The Widow Of Magnolia Lane

Part 19

"I told Meech about having them youngins' chilling out front my house like that", Akoni turned to St. James and shook his head staring at the group of boys on the porch.

"You know any of them?"  St. James asked staring at a woman walking by.

"I know Khalid and Trayvon.  That yella' nigga with the red hair that tried to fight Unc is new to me."  Akoni nudged St. James to put down his window.

"Tell Meech to come here, Saint".  Akoni unwrapped a fresh toothpick out of his console and stuck it in his mouth.

"Ayo Meech!"  St. James waved his arm.

Meech was short and thin.  If it were not for the slight stubble on his upper lip, he would have appeared 7 years younger than his 23 years of living.  He fastened his jacket around his small body and walked over to the truck.

"What's up Akoni! Hey Saint! It's cold out this bitch".  Meech quipped, zipping his jacket up to his neck.

"Ain't too cold out here for yall.  Yall out here chilling and shit.  You been smoking weed out in front of my house?"   Akoni looked Meech directly in his eyes.  He could smell the marijuana as if Meech had doused himself with the herb's juices.  Akoni leaned back slightly and studied Meech's face.  Eyes, that were normally wide and aloof, were now reddened slits.  He knew the truth.  He waited for Meech to lie.

"Nah man.  We just out here talking shit."  Meech looked up at Akoni with a wide smile.

Akoni rolled his eyes and looked over at St.James.

"Nigga, you lying like a muthafucka!" St. James laughed.

"Nah. Nah. We just talking--

"Meech cut the bullshit."  Akoni cut him off.  "Who that yella' nigga you got hanging around with you?"  Akoni stared angrily at Meech.

"Oh, that's my man Romero but we call him Redd.  He from around the way."  Meech looked over at Romero.

"You ain't got him out here slinging my shit on these corners, do you?"  Akoni asked.

"Oh nah Akoni.  I mean he trying to get on but I told him he got to go through you first." Meech glanced at his cell phone and stuck it back in his pocket.

"So now this nigga know who and where you get your shit from?"  Akoni knitted his brow and bit his lip at Meech.

"He good Akoni.  I trust him with my life." Meech managed to open his crimson eyes and look at Akoni earnestly.

"If you trusting these round-the-way niggas with your life, you must don't wanna live long".  Akoni glared at Meech.  

"Yo, for real son." St. James chimed in agreement.

Akoni never wanted Meech to run any of his corners.  If it were not for Rasheeda's constant begging and pleading, Meech would have been another statistic vaporized by the streets.  After miraculously graduating high school, Meech tried to work odd jobs.  He couldn't read and had a hard time following directions.  The streets became his home.  He had become a stick-up kid and was shot in the arm trying to rob an ex-marine.  "He needs direction.  He needs something to focus on while putting money in his pocket"  Rasheeda cried.  Reluctantly,  Akoni gave him the corner off of McKean Avenue.  Meech did well, bringing in new customers and retaining the old ones.  Akoni kept him there.

"What happened with the Russians?  Why they come over Unc's bar?"  Akoni looked over at the house and saw Rasheeda standing in the doorway with her arms folded.  He put his head down and slowly turned to Meech.