Fairy Gang-Banger (tentative) part 1

Lisa was a 20 year-old Chicana that grew up without a Father. Her Mother worked two jobs to support her and her little brother, one at the bank and one as a medical claims processor. Lisa had just graduated high school and was lost. She was working part time at a Mexican grocery store and hanging out with her friends when she was off. She had boyfriends but at the moment she was single.

            She was a bad ass. Or at least that’s the image that she let get spread around the neighborhood. One time someone was picking on her best friend Gwendolyn. It was the neighborhood bully, a short but stocky guy with a shaved head. Lisa stood up for Gwen challenging him to a fight and then attacking him before he could answer.

Lisa was a pretty Latina with long wavy hair, the kind that you just want to lay down in. She was a scrapper. Nobody ever messed with her little brother, Julian. She scared grown men and found it hard to keep a boyfriend. She was a strong young lady. But on the inside she missed her Daddy. She was tough because she needed to be with no man in the house. She would even stand up for her Mother when people would cut her off at he grocery store. Her Mother, Maria, was meek and had a tendency to let people walk all over her. Lisa was the opposite of this.

Her Father went to jail for drugs when she was a baby and when the laws were stricter in California. Now, he would just get a slap on the wrist. He got a 25 to life sentence. He still had 5 years before he would go up in front of the parole board. Lisa was not really eager to see him. This was a man she never even made memories with. Her Mother talked highly of him but her Mother never had a foul word to say about anyone. Lisa knew that she held her tongue and probably without even trying. It was something that she was brought up with.

The streets were the Father figure that Lisa needed. Her partners were there when her Father was not. They were Lisa’s Father, big brother, and backup for any situation. Lisa was initiated into a gang at birth. Her Father was writing a story that Lisa was expected to finish. Luckily Lisa was down, but not for her Father’s reputation. She was down for her friends and her family. She had their back even when they were shackled from head to toe. No one was going to take another person from Lisa. Her Father’s imprisonment created the fire inside her.

Lisa was at a crossroads but didn’t recognize it. Her new friends were trouble and she knew this but she didn’t know just how bad they were. Until one morning when she was home doing nothing her friends called on her for a favor that she wasn’t prepared for. It began with a knock at the door.

“Hey, what’s up?” Lisa says to an eager group of her new friends.

“Let us in, let us in.” Monique says to a bewildered Lisa and then they just push their way in.

“What the hell.” Lisa says as the group of four, pour into her house and close the door behind. The group is all out of wind and trying to catch up to it.

“Chill out, Mija, we are going to help you and your family.” Monique says with two large Cholo’s by her side, Lisa would not be intimidated by anyone in her own house.

“What’s going on?” Lisa says mildly angry.

“Look, we have money, lots of money.” Monique pulls out wrapped bills and stacks them on the coffee table.

“Damn, where did you get this?” Lisa is intrigued by the money but has a bad feeling. “What did you do?”

“Don’t trip, Its OK.” Monique says. ”This is my homeboy Julio.” she begins. “And the others are his homeboys. And we need you to hold this.” and she sets carefully a Glock 17 handgun. on top of the money. And they leave as quickly as they came.

Lisa didn’t even have time to protest. Now she had a pile of money, a pistol and no idea what to do with it. First, Lisa knew she had to hide the gun so she put it in a trashcan in the garage that held dirty laundry. Then she put the money in a shoebox in her closet. Then she sat down, turned on the radio and heard something ominous. It was a report that four people had robbed a local bank. Her palms started to sweat and thoughts of her Father invaded her mind. Prison was now on her mind. But her Mother really needed the money.

She got in her car and drove to her girlfriend, Tabitha’s house. Pulling into the driveway her red Monte Carlo bottomed out on the hills of Highland Park. Her adrenaline was pumping and her sweaty hands turned the wheel into the apartment stall that was open. Most of the residents were at work. In her bare feet she climbed the stairs to Tab’s apartment and knocked.

“Hey what’s up cuz?” Tabitha says. Lisa pushes her way into her house.

“I’m sorry I just need to talk.” Lisa explains herself.

“What’s wrong?” Tabitha asks as she shuts the door.

“C’mere sit down,” Lisa says as she pats the couch cushion next to her. Tabitha complies. “Remember Monique?”

“Yeah, I don’t like that bitch.” Tab’s says.

“Her and some of her homies came by this morning and, well, you gotta promise not to tell. I’m serious you promise?” Lisa asks.

“Yeah, I promise.” Tabitha replies.

“OK. She came into my house and put down a pile of money and a gun, and then just left.” Lisa says.

“I believe it.” Tabitha says.

“Well, then I heard on the radio that a bank was robbed. When they came in they were out of breath like they were running and the bills are wrapped like from the bank.” Lisa is all worked up.

“Calm down, calm down, Chica.” Tabitha says.

“I don’t know what to do!” Lisa says while leaning on her friends shoulder.

“You can start by not telling anyone else.” Tabitha says. “How much was there.”

“I didn’t count it.” Lisa admits.

“And where did you put the gun?” Tabitha asks.

“I put it in a trashcan in my garage” Lisa tells her friend whom she trusts with her life.

Lisa was an emotional person but hid behind a hard gangster girl persona. She liked flowers and kittens and children. But would never let her homies know that. Her Mother and her little brother knew the beauty that lived inside her. But nobody else. Having emotions did not fit in with her gangster lifestyle and was seen as a sign of weakness. She was her Father’s daughter and was held to a higher standard by her gang.

Meanwhile, Tabitha was calling her homeboys to tell them the story, which was looked down upon by her other gangster friends but, with this much money, it got overlooked. And Lisa would only find out when she went to work.

“Wassup baby girl?” a Cholo wearing khakis and an oversized white T-shirt asks Lisa. “Heard what happened, I can help you.”

“I’m gonna kill...” Lisa starts.

“Hold on Chica, who are you gonna kill?” the Cholo, name Antonio says.

“My girlfriend who was talking about business.” Lisa says.

“I didn’t hear it from Tabitha.” Antonio says.

“How do you know I told Tabitha?” Lisa is getting angry.

“You know the streets have ears. I was told by my homie, Julio.” Antonio corrects Lisa and his groceries were almost bagged. Lisa was a cashier. The bag boy was listening to the whole conversation. Lisa made sure not to slip up or let Antonio to slip up. But somebody would. Lisa steps out from behind the cashier’s booth and grabs him by the collar and twists it in her hands.

“You tell Julio that if I see him I’m gonna shoot him with his own gun!” she relaxes on his collar that was choking him “And don’t think I won’t”. Lisa didn’t mess around.

The money was the big issue, and everyone would want a piece. No doubt Monique would be back for it even though she could just assume it is payment for holding the gun. She would not.