Existence Denied

CHAPTER 4

Jared sat on the crowded Metrobus, headed toward what many considered one of Miami's seedier neighborhoods. As he pushed the head of a snoring drunk off his shoulder for the fifth time, Jared realized public transportation had to be God's way of punishing man for at least some of his sins. By the time the drunk began experiencing explosive bouts of flatulence, he decided to get off the bus and walk the rest of the way.

His nose thanked him as he hopped off the last stair and onto the sidewalk.

Jared strode down the street as the bus roared away, his eyes on other walkers who eyed him in return, a tight grip on his work satchel. The neighborhood, also known as the Joint, had seen better days. It seemed as if crime and a sense of hopelessness had taken over parts of the district, and it saddened Jared to see his old stomping ground falling into such disarray. 

The low property values and little to no funding into the area, public or private, added to the downtrodden ambiance. Things hadn't gotten better since the last time he'd ventured to the area two months ago. He hadn't driven his car. Jared had learned two missing tires later that no matter who you ran within the neighborhood, someone's ride was fair game to car thieves.

"Yo, my brotha, you got some spare change?"

He slowed his pace to gaze at the older man trotting at his side in a dirty cotton T-shirt and ripped jeans. The matted hair and unshaven face took nothing away from the toothless grin currently beaming at Jared. The dark-skinned beggar nudged him with a bony elbow, doing his best to keep up with the younger man's strides.

Ah, Jellyroll, still on the prowl, he mused.

Jared halted his march down the grimy sidewalk to glare at the skinny tagalong. "Jellyroll, last time I saw you, I gave you twenty bucks to get a couple of outfits at the thrift shop. Why you still wear those rags?"

Jellyroll shrugged as he puffed out his thin chest. "I had some unexpected expenses and needed to make a few investments if you must know. So why don't you help a brotha out again?"

"Yeah, investments that come in a brown paper bag." He shook his head. "Nope, you didn't stick to the deal. A hard head carries a soft behind."

Jellyroll pouted for a moment before his signature grin returned. "I'll tell ya something good if you gimme some change." He leaned in closer, and Jared hastily held his breath. Jellyroll wasn't big on mouthwash. "That pretty lil thing you married, she's down at Coyo's doing Lawd knows what. Probably harassing the locals again."

Jared's eyes narrowed. Lorraine hadn't mentioned heading down to Coyo's while they dressed and had breakfast that morning. He reached in a pocket and gave Jellyroll a five-dollar bill. "That's all you getting, man. Thanks for the info."

Jellyroll smiled at Jared and pocketed his reward. "Yo, thanks, Jay. Tell that lil honey if she gets tired of yo beefy muscles, she can call me anytime." He scurried away before Jared could take him to task for the little dig.

Jared stood on the cracked sidewalk near the dilapidated buildings, with nothing green growing within sight, and watch Jellyroll round the corner into the nearest alley. Times like these made his career choice almost unbearable. Months before Jellyroll's birth, some Life and Death Inquisitors had run probabilities on him and predicted his probable lifestyle before assigning birth and death dates.

Jared could tell they hadn't been far off the mark.

Two more city blocks and an embarrassing stop as he tried to Double Dutch with a group of young school girls on the sidewalk, brought him to a medium-size brick building with the words "COYO'S" on the awning, written in fancy script. On the side of the brick wall facing the parking lot, Coyo allowed neighborhood youths to spray paint murals on the wall as the other side shared a wall with the plumbing store. Coyo never had problems with other kids in the area spraying over the artwork with graffiti. They knew better.