Carl woke up and threw on a clean white wife beater and a pair of jeans from the floor. He ran his hand over his head and headed out his bedroom door. Sophia, the latest girl in his life, was sprawled out on the couch in the living room of his apartment. He tapped her leg as he passed by and woke her up. He went into the kitchen, cleared the crumbs from toast off of the counter and onto the white tiled floor and he opened the bread, put a few of the pieces in the toaster and waited around.

Sophia came into the kitchen, "G'morning," she said as she approached him wearing nothing but one of his overly large white tee shirts. She pecked at his lips.

"Was up?" Carl smiled down at her.

"What time is it 'round here anyway?" Sophia spun around looking for a clock. She spotted the little digital clock at the edge of the counter, and she squealed, "One o'clock, my lord. I forgot all about my meeting with Loretta this morning, damn," she shook her head.

"Oh well, you got betta shit ta do, hang wit me girl," he wrapped his arms around her.

"I can't stay here. You got my money?"

"Man, what you talkin' bout? You said if you enjoyed it I wouldn't have to pay."
"Right, so like I said, where's my money?"

"Getta outta here before I blow you ta pieces ya whore."

"Boy, don't be seein' me on the streets no more."

"I didn't plan on pickin' yo scanky ass up nigga, get outta here before I hurt yo ass," he turned around and pulled the toast out of the toaster.

"I was headin' out. Say, where my panties at?"

"Where ever you left 'em," Carl shrugged and took a bite of his toast.

She turned the corner and headed back into his bedroom to get dressed. She found her clothes next to the bed on the other side. She left the apartment and walked to Loretta's, a friend of hers.

Carl finished his toast and left the house in his new car. He pulled up behind Sophia and she hadn't noticed he was following her until she heard the loud roar of the car. Carl rolled his window down and pulled up along side of her, a gun hanging out the window. "Get in," he threatened.

Sophia ran around the front of the car and climbed in the passenger seat. "I'm in, don't shoot nothin', I'm in ya damn car boy," she put her hands up.

"Did you mean that shit bout me not bein' good or nothin'?"

"Na, you needa understand I just need money and that's how I get it, otherwise, you the best out there so far."

"Who's next in line to compete for championship?" he put his hand on her caramel colored body.

"My next appointment later this evening, some guy named Richard. I'll hit ya up afterwards, aight? I gotta go to Loretta's now, boy, good seein' you again," she opened the door and climbed out. "Oh, and keep that gun away from me nigga," she winked at him and trotted up to Loretta's screen door.

Carl pulled off with a smug look on his face, he knew he was only out to look for trouble. And there it was, standing on the street corner. He parked the car next to a few black colored guys on the corner of Warner and Clark.

"I got this," one of them said and came over to Carl's car. "Ey man," he said.

"Lookin' for a project," Carl asked.

"So, what you offerin'?"

"A thousand ta each of ya boys if ya complete successfully," Carl said.

"We your's," he climbed into the passenger seat, Carl rolled up the window. "What you got?"

"Kid named Richard, fuck him up."

"He out wit yo girl man?"

"You smarter than yo ass look, ya know that," Carl slugged him in the shoulder. "Carl here."

"Leroy up in here," Leroy shook Carl's hand. "Got any idea where I can pick him up?"

"No," Carl shook his head. "Alls I know is his name is Richard," he shrugged."Good enough. When's the pay?"

"Whenever you find him and mess his punk ass up," Carl told him.

"Will do," Leroy climbed outta the car. "Deadline?"

"Tonight," Carl floored off, just barely hitting the light pole above the boys.