Gus rolled up to the curb of the first floor apartment at the dilapidated three story building located in Chicago's west side ghetto. He immediately saw the problem. Down the dimly lit pathway by the front door were two screaming African American males. One was a young gang
banger,maybe a Crypt, considering his dress and hair.
His body was coiled with a closed fist and he was ready to attack the guy who stood a few feet away. The older dude
was a broken down, skinny, and and had a long, wiry beard. He most likely was a junkie from his appearance.
He looked like no match for this raging bull.
Gus jumped out of his unmarked car and started running quickly towards the men as he screamed into his radio "4212 S. Troop. Officer needs assistance."
He felt this was going to get very violent. It did with the kid punching the old man square in the face knocking him down.
Gus barked at the men "police. stop." The younger guy looked at Gus and ignored his warning.
The older man was putting his hands in front of his face trying to defend against this kid who was rearing back to kick him as he lay on the ground.
Gus was now sprinting and just
a few feet from the combatants with his badge swinging around his neck and his flashlight and radio in his hands.
He yelled again “police” “police” “stop” as harshly as he could.
The young guy looked too crazed to hold himself back for any reason as he stood over the guy. "Hands up" Gus blurted out trying again uselessly to avoid more violence.
The kids wild, wide eyes and bulging neck clearly told Gus he was going all in at the old man. No stopping him with words. This raging bull still badly wanted to get at the old dude.
The sickening sound of cracking bone against flesh rang out as the kids shoe connected with the guys face. The old guy was helplessly sprawled out bleeding in the dirty pathway. He was still semi-conscious.
Gus noticed there was a dangerous bulge in the old mans waist where there was likely a gun,
Gus moved a few feet the wild kid. The kid had pulled his leg back to kick the guy again but held up looking down and seemingly not wanting to hurt the guy any further.
"Stop" Gus screamed grabbing his arm "or you're going to jail."
"Come on motherfucker!" the punk shouted, backing up and
turning his attention to Gus. He then pumped his foot out and tried to kick Gus in the nuts as Gus came at him.
The punk almost got Gus in the nuts but not quite.
Gus caught the punk's ankle with his quick, strong hands. He pulled the kids
leg and ran him backwards into the brick wall behind him. His head cracked open like an egg.
The punk slumped against the wall on the ground stunned. Gus watched with surprise as the boy gathered his energy, stood up, regained his balance and prepared for another run at him. The wild boy sprang forward grunting like an enraged animal and put his head down bull-rushing Gus.
Gus stepped to the side and with a mighty upper cut smashed the lead barrel of his flashlight into the face of this maniac whose nose and lips exploded into torrents of blood.
The punk grabbed his head, screaming out in pain as he went onto onto his knees. He bellowed in agony as his blood gushed out onto the pavement.
Gus stood over the kid, hoping for no more fighting, but ready to bang him again. Fortunately, the punk was finished. He stayed on his knees still conscious and pulled off his t-shirt
soaking up the blood with his t-shirt.
Gus could see the kid was not hurt badly. Just bleeding like a pig.
He cuffed him and told him to stay on the ground.
He looked back at the street thinking what the fuck is going on here. It's been like fifteen minutes. The cavalry should have been here. "Lazy jag offs," he muttered. They don't give a shit unless it's they're ass.”
He looked down at the old man who he cuffed but conscious and moving and said “stay there.”
Gus called for medics medics who checked both guys vitals, put some disinfectant and gauze on them and told Gus they did not need to go to the hospital.
Finally, four cops ran up thru the pathway, handcuffs clinking and flash lights illuminating the area. Their voices cracked profane, cop talk at the two offenders.
“Drag both of them to the steps by the house and sit them down after you search em” said an angry Gus. Check them out. Check the older guy for a gun. The young guy too.”
"What a bunch of assholes you are," Gus yelled at all four cops.”
The sergeant said "Sorry Gus."
"Sorry my ass," said Gus.
"I could have gotten buried if that young kid got lucky with me Gus said to the sarge while pointing at raging bull. He decided to fight me after he flattened the old guy over there."
