A Rage in Harlem Page #2

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I got that Trigger thing

happening down there.

Smitty, I don't got time...

for all your blaspheming

and your evil ways.

I'm looking for Easy Money.

- Smitty...

- Ohh!

I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Get your goddamn hands

off me, chump.

Trying to clean you off.

Excuse me, but...

- Do we know you?

- Not in this lifetime.

- Oh!

- Whoo!

Hot damn!

I know that hurt you.

It hurt you.

No, can't hurt nobody

who look like Nat Cole.

Sh*t.

You better get rid

of them shaving bumps.

Man, shut up,

you old bug-eyed...

Yeah. Heh.

That's gold, all right.

Mmm. Mmm. That's good.

But you're gonna have

to show me the rest of it...

before I show you the money.

Now, honey, a whole lot

of people was killed...

playing around

with this stuff.

My partners,

white folks, police.

I ain't just

flashing it around...

and ending up

the way they did.

You know, I do believe...

you and I were cut out

to do business together.

But first...

Yeah, baby?

- Straighten up!

- Count off!

Act calm.

Take it easy, baby.

Their bark is bigger

than their bite.

So, what you trying

to pin on me now?

Familiar with an old man

named Julius Dixon?

Hit for 10 grand on a number

Goldy sold him.

It warms my head

when I can do some good...

for the old folks

of the community.

Yeah? Too bad he fell

down a flight of stairs...

before you could pay him!

You don't think

we could do this later...

like in the morning?

- Hell no!

- Hell no!

Don't worry, baby.

They just do this sh*t

to keep themselves busy.

But, uh...

I got no place to stay.

Stay in a hotel.

But I got no money.

Are you ready for me, daddy?

Oh, I'm sorry that

I spilled that water on you.

He spills a drink on me...

and now he won't even ask me

for a dance.

Boy ain't got no manners.

Well, honey,

you're just gonna have...

to make it up to me

on the dance floor, huh?

Would you hold

this for me, please?

Thank you.

I'm gonna hold this

for you, yeah.

Uh...

You're not an undertaker.

I'm Jackson.

That's my toe, Jackson.

Sorry. I told you,

I don't know how to dance.

Baby, it's easy.

Just wrap your arms

around me...

And squeeze.

I know who it is.

See, that's his cousin.

- Uh-uh.

- No, no.

Then that's...

Mr. Clay's in on this...

that's his wife's

sister's daughter...

- Uh-uh.

- No, no.

Then I do not know

who that woman is.

But...

Sorry.

And don't this feel good?

- Whoo!

- Oh!

Jackson, would you like

to go outside?

Because it's kinda hot

in here.

Um, no. Uh...

Heh. I'm doing

just fine here, really.

Would you like to go home?

Really,

don't worry about me.

I'm great.

Honey,

I ain't worried about you.

I'm worried about me.

See, I'm tired,

my feet are killing me...

and I just want to sit down.

Now, do you live nearby?

I'm sorry?

Let's go.

This is it.

Upstairs.

Jackson, I told you

never to leave...

your ham-greased stuff

in my kitchen.

Who is that?

Well, you ain't been

fornicating all these years.

I don't see how come

you want to start now.

If Christ knew

what kind of Christians...

he had up here in Harlem...

he'd climb back up

on the cross and start over.

Who's that?

Why, that's Jesus.

Now, honey,

I know who Jesus is.

The other one.

Oh. That's my mom.

She's dead now.

Sorry to hear that, Jackson.

I'm so tired.

I feel like I walked

all the way from Mississippi.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Would you like me

to rub your feet for you?

I could do that for you.

Sure, honey, that'd be fine.

Gotta take these off.

I've seen

a lot of feet before.

I don't think

I've seen one... so small.

That's mighty sweet of you,

Jackson.

So, where is it

you seen all them feet?

Dead people.

Jackson.

Oh, you know...

being an undertaker

and everything.

It's not that

I work with the deceased...

or anything like that,

personally.

It's just... the job.

You get accustomed

to the sight of bodies.

What I mean is...

Looking at bodies ain't so bad.

That's not what

I'm trying to say, either.

What I'm trying to say...

is...

You probably

ain't never seen a body.

Mm-mm.

Oh, they ain't so bad.

Actually, it's

a very exciting line of work.

Police! Get the hell

out of the way, suckers!

Don't make me kill nobody!

- Straighten up!

- Count off!

Goldy, my boy.

What's a nice guy like you

doing in a place like this?

I live here, Grave Digger.

Now get the f*** out!

Two sluts cut up

a white cop last night.

So what? What?

So the word is,

they come outta here.

You wouldn't

know nothing about that?

I don't know

nothing about nothing.

I suppose you don't know

nothing about some boys...

in Mississippi that shot up

a bunch of white folks...

and stole a trunk of gold?

What's that got to do with me?

Sooner or later,

it'll end up in Harlem.

Between

you and Easy Money...

knowing everything

that comes in and out of here...

Gentlemen, you wouldn't

happen to have...

a search warrant, would you?

We don't need

a goddamn search warrant.

OK! All right!

We said we don't know

nothing about nothing.

Yeah!

You better watch

your ass, fruitcake.

Or we'll shut

this motherf***er down!

Let's go.

Someday, though.

Yeah, someday...

I'm gonna kick your ass.

Try not to break

anything on the way out.

Bastards.

Could've been worse.

Ha ha! OK, girls.

The fun is over.

Let's clean up this mess.

Come on, come on!

Did you hear what they said?

There's gold in Harlem!

Don't even think about it.

Sh*t, Kathy,

this could be it for me.

I get my hands on that gold...

- Be careful.

- Yeah.

I'll be careful.

Yes! I'll be careful!

Ladies!

I'm coming back, ladies!

Hey! I done told you...

a million times to keep

your behind off my stoop!

What you doing?

Staring at you.

You've been there all night,

haven't you?

You covered me up?

Yeah, it gets

so cold around here...

I didn't want you

to get sick or nothing.

It's just that most men

would've uncovered me.

All of 'em, in fact.

What kind of man would do

something like that to you?

That's not very nice.

Where you staying, anyway?

Do you have family

around here?

I sure had a fine time

last night, Jackson.

Me, too.

Thank you...

for covering me up and all.

Rubbing my feet and all.

Oh, it's no problem.

Really, it's no problem.

You a virgin, Jackson?

What you want to ask me

a question like that for?

I'll take that as a yes.

I ain't no virgin.

Heh.

I could teach you.

I don't know.

You already taught me to dance

and all that stuff.

Wow.

Come here, baby.

Turn around.

Oh. That's OK.

I can do that.

Lay down, baby.

- Up here.

- Oh.

Do you mind if I take

these pictures off the wall?

- OK.

- OK.

Mm. What you trying

to do, baby?

I'm just... just...

taking my shoes off.

I'm sorry.

I'm so stupid. I don't...

I don't know how to do nothing.

Jackson.

It don't matter.

It really don't matter.

It don't? Really?

Mm-mm. No.

You're the best thing

that ever happened to me.

Mmm.

Will you marry me?

Marry me. Marry me.

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