"I know you got somebody in there, Jamal." Terrell said, buttonholing his friend on the steps of the building.
"You don't know nothing. You hearing things. Told you to stay off of that PCP shit." Jamal said, bending over to retie his shoe. "What the fuck you doing spying on me anyway, dog?"
"Who's spying? I can't walk past your window anymore? Maybe you should rope it off with some of that yellow police tape."
"Shit." Jamal said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I gotta get to work. Ain't got time for your foolishness."
The two walked down the street, skirting the hop-scotching girls. It was mid-summer, and heat radiated from the old buildings and off the sidewalk.
"You take in a roommate? I don't know how you can do that, place as small as your's. Where you gonna put..."
"Will you shut up, T? All right, someone offered to help me do some cleaning round the place. That's all."
"Cleaning? What? You paying someone to clean that raggedy ass broom closet of yours?" Terrell said, smirking incredulously.
"I got a busy life! A man needs help with shit like that. Besides, i ain't paying nobody. More like a trade."
"What you got to be trading on?" Terrell asked. "Your rare coin collection?"
Jamal gave Terrell a shove, and he stumbled laughing towards the curb.
"Man, you GOT to come clean." Terrell said. "I heard someone moving around in there and I KNOW you was down at the Y. Now give it up. Come on, Jamal. We friends, right?"
Jamal felt a pang of guilt at not being open with his friend. At the same time he knew that Terrell was working him.
"It's just somebody." he said, vaguely.
"Well, I figured that out all by myself." Terrell said.
Jamal took a deep breath. "Alright. But you gotta keep your mouth shut. I mean it, T."
"Hell, you know me. Lips are sealed, motherfucker. Come on, bro. Give."
"It's just some guy I ran into over on 8th. He was buying."
"Yeah? And?" Terrell encouraged.
"I told him he could stay with me for a little while. That's all."
"And this 'trading' business? What's the dope on that?"
Jamal stopped and gave Terrell a searching look.
"You gotta keep this totally the fuck to yourself, you hear me?" Jamal said. Terrell was taken aback by his friend's serious tone.
"I swear, dude. Whatever you got to say, it stays right here and that's it. On my mama's grave."
"She ain't dead yet." Jamal said.
"Well, you know what I mean. You know you can trust me." Terrell said.
Jamal looked around, then turned to Terrell.
"This guy is a white boy. I was just hanging with Marcus, keeping him company while he was dealin', and he come up. The white boy."
"Yeah? Go on." Terrell said, and they began to walk again. Jamal looked at his watch There was time before he needed to clock in.
"Well, he was this tall, skinny white dude. Standing there looking around. Marcus sized him up right off. Anyway, Marcus signals to him, and he comes over, all nervous. I just step back and lean on the building, watching them. They do the deal - 4 grams, and Marcus smells money, so, you know, no family rate here." Jamal said, laughing.
"Anyway, while they're passing back and forth, I notice the white boy is looking my way. I take out my phone and check for messages, but I'm wondering about what white boy is up to."
"Maybe he sweet on you, bro." Terrell said, nudging Jamal with his shoulder. "You being a hansome young, black man with your pretty face, your smooth skin." he said, bending forward and slapping his knee. "Keep goin'. This gettin' good!"
Jamal watched his friends antics, smiling.
"You're not too far off, T. So, after those two wrapped things up, the white boy sort of wanders over toward me.
"Nice night." he says, and I just say'yeah'. I look at him. He's got these big blue eyes. Skin's super white and smooth, got these full, red lips. I'm thinking: some white fags with money will pay top dollar for a black dick to suck on. And you know me, T. I can always use the money."
"Yeah? So? What's next? You let whitey suck you off?"
Jamal looked away, feeling embarrassed.
"I just figured I could take him over to the park, get behind some bushes, and leave with some bills in my pocket. Didn't need to look at him, or nothing." he said.
"So we go over to the park, and he's all nervous and excited. He offers me a dip into his coke, and, you know, I was down with that. Anyway, we got a good jolt. Marcus's shit is always grade A. So, white boy is looking at me, and I know what he wants. I just said 'follow me' and, before I know it, my dick was getting the deluxe treatment from this dude. Fucker sure was hungry for it. Anyway, he give me a C-note for that, so I was happy. He sure could suck dick." Jamal said, with the look odf someone reliving a memorable moment.
"And him staying up your place? What's with that?" Terrell asked.