“Anyway I had to give the kid a love tap, Gus said disgustedly, "because your men weren't here to assist when he charged me.”
The sergeant stared at Gus.
"What did you do to him?" said the sarge patronizingly, pointing at the young gang banger who was getting alert.
He looks like his head went through a meat grinder."
"He wanted to fight," said Gus loudly. The cops knowingly looked at each other seeing how legendary Detective Gus Johnson had earned the respect he received throughout the department.
"Speaking of heads, I needed to see you're guys ugly heads.
You took fucking forever to get here." He looked at the fat, sloppy looking sergeant
who scratched the mustache on his round face guiltily.
"Great job, Gus," the sergeant said smirking at the guys, playing it off as if he had been part of the fight. He knew he was out of line as soon as he opened his mouth.
Gus busted him.
"What's fucking funny, barked Gus?" He did not wait for an answer.
"What happened? Where were you at?"
"I needed you men to get here like right now as if I were your sister getting mugged. Get it? You never know about any call, so you go hard and fast on every call, every time.
You all remember that, because you forgot again and I won't let it go. That is how cops die.”
"The reason for being so slow please? Gus questioned sarcastically
"Was it doughnuts?"
He was looking at the sergeant.
“Hot dogs," .
The red faced, sloppy sergeant confessed.
"Sorry Gus, he whispered."
Gus told the group what had happened. He knew they were hot to hear the story. He told it. He did not tell it to impress anyone. He told it to help one of them maybe save another cop next time. Whatever. He never bragged.
"Just a wake up call, guys. Slow back-ups result in dead cops. Police get lazy and other policemen die. I could have been a dead man for no reason. Don't forget that."
"I ever see one of you late on a back up call again I'll kick your lazy ass. No write ups. Got me? Tell all your partners what I said. Same for them." I hate lazy cops.”
Maybe you'll save someone's life sometime or someone will save yours by showing up quick.”
I called for back-up as soon as I got here and saw the two were gonna fight. Then, that kid smacked and kicked the old man.
He pointed to the crazy kid. "He tried to take me out after he busted up out the old guy. He could of hurt him more but decided not to kick him again. He had time.
Maybe he has some goodness in him”?
"The police didn't mean a thing to this asshole. He went for me after I grabbed his arm to get him away from the old guy. He could have had a weapon and I'm gone.
"How many minutes ago did you get the call?"
"Fifteen," said the sarge looking at his watch.
"Where were you?"
" At Scariness."
" It should have taken you three to get here.
You would have been here in time for me to stay out of danger. Instead, this happened” as he pointed to the two bloody guys on the steps.
Just then the medics showed up. They took the vitals of both combatants and bandaged them up. “They'll both be okay' No need to bring them to the hospital. Minor wounds. We;re out of here guys.”
“Thanks”, said Gus.
"Really sorry, Gus," said the humbled sergeant.
.
Suddenly, a young woman came running down the pathway and screamed, "Don't hurt him." She was obviously the young kids mother.
She ran to the steps and screamed for someone to tell her what her bloody boy did as she protectively wrapped her arm around his shoulder, moaning "Oh, Henry," making Gus think of Henry's hamburgers, the McDonald's of his childhood.
"I'm alright, mamma." She looked closely at his bandaged head and face. She stroked him gently. "I'm good" he reassured her.
Gus then introduced himself.
"And you are?" I'm Charlene Johnson and this is my son Henry Johnson."
Charlene looked hot like fire, a tall woman with a big rack and a hot, slutty face.
Yum, thought Gus.
Gus was happy with the lust he felt. It had been a while since he got that turned on by anyone.
She also loved her boy. Gus thought she was kind. That was critical to Gus's unconventional values. Gus had been married and divorced and had an African America twenty four year old boy who was on the Detroit Police Department.
The other guys stared at Charlene like wide eyed little boys attempting to conceal their horny feelings. She was classy and different.
