Tales Of A WasteMan PART 1:

by D.D Campbell

It was mid-afternoon when Marcus walked into the JobCentre. He hands his signing book to the security guard and walks over to the computer terminals to do a job search.

“What’s goin on, blood?” said Lewis approaching from behind.

“Doing a job search. Ya cool?” he said touching fists with Lewis.

“Yeah man, you been thinking about what I said?”

He had been. Lewis had a business proposition. Lewis needed Marcus to do his dirty work, and in return Marcus would become part of his crew. This was supposedly his initiation, and this was the proving ground.

“I’m not on a long ting ya know, I’m loosing peas just talkin to ya. Ya gonna sort that ting?”

That "ting" in question was to shank a competing dealer who had just moved to the area and was under selling Lewis.

“It’s a quick ting, blood” whispered Lewis “I’ll bring you in, make you some proper peas. This JobCentre ting is long,blood. Ya got a kid on da way. Ya can’t bring up a kid with giro money, thats long”

It is long, thought Marcus. He dreaded the fortnightly routine of signing-on. It made him feel defeated as a person and a provider for his soon to be family. The thought of working for Lewis seemed less and less crazy as the day’s ebbed away and money was thinner.

I do need the money, he thought. But the pro’s outweighed the cons. Could he really loose his head over money? Did he have a choice?

He looked up from the screen and said “I’m still thinking but I’ll let ya know, blood”

Lewis huffed and sucked his teeth “Tell ya what, I’ll wait for you outside. Think quick, blood, your time is my money” he walked off.

“Cool” said Marcus.

“Marcus Handly” called one of the advisors.

He sat down and looked across the table at the portly advisor. Mandy on her name badge, a smiley face covering the 'a'.

“Have you done a job search this week?” Asked Mandy.

“Yeah, but nothing’s come up” he lied. He spent most of the week playing Guns Of Duty and smoking weed.

“Okay, well make sure you write down what you’ve been doing as it might affect your claim” she said.

Typical prepared line. She couldn't care less if her life depended on it.

While looking down at the faux wood desk he wondered where he was going. Even if he found a job it would take a month before he actually got paid. He couldn’t wait a month, his son was due in a month.

He signed and walked out. Lewis called to him from his brand new VW Golf. His girlfriend Stacy was in the passenger side before he told her to “Move up, get in the back” and she did so without complaint.

“Yeah, yeah?” said Marcus running his hand along the bonnet down to the blacked out rims matching the charcoal grey body paint.

“Get in” said Lewis.

Lewis drove them out of the area toward the city centre. Stacy was on the phone discussing an upcoming party with her friend. She was pretty but her voice was whiny and annoying.

Lewis gently turned up the radio to drown her out. He had lit a cig and slid the window down half way.

“I’ll give you a grand to start off with” he said“soon you could be holding down five a week. I picked up this car over the weekend, paid cash”

“I’m still thinking, blood” said Marcus.

Lewis sucked his teeth and said.

“Time wait’s for no man, especially a waste man”

Another one of his botched quotes, thought Marcus. Even so it made sense, botched or not.

Lewis parked along Oxford street in Digbeth. He pointed across the street.

Danton came walking out of a ‘Sweet ‘N Jerk’ carribean takeaway, carrying two parcels of food. He was a tall man, dark skinned and well built.

“Look at him” said Lewis his voice almost scowling “man thinks he’s the one”

Marcus watched him, he definatly had a swagger that suggested he did think he was the one, but Lewis walked with the similar swagger.

“Do it, blood” said Lewis “don’t be on a long ting”

The one thought that would define his next move crept into his head and declared dominance. Wifey, sitting at home, eight months pregnant and expecting her man to bring in the peas.

What kind of man would I be if I let her down? He thought. What kind of father would I be?

By the time Lewis had placed the hilt covered knife in his hand, Marcus had made up his mind. He stepped out of the car.

“Breeze out when its done and dash the shank in the canal” said Lewis. He casually drove off leaving Marcus.

By that time he had stopped thinking and was already moving on Danton. He needed no other incentive to do what needs doing.

With his hood up, heart thundering in chest and better life in mind he approached Danton.

"Yo, wasteman!"