2009
Coming To America
The platypus was making its first stop in a city aside from Liberty. Ezra Mizrahi looked at the approaching land with an eagerness as well as anxiety. He had not been to the United States in a very long time. He had been born in Tel Aviv, Israel but his parents had immigrated to the east coast of the United States when he was still a toddler. He had family in the US. Two cousins, both brothers. They had been born in the states and raised.
Ezra was thirty one old. He'd been born in 1978 and had lived in Liberty City with his own parents in close proximity to his cousins and their folks. They had lived in Colony Island at the time but they had moved back to the homeland in 1988 when he was just 10.
As close as he had been with his cousins he had not seen them in years. He had visited the as often as he could, mostly his younger cousin who had stayed in touch via email. They had moved to a new city that was older than Liberty City and was in a different state north of Liberty.
His older cousin had not kept in touch so much however. Behind him, were all kinds of immigrants but the majority of them were Chinese and middle eastern all though there were some Africans and a few Irishmen who he assumed had to be somewhat connected to the IRA.
A Chinese immigrant named Lao, was next to him. "You excited to go to America?" Ezra looked at him. Both of them had accents so it was in some ways hard to understand each other but English and them being migrants was all they had in common. Still they had befriended each other during the long boat ride. They had been lucky to not be stopped by the US Coast Guard. "Yes and no. I've been here before but not for a very long time. I did not live most of my life in this country so I do not know the ways."
Lao asked, "Did you read the American History book I give you? Not sugar coated ones either. When learning US history you must be careful what you read. Much like my home, the victors write the history and that history is usually lies. That book I give you is by Howard Zinn. He good man. Other books, you will have to get yourself. This strange land has history deeper than the United States exists. There is a lot to learn."
Ezra remarked, "You seem to know a lot for a man who is just about to arrive there for the first time,"
Lao shook his head. "This no my first time. I been many time before. I was here six years ago except immigration deport me. I went the other way, to San Fierro. For a country founded by immigrants, this country sure hate us. Still, it more opportunity here. I send what money I can back home to my family. I want to become legal eventually, go school, learn trade, use something I can take home make China better."
Ezra looked out at the distance between them and the harbor. "I'm here for family...and other reasons I'm not so sure of. I guess I am looking for a fresh start. I love my country but I have worn out my welcome there. It could be years before I could go back. Maybe I never can go back."
The friendly man said, "The same is true for me friend. I was a farmer back there but the crops died in the unforgiving sun,"
Ezra, had lost his parents when he was seventeen, killed by an Islamic extremist who had blown up a movie theater in Tel Aviv, their hometown, even though they were living in Jerusalem, they went back there. A few months after, was Ezra's eighteenth birthday and all Israeli males were required to join the service.
He had blamed the death of his parents on the Palestinian Liberation Organization so he joined the service gladly to defend the holy land from terrorists. He had served four years and had killed many people and completed a lot of missions. It was after that, he had taken up interest in working for the government. To help his people, his religion.
He had given up a lot of his youth toward protecting the country, working for Mossad. Recent behavior on his part had forced him to leave Israel. He was not about to talk about why with this man, even as friendly as he was. Here he was, a decade shy of 40 with no kids, no wife, and nobody that would miss him if he had been killed. So now, he was on his way to one of the oldest American cities in the country where what remained of his family was still there.
He finally arrived and they began loading off the boat. Lao said,l "Good luck to you, friend!"
Ezra waved and waited. Finally a dark red Willard came speeding up. His cousin Archie got out. Archie was a man with normally curly black hair but now it was cut short, he had a tan complexion and dark eyes and a head shaped like an egg. He wore a brown windbreaker and khaki shorts plus a Waston baseball hat. "Ezra! How the fuck are ya doing, buddy?!"
Ezra hugged the man and they both laughed heartily as they had not seen one another in years. Ezra was a contrast to Archie despite being the same age. Ezra had an athletic build and he had black curly hair but it was long much like Samson. He had a thick black beard and mustache as well. He wore a navy blue T shirt and black sweat pants. "Hello, Archie, it's been too long, brother."
Archie cackled and said, "You fucking smell like a garbage dump, dude! We gotta get you back to my apartment you're staying with me. Get you a shower. Jesus, didn't you guys bathe?" Ezra explained, "I did but it's very crowded in there. There were showers I think but only for the people that work on the crew not the people who paid to be brought here."
They approached Archie's dark red Sultan. "You know how to drive, Ezra? Ah what am I saying of course you do! But you had to drive on the other side of the rod, right? Here in America, we drive on the left side in case you forgot," Ezra assured him, "It's basically the same. It will take getting used to but I think I will manage."
He began to drive and asked, "So where to, cousin?" Archie directed the ex Mossad agent, "South Waston. 245 D Street. It's across the street from a cathedral. Don't worry, buddy I didn't convert and become a Jesuit."
He began to drive there following the GPS. "How's Gideon? I haven't heard much from him even in emails. It's like he lost touch."