"What happened? Charlene asked Gus in a husky voice, recognizing that he was in charge. Street-sense, thought Gus. She knows how to figure out who the boss is out here.
"Tell her, Henry," Gus said with his first grin of the night. Henry was now recovering.
Henry said Charles had come looking for the rent and they had an argument, and then the cops came.
"Charles do that to you baby?"
"I didn't touch him," Charles snapped. "He hit me. "I came here for the rent you promised Charlene."
"Oh yeah, Charles. That why you're here huh?" said Charlene.
"You didn't drop the money today, Char", he answered.
"Oh, I see. You been getting paid on time every month but tonight you had to come over at 2 am for it? You know I pay your sorry ass the rent always on time.
I know what you really wanted Charles. You wanted to hook me up with some Gold Coast high roller. Never again.”
I am done with this life, I am going back to school bad I have another job, You were an emergency.” I am moving out as soon as I can. Here's the rent” Charlene said extending an envelope to Charles.
Gus was getting fascinated. She's honest he thought.
A quiet Henry now spoke up.
"Why did you do me like that man?" said Henry looking at Gus and sating out those words curiously but not angrily.' Yeah, some goodness in him. thought Gus.
Before Gus answered, Charlene slapped her sons arm.
"Shut up Henry. He'll take you to jail. Just shut up.”
"I should," said Gus. He pounded the guy over there badly but he could have done more. He had him down. Your boy here didn't pay any attention to my badge.
He was crazy. He went at me. I had to settle him down. He's lucky.
I see promise in him. I thin he will be okay.”
"You're not gonna arrest him are you?
I know he was defending my honor because of that piece of shit." She pointed at Charles who was hurting but bandaged but clear.
“He can't have me anymore pimping me out with his Gold Coast freaks. I told him that right Henry.”
“Yes, you did mama. Then he smacked you.”
Charlene spoke again obviously wanting to be believed.
“I had a job a good job in computers ago and I'm going back to school and staying straight like I was my whole life until the last two years, I did this because it's big money but it's not worth it. I'm one year away from a college degree.
I'm signed up and paid to start again in three weeks.”
I was in computer sales for ten years. Then, came Ovid, I got laid off and I got hooked on meth and making fast, ugly money on my looks.”
“Officer, are you going to take Henry to jail. He was defending my honor?”
“We all have to go to the station to sort this out. Then, we'll see”
"He will behave, officer. Please believe me. This person you see is not Henry.”
Now, Gus was changing his attitude. Charlene had some real heart for that kid and he had strong, protective feelings for her, thought Gus.
Plus, she is not the trash he was accustomed to.
"Got IDs all of you? asked Gus.
Sensible and slutty but passionate and smart..
She also had that body that couldn't be dismissed.
He tried not to make eye contact to give her a psychological edge. Gus could feel some animal heat emerging in his oversexed loins.
One of the cops came back with a loaded 22 caliber gun he found on Charles.
Gus looked Charles in the eye.
"Whats this? he asked holding up the now unloaded 22? "Protection for an older gentleman like you?"
"You know how it is officer." was Charles' response. It's not safe out here.?
"I know how it is and I know you don't come here in the middle of the night with a gun just to get rent.”
He rolled his eyes toward Charlene.
She spit out “ you bastard” to Charles.
Gus displayed the now empty gun again.
"This is unlawful possession unless you have a permit Charles."
"Do you?" he asked almost jokingly.
"No officer"
Gus continued. "You know him?" pointing to Henry?" "It doesn't look like you and him were in a fair fight. That means you might have used that gun on him if I didn't get there. Or, maybe you would have shot me?"
Charles said, "No. it's only to scare people who fuck with me. I never would have used it. I gotta deal with a lot of bad people around here."
"You're a low life, lying, cheating pimp." blurted Charlene. "That's what you are."
"How about after Henry beat you down. He gave you a break you know.” Gus continued.
"Would you have gone bang bang to Charles if you could have? Gus didn't wait for an answer.
"OK, Charles. We'll talk later at the station."
