Clara, the hostel manager, took Sam’s rent for the night as he passed the front desk. He paid her $32 for all 4 beds in their small dorm-like room.
“You ok?,” Sam stopped and asked. “You don’t look good.”
Clara was a very obese black woman. She never looked well. Her excessively labored breathing raised Sam’s concern.
“Just evicted,” she paused for a breath. “Wino Fred,” Clara answered. “He put up a good fight.” She leaned against the desk, clearing her throat. “Resting before,” a long inhale. “Cleaning his room so I can rent it. Bastard puked all over.”
“Clara,” Sam proclaimed. “Relax. Tina and I will clean that room. There is one thing I need in return.” Sam said.
“Oh baby you don’t have to,” Clara began. “But ok, Thank you Sam! Wait, what you need?”
“A meeting with Salvatore,” Sam asked. “Please.”
“Sam,” Clara’s tone was cautious. “He is mean. If he doesn’t like you, he will hurt you. Bad!”
“Please?” Sam had a plan to get back on his feet, get out of living here, get out of poverty. He ran a campus sports betting operation in college. He knew he could scale that up and sell a lot of people out of their money. But here, on the streets, he had to convince Salvatore to allow him or else he’d end up dead.
“No promises,” Clara nodded. “I’ll ask. You two start, I’ll bring up clean sheets,” She sat down. “Soon.”
Tina had learned that objecting to Sam’s wishes was dangerous. She was fine when he took her $5 for the night per their deal. She was fine when he grabbed her hand and led her to Fred’s room. She was not fine when he told her to clean it. Against her better judgment she protested.
“Fuck no. You clean it,” Tina shot back, trying to break free of Sam’s grasp. “I want my dinner!”
“Clara is helping me, us,” Sam pulled her close to him. “Now we’re helping her. Do what you’re told if you want to eat!”
Sam pushed her inside, “Begin!”
It had only been 3 weeks since Tina reluctantly agreed to Sam’s offer to take care of her. The cost was $5 a day from whatever she collected begging on the streets and she had to give herself up to him. Whatever he wanted, was the price that day.
“Fuck you, Sam,” Tina began cleaning, using the soiled bedding to sop up the puke on the floor. “I hate you, hate my life, hate Clara, hate…”
“But you keep coming back’,” Sam interrupted, kicking an empty wine bottle towards her. “Shut up!”
As disgusting as this chore was, she wasn’t getting fucked in the ass by Sam. She hated anal, he knew it, so he banged her ass often to remind her she belongs to him.
“Knock knock,” Clara entered with the clean sheets. Sam took them from her. “Hi Tina, thank you baby,” Clara said kindly.
“Fuck off,” Tina said discontented. “Sam said I had to, only reason I’m on my knees in puke.”
Clara raised her eyebrows and looked at Sam. “Ok then, thank you Sam.”
Tina stood and headed for the door. “I’m out of here. Fuck…”
Sam grabbed her by the hair, “You are being rude again. Get back to work or I’ll toss you out and see to it you cant get a room anywhere.”
Struggling to get free of Sam’s grip, “Let go! You can’t do that.”
“I can!” Clara voiced firmly.
Tina stopped struggling.
“I put word out and no hostel, no flophouse, is taking you in. And,” Clara continued. “I know Bobby. One call from me and he will push your begging ass off that prime entrance to the train station. He owes me several favors.”
