Mean Man Magic

It was sunny to say the least. Lot of us thought it was a little too sunny.

Jay-Jay came down the street looking pale and thin and strung-out with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Happening?” he asked me. He was drenched in sweat, yet smiling that smile that said, ‘Can I borrow some money till Friday?’

“Hey Jay-Jay, you look good!” I lied.

“Hey Marcus, you couldn’t spot me a twenty, could you?”

“Absolutely,” I lied again. “That all you want?”

“No, Marco, I’m serious, I need twenty, and it’s for my kid. Honest to God, man; I really need it for my kid!”

“Hell of a heat wave we’re havin’, huh?”

“Marcus, you know me, man. I ain’t playin’ wich’u this time.”

“Jay-Jay, you always playin’, but you never playin’ me. You beware of me.” I said.

A car I didn’t know was coming down the street. Any car I didn’t know, I didn’t like. I was about to go inside the bar when Jay-Jay grabbed me by the arms.

“It’s for my kid, man, give it to him! His name’s Jamaal.”

The car stopped at the curb.

The guy on the passenger side lowered his window. Jay-Jay still had me by the arms. I could smell his fear.

“I’ll never pay you back, you know it, but Marcus…“

“Okay, Jay-Jay,” I said.

Jay-Jay got in the back of the car. It drove away with Jay-Jay still looking at me, still holding onto me with a big p l e a s e in his eyes.

He didn’t lie. He never paid me back.

-279 Words
Flash Fiction using the words Heat wave, drenched, beware