"Run all three names Gus said to any of the other cops."
One of the cops came back quickly with arrest records.
"He has been arrested 14 times, he said, pointing to Charles. All in the last three years." Five unlawful weapons possessions, five prostitution solicitations, two burglaries, two robberies, and he's on probation now."
"And Henry here?
“A few shop lifting s and a petty theft. No jail. No probation.” One theft in the last two years. That's all."
" What about Charlene?" "She's clean."
“Seems like an upstanding citizen.”
Good, thought Gus. Charlene is clean.
"Take him in." Gus motioned at Charles.
"Unlawful possession is the charge for now."
"Oh no." moaned Charles. The kid hit me. "You saw." Gus answered “Maybe that saved you from shooting him?”
Gus said, "I gotta talk to Henry more and then I'll talk to you at the station."
"I don't know if this is on the kid and his mother or you or everyone. I know there is more going on here. We'll see later Charles."
"OK Gus. Again, sorry” said the sarge as he pulled away.
Gus said nothing to the sergeant as he left with the other cops and Charles.
Gus turned again to Charlene and Henry. "OK, Charlene. What's the story? It's 2 in the morning and this man is now coming to collect the rent? Whats that about?"
"I did owe him $500. I was supposed to drop it to him today. But, I got ripped off last night. I found another $500.00 today.”
"Ripped off?" said Gus. "How'd you get ripped off? You don't look easy to rip off." Their eyes locked and he knew he had her.
"I lent the money to a close friend in trouble," she admitted, as her head tilted down”
"Didn't you think he would come here for the money?
“No” Charlene said. He knows I am honest and always pay on time. He just can't let it go with me. I'm worth too much to him.”
“But Henry and me. We're all each other has. He's been in enough trouble only because of living in this neighborhood. He's a good boy, Kind and loving but very protective. We used to have a regular life which we both will have again.”
"That bastard was my pimp for a while. He is scum. I worked for him dealing with some high class clients he had. I always could keep him away from me. Now, he wants my body. He is garbage. He used the missing rent as an excuse to get at my ass.”
You know, high roller party guys and women living large on the gold coast. We hooked up and
made good money for a while."
"And?" said Gus.
"He ripped me off for my end of the money and started hassling me.”.
I said no.
"He smacked me in front of Henry like I said a few days ago when I told him to get out. I told him my business was over with him. That's why Henry did him that way. He's a good boy. He was protecting me from that animal.”
Gus looked at Henry differently now.
"You working a real job now," asked Gus.
"Yeah. Waitress at Big John's 24-hour joint on Cottage." Making good money.”
"I know it," nodded Gus.
This is good, Gus thought. Action. Sex. A righteous hooker.
Player Gus loved living on the fringe. He also had a soft heart for distressed people.
Plus, a wild libido for wickedly wild women.
This month was the first time I have ever been late on the rent. I promised him I'd drop the rent today at his place but I never showed. So, he came here looking for cash and pussy. You know?
“You know Charlene
I could have hurt your son today, or he could have hurt me because of your problems with your rent because of living in the ghetto.”
“I know, I know, I was totally broke a few years ago. I made money, and Charles got me trapped not being able to resist making a few thousand a week. He met me at a strip bar dancing on the pole.
He kind of made me feel protected because he has all this protection he brags about from his rich tricks.” I saved cash and now I can afford to get a descent place for Henry and I.” I have 419,000 stashed away that I can get to in three days,”
"Let's go to the station and we'll all have a nice chat and I'll try to figure out what to do." Henry had not said a word and was just sitting and holding his hurting head..
That's my car right there pointed Gus." You sit in the front, Henry, and you sit in the back, Charlene."
They arrived at the 22nd precinct. Charles was sitting there handcuffed. Gus took all three to a small table outside the room.
This was all chickenshit, thought Gus. A fight, a gun, a wild kid getting even for his mothers pimp abusing her.
The only asshole was Charles.
Henry had to learn never to fight with the police again. Gus thought he might teach Henry a lasting lesson. Gus had great instincts. He also was thinking about Charlene body and brain.