Archie had a can of Pisswasser with him. "Ah fuck him. Look I love the guy he's family but he's way too serious! Always wants to work never taking time to just enjoy life. Most importantly no sense of humor. He's always been such a mamas by too. I mean I love ma, God rest her soul but hey nobody's perfect we can't all grow up to be business men! I'm a business man in my own right but I don't have anything to do with the horse shit, Gideon does. If being a working stiff means being a miserable asshole like him, I'm glad I do what I do. I get to be free and yes if I feel like it I do work on Saturdays."
Ezra had been a firm believer in it when he'd gone back home and even several yeas into his service but the things he had seen had made him question the existence of a God. He wasn't sure what was real. "So you're not taking the faith seriously?"
Archie defended himself. "Hey I go to synagogue when I can but you know I got a life! I'm not religious anymore! So many fucking rules! Gideon can take that shit to heart all he wants he ridicules me for not doing it. For eating pork. He can talk about it all he wants but he's never tried it. Have you, Ezra?"
Ezra replied with a chuckle, "I'm not too sure about it myself anymore but no I've never tried it. I guess I stayed with the traditions long after my faith started to crack. Force of habit I guess."
Ezra curiously asked, "Just what is it you do?" The American cousin seemed nervous at the question. "Let's just say I'm self employed...well sort of. At least I'm tax exempt for the most part which is more than I can say for him! Look me and him don't get along too well these days but if you're really feeling nostalgic we can always go and visit him once you get settled in. He lives over in Tesla. Much quieter than Southie."
Ezra was curious, "So I'm going to need a way to make living in America. It's a very capitalist country, no?"
Archie promised, "Well I've got a business associate I want you to meet. I worked with him a while. If you've been in the service we could use a man with your talents. We've gotta look out for each other most importantly, okay?"
As he drove he got a look at the interesting old city. They drove through several neighborhoods. He saw an African American area, an Asian community, a Puerto Rican community and now as he arrived at the apartment in South Waston, they were in a working class Irish community. The streets were busy cars honking, women walking dogs and off to work, men talking on cell phones, kids running down the street with basketballs and footballs.
"This is it, Ezzy. Home. It aint much but it's better than sleeping outside. What's mine is yours. Mi casa es su casa," Ezra looked at his relative in confusion, "What was that?" Archie laughed. "Nothing. Shit you have been away a long time!"
They headed upstairs past a vagrant asleep in the hall way clearly passed out drunk. He unlocked a door two doors down. "Voila. Home sweet home. It's not much but I've gotten some pretty ladies to come in with me so that's gotta count for something right? Listen, it aint much but for now you can have the couch it's got a pull out bed."
Ezra looked around. "Well it is humble but that's okay. It's good to see you again cousin. Good to be home. Or at least home as far as close to the family goes."
Archie nodded setting the beer can down. "We've gotta get you a Fleesa and a green card man but for now let's settle for getting you a haircut a shave and some new clothes. Looking like that, you could end up on a watch list, bro. Trust me."
Ezra nodded, "Sure thing. but can we do that later? For now I'm very tired it's been a long trip."
Archie said politely, "Of course! There's beer and some leftover pizza in the and juice too. Got cable and porn on the TV. I gotta run some errands there's a few things you'll need to get by in America, dude. For now, you just get some sleep, that pull out bed is more comfortable than you'd think. I'll be back in a couple hours then we can discuss what the next move is to get you settled. Welcome back to America, Ezzy."
Before long his cousin was out the door. Ezra laid down on the pull out bed and closed his eyes too tired to even disrobe. He hoped things would be different here than they had overseas but there was still a lot of unanswered questions as to his cousins line of work. He also wondered about this kind of neighborhood since all though most seemed to be decent hard working law abiding citizens he'd seen some suspicious less than reputable characters on the corner too. What have you been doing these last twenty one years, Archie?
It's been a while since I started a new fic i just realized of all the GTA stories I'm co writing I only have one that's actually on my account. Anyway a lot of my oc's have had cholo backgrounds so I decided to have an OC/protagonist more different from what I'm used to or knowledgeable about. Waston is based on Boston Massachusetts all though I'm not sure if I should come up with a fictional state name, like Rock Star did for San Andreas, Liberty State, and Alderney based on California, NY and New Jersey, or just use the original state name like they did with Vice City, Florida? You're the reviewer what do you think I should do?
South Waston based on South Boston, Tesla, is based on Newton Massachusetts which is west of downtown Boston.
So Ezra is based on Oded Fehr particularly his appearance in the Mummy movies as well as Deuce Bigalow Male Giggalo the first one. They also share the same place of birth, Tel Aviv. Archie is based on Adam Sandler's character of the same name in the movie Bulletproof as well as physical appearance. His brother Gideon who was mentioned will be in later chapters he'll be visually based on Adam Goldberg.
In any case this wasn't very action packed but it will be later. Just like my GTA Story Ballad Of A Cholo takes inspiration from cholo flicks like American Me and Blood In Blood Out as well as San Andreas did from Menace II Society and Juice, so will this take inspiration from crime movies set in Boston such as The Town, and The Departed. Maybe a touch of Boondock Saints as well.
In any case hope I get you interested. Later.
