘This beef done got real.’” Sarrachi taunted, mocking her voice.

“Shut up Rachi. I aint even say it like that,” Diamond replied. “What I meant was, I don't need these niggas on my ass. I aint trynna die at sixteen.”

“Nigga you aint gon die,” Sarrachi assured.

“How you figure? Remember how they got Tay, outta nowhere?” She reminded. Sarrachi thought about it for a second, and she had a point. Tavion got killed in a dive by shooting in broad daylight. It happened at McDonalds, and no one saw it coming.

“So what you want us to do?” Sarrachi asked.

“I want ‘US’ to dead this beef. Literally.” Diamond announced. “We gotta scope out they hood, find where they be at, and knock them niggas off.”

“And when you plan on doin’ this?” Tyrell questioned.

“In a week or so, but we need to locate em first,” Diamond answered.

“I can get off early tomorrow and scout,” Tyrell offered. “But imma need to borrow somebody whip.”

“Mine’s too hot,” Diamond said. She was right too, must of the rival gang members at her school knew what she drove.

“Same here,” Sarrachi and Bonez agreed.

“True. I see if I can borrow Meka whip,” Tyrell replied. He just finished rolling his second blunt and put the first in his mouth.

“Ight cool, its decided then.” Diamond nodded. She pulled out her own blunt and placed it in her mouth. “Yo, imma master mind when it come to these plans.” Diamond lit her blunt and took a long hard pull.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Sarrachi commented.

“Well, imma master mind when it comes to rollin’ these blunts,” Diamond added. She hit the blunt one more time then passed it to Bonez.

“You a master mind at smokin’ these blunts” Sarrachi teased.

“Aye… I aint arguin’ with that,” Diamond laughed.