"Come over here, Henry." He took Henry down to the temporary morgue in the basement. There was a dead man who had been shot through his eye splattering his brains all over his head.
"See that man, Henry?" Henry got very pale.
He went looking for someone who insulted his girlfriend at a ballgame said Gus. You know, a street ball game."
"Yeah, I know" said Henry. "I play."
“He had a gun
Well, he ran up to the dude and shot him in the face. He died in a second.
"Henry hit my mom."
“I know, said Gus."
"That dead guy laying here killed this dude who came defending his girl just like you did. He is never getting out of jail.”
“If you had a gun would you have killed Charles tonight?”
Charles had a gun and would have blown your head up like this guy if he could have.”
Think you mama would be proud then?”
“No” said Henry. “Right” said Gus.
“Only you got saved tonight.
Look at him again son." He was trying to defend his girlfriends honor and this could be you.
You consider yourself a good person, Henry?"
"I love my mom."
"How do you think your mom would feel if she saw you dead like this?"
"You weren't looking when they found this on Charles, Henry." He pulled out Charles unloaded gun.
"He would have used it on you if he had the chance. You were lucky today, Henry."
Gus instincts kicked in. Thee was something sensitive in Henry's eyes. He saw a gentle soul. That's why he didn't kick Charles again.
" I think you"re a good kid, A smart, sensitive kid. Learn a lesson tonight you can use forever.
Don't ever fight with the police. Try to stay away from violence which is hard but possible to do.” Try. No guns. Ever.
Stay away from all bad people.
That will make you a man. Fighting and shooting make you a punk.
“You want to stay alive and make your mama proud the right way. Listen to me. I know.”
She says you are moving to a better neighborhood.
Are you going to school all the time?”
“I always get put in advanced classes sir." "I do hate fighting but I have to."
"You don't" said Gus.
Henry was really listening
"You may have gotten a new life today, Henry.
Take another look at that dead man,"
"I can't," whined a petrified Henry. He scares me and makes me sick."
"Good," said Gus.
Gus saw a human being emerge in Henry. Henry was very intelligent. There was hope in this kid's eyes. He might be the one in a million Gus thought.
“
"Get straight, Henry. You know what I mean."
Gus went over to Charles, a broken, lost cause. An arch criminal with no use for life. Gus threatened him that he could book him for carrying a concealed weapon and he would go back to prison.
“Charles, you get a break tonight. You let Charlene and Henry live rent free for two weeks and do not bother either of them. You are going to be a good citizen and help Charlene out,
You agree to that and I will not book you on a weapons charge or other charges. You will get out of here now.
You hassle either of them in any way and I'll violate you immediately and you will go back in jail for at least three years. Got it?”
“You want her asked Charles Mr. detective, snapped Charles?”
Gus whacked Charles with a brutal backhand to his cheek. Charles fell out of the chair.
Nothing more was said.
Finally, Gus went over to Charlene.
Charlene asked " What about Henry?" "We talked," said Gus.
"No charges."
"Oh, thank you, officer.
“Also, you live rent free for two weeks where you are at. Charles got religion.”
“Oh officer.” tears flowed down Charlene face.
“You gotta watch Henry close. He can get much better.
Charles won't bother you but call me if he does.”
."Hey Gus, you always working?" She called him by his first name,
"Not tomorrow night."
"Let's get together." said Gus.
"We're on," said Charlene.
"Big Johns at 8 said Gus Johnson?"
"Sure, said Charlene."
"Great. answered Gus.
Lets take Henry with us for some dinner.”
That night was the most fulfilling time Gus had since his wife died.
As the three pulled up to Charlene apartment Gus said,
“How about the three of us going to a baseball game Sunday?
Oh yeah shrieked Henry. I'd love that said Charlene.”
Were on said Gus”
I'll pick you guys up at 10 am and well go for breakfast.”
Gus pulled away smiling and watching as the woman and her boy walked down the path inside the doorway. .
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