The two sat at a bench outside the drug store where Jamal worked.
"Well, he went on to tell me, I mean back then in the park, tell me how he's got money. Seems his daddy set up some kind of account for him that keeps him flush and then some. Like more than he knows what to do with, sounded like."
"So, you on the account now?" Terrell said, giving Jamal a sly look.
" I ain't gettin' specific, T. I want this under wraps as much as possible."
"I told you I'm top secret on this."
"I know, I know. And I trust you. I just don't feel like gettin' into details, is all. Anyway, he's payin' rent for staying there."
"You callin' it rent, eh?"
Jamal looked at his watch. He still had time before going into the store.
"I can tell you this much. That boy look up to me. Said he always respect black men, that they was strong and masculine. Said a white boy like him ought to be serving a black man."
"Serve you what? Tea and cookies?" Terrell said.
"Man, he want to serve me like a slave, bro. Just like a goddam slave." Jamal said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Terrell sat there a moment, absorbing what his friend had said.
"Shit, Jamal. You mean you got him doing whatever you want him to?"
"Yeah, dude. Exactly. I already had him doing all kinds of crazy shit. Had him kissing my feet, calling me 'Master'. I walk around the apartment with just an old T-shirt on, johnson swingin', and that boy's eyes are just glued to me! Gotta admit, it felt good having that power, after all that black folks been through in this country; him on his knees, and all."
"My great auntie, she been dead a long time now. She would tell us stories from HER granny 'bout slaves being done wrong back in those days. Them plantation fuckers were whipping their slaves, raping the women, sometimes right in front of their husbands - doing just 'bout whatever they please." Terrell said.
"Yeah. I heard stories, too. And this here white boy, he's hip to that. Says he knows we were done wrong. He tells me he wants to do his own personal part for reparations, and all." Jamal said.
"Damn, bro. You struck gold! You got you a real live white slave to do your biddin'! Plus, he payin you for the privilege. Shit, you can throw away your video games, dog. This here's for real."
Jamal smiled at his friend.
"Yeah, it's cool. and we's just gettin' started. I got ideas coming to me all the time." Jamal said grinning, then gave Terrell a serious look. "Like I said, you gotta keep a lid on this. This gets out and, who knows, his rich daddy might get a lawyer on my ass."
"How old is this boy?" Terrell said.
"He's eighteen. Made him show me his I.D. Got his address, too. Up in Riverdale."
"Well, he's legal to do as he please, Jamal. That's a fact. His daddy got nothin' to say."
Jamal checked the time.
"I'm due inside, T. So, it's just between us, got it."
Terrell looked cross.
"How many times I got to tell you? But I sure do want to know more. You gotta keep me in the loop."
While Jamal was working at the drug store, Charles was staying very busy. he washed the dishes in the sink, scrubbed the floor, cleaned the cabinet shelves, tidied the bedroom, and did Jamal's laundry. As he worked he reflected on the amazing turn his life had taken. After so much time imagining serving a young black man, here he was, actually DOING it! The image of Master Jamal walking nonchalantly through the apartment with his gorgeous cock in full view aroused him as he worked, and made him work harder still. He wanted Master to be pleased with what he found when he returned. He had already called home and told his mother that he would be staying with a friend in New Rochelle for several days.
Jamal lived in a basement apartment of a seven-storey building. The front door of his unit led into a common walkway in the basement. Along this walkway were a storage room, recycling bins, and a laundry. The apartment also had a door for a rear exit onto the back courtyard that was a requirement of the fire code. Jamal told Charles before he left for work to only use that rear door. People had no reason to use the courtyard. It was dingy and got little sunlight. Charles could come and go through there unnoticed.
After looking over his work and feeling satisfied with it, Charles slipped out the rear door to do some shopping.
When Charles heard the key turn in the lock, he immediately went to the center of the small foyer and knelt. His heart was beating fast. Jamal entered and handed his shoulder bag to Charles.
"Put this away, slave." he said, taking in the very clean and straightened environment.
Charles rose up quickly, took the bag and hung it on the hook on the back of the bedroom door. He returned to where Jamal was standing in the middle of the living room, and resumed his kneeling position before him.
"Well, slave-boy, you've been busy." he said. He noticed the small vase of fresh flowers on the coffee table. He took the blooms from the water, dropped them on the floor and ground them into the floorboards.
"Clean that shit up, boy." he ordered.