When dude with the football neck threw the match on me, the smell of my flesh burning, and the searing pain was overwhelming, and I was hollering so loud, I didn’t know which was worse. The screams or the smell. I was being burned alive just like my sister Trina. I couldn’t believe I was going out like this. I never saw this coming. After a while, the pain subsided, and then I started dreaming of the time I met Don Carlos.

I was feeling lucky, so I made my way down to Atlantic City. I even had on my lucky fedora. I ended up at the poker table and I had a really great night. It was so great that it allowed me entrance into one of the high roller suites. Once in there, I was doing what I do. I turned on my charm. The most beautiful chick I had ever seen came by and asked if I wanted a cigar. I wasn’t a cigar smoker, so I was hesitant. The gentleman across the table said, “Here. Try one of mine.” And from that moment on me and dude just hit it off. I smoked and talked shit until I could take no more.

I got my chips and dipped off. I was Gucci good walking away with 50 stacks. My sister taught me to always follow my gut. I got ghost but I remembered that I left Fedora on the rack in the suites. On my way back, it was like pushing 3:30 in the morning and I was overhearing a conversation as I was turning the corner. These dudes where speaking in a way that let me know whoever they were waiting on was in trouble. You had to have the key to get in, so whoever they were waiting on was good as long as he stayed inside. These muthafuckas were black Maryland cats. So I go in and there is only one person in the room. The cat who gave me the cigar. My dude. I didn’t even have his name. I usually would have minded my business, but something told me to get involved.

“You came back for me?” He asked me, lighting up another Cuban.

“Nah, I left my jacket, but you got two out there waiting for you.”

We made eye contact. He knew exactly what I was talking about. He said nothing. I grabbed a seat and watched him; he remained cool. He played a few more hands never missing a beat.

Finally, when he was done with his hand, he gestured over to the pit boss who then collected the gentleman’s chips. The gentleman nodded to me as if to say thank you and handed me a chip and they exited out the back somewhere. I didn’t even know that was an exit.