Bo

By LA Long and Ajae Sterling

My character was a strong-willed individual; he faced many obstacles along the way. Bos problem with drugs after the Vietnam War would lead him to recovery and relapse. He managed to stay clean for years and live a productive life, until AIDS entered his world. He was almost left isolated, punished and desolated by the people he needed most (family). However with the love of his best friend Annie, true friends, his life became good again. Living with AIDS guided Bo into finding something much deeper and took him on a journey to expedite the process of finding true peace.

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Bo

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 25, 2007
• ISBN: 9781465326713

LA Long

Lesley A. Long is a lifelong resident of Maryland. Lesley maintains a vigorous love for writing. As such, writing has played an integral role in her development as a person. This is her first publication.

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Copyright © 2007 by Lesley Long.

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-4257-5198-2

             Ebook       978-1-4653-2671-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 04/19/2016

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Acknowledgement

I would like to dedicate this book to my family, a couple of good friends, (U know who U R) and an understanding boss, Jim Tardif, who helped me through difficult times in order to start my own personal journey of finding inner peace, but especially my sister (Candy) who encouraged me to keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, for without her financial support and confidence in my vision none of this would have been possible.

In loving memory to Kevin (Taz) Rowley

Chapter One

The day started out so cool and pleasant. By midday, it was hot and muggy—a typical New York afternoon. The weather forecaster had reported by eleven in the morning it had already reached ninety-nine degrees, but damn, it felt more like a hundred and ten. I couldn’t believe this heat wave. And the haze—it was amazing. You know that old adage, You could cut it with a knife? Well, today was one of those days. I could truly relate to that statement. Actually, for the last couple of weeks the weather had been erratic—breezy in the morning and sweltering by afternoon. Of course, the humidity made it worse. To say the weather was pissing me off was an understatement! Oh well, why bitch about the things you can’t change? I guess somehow bitching helps.

Yesterday, some close friends and I decided to hang out tonight. You know, dinner and dancing. Basically, we were just hoping to spend some quality time with each other. I had looked forward to my night on the town all day. Thank God for anticipation. I believe that’s the only thing that pulled me through this horrid day. It was hard to believe that, with the exception of Bobby, we were all going to be together. I have five close friends. They’re more like family than friends, really, and I feel extremely fortunate to have five friends like that. Some people don’t have that kind of strong bond with one person. Everyone has such hectic schedules, it was a rarity that we could manage a few hours to spend together without it being a birthday or holiday.

It’s funny how life can change so suddenly. Never in my wildest dreams did I envision my life being turned around so drastically in a twenty-four-hour period. If someone had come to me and said, Angela, in a matter of twenty-four hours, you will be presented a situation that will change your life forever, I would have laughed in their face. Thinking back on it now, my three biggest concerns that week had been trying to stay cool in the summer’s unrelenting heat, conning the cable man, and not being late for my night on the town with my friends. How life seemed so simple then. It’s funny, isn’t it? When dramatic things happen in your life, you begin to remember all the little inconsequential things that lead up to that major event. At least that’s how my mind works. I remember everything about that day like it was yesterday.

#

I remember waking up bitching and moaning about having to go to work. Thinking how unfair life had been to me. You know, not being born rich or beautiful. Had I been born rich, I wouldn’t be working at this bullshit nine-to-five of mine. Or if I had at least been born beautiful, maybe I would have been a model with a whole new set of problems. I would have taken my chances. I mean, even if I didn’t become a model, I might have been so beautiful in someone’s eyes, they would have married me and I would be a housewife. Hell, I’d settle for kept woman. Logically thinking, there are a whole lot of beautiful women out here, and they’re not models. Well, beautiful is something I don’t have to worry about, let alone kept woman, model, or housewife. In any case, if I were one of the above, I wouldn’t be going to work dealing with a nosey, butt-kissing, know-it-all supervisor and a boss who gives a new meaning to the word asshole. And oh, let’s not forget, little Ms. Superwoman. She can walk, she can talk, and most of all, the little witch can tattle. That bitch.

One bright thing did manage to enter my mind as I stumbled toward the bathroom—I was going out partying. And best of all, since I planned to make it a late, late night, I didn’t have to drag myself into that hellhole I call a job, tomorrow. I requested a vacation day, and believe it or not, it was approved. There is a God. When I came home from work this afternoon, I laid out what I was going to wear and decided to have a glass of Merlot before the night’s adventures. I grabbed my glass of wine and headed for the stoop. Like always, I gave myself plenty of time to take my shower and pull myself together. I am working on my time management issues and I do have good intentions, but, as always, it never happens the way I planned. I either run my pantyhose or the phone rings, and a short chitchat turns into an hour-long conversation. I have learned to expect the inevitable. I’m always late.

As I sipped my wine, I found myself enjoying the sounds of the city and my surroundings: the sound of the traffic, the neighborhood kids cussing at the end of the street, and most of all, the smell of the coffeehouse two blocks away. I guess it doesn’t take much to please me. Usually, the kids cussing would have pissed me off to no end. I usually want to march down the street and wash their mouths out with soap. In reality, though, the soap trick doesn’t work nowadays. You may march back with a knife in the chest, if you’re fortunate to walk back at all. I was making a conscious effort to relax, and to my surprise, I unexpectedly found myself releasing all the stress and tension from my hard day at work. Maybe it was the Merlot, but if there was ever a day I needed a stress releaser, today was the day.

Remember the statement I made about conning the cable man? Well, as I arrived home from work, I spotted the cable man lurking outside my apartment building. I began to pray silently: Please, Lord, don’t let the cable man be here looking for me. Please let him be here to hook up the Playboy Channel for that weird guy in 4C. Amen.

I tried my best to elude making eye contact with him, just in case my prayers weren’t answered. Without success, though, I caught his eye, and as I walked toward him, he spoke to me. Excuse me, ma’am, do you know Angela Winters?

Oh shit, I thought, this guy is really here to cut off my cable. Yes, sir, I do. She lives in this very building, I said as I motioned to the entrance.

Yes, ma’am, I know she does. I’m unfortunately here to turn off her cable.

My first thought behind his confession was, What if I weren’t the person in question. What gives this pug nose, freckle-faced imp the right to tell someone else that I was obviously behind on paying my cable? The nerve of this little asshole. What gives him the right to talk about my damn business? No, I haven’t totally lost my mind. Yeah, I know the person in question is myself. But hell, he doesn’t know that. As I regrouped and tried to focus on the conversation, he spoke again.

But, ma’am, for some reason, I can’t seem to locate her door. It’s the strangest thing, he said, shaking his fat little face and rubbing his chin.

I thought, cunningly, It’s not so strange. And you’re right, you fat-ass dork. My devious little mind has managed to stay one step ahead of the system once again. I must admit, I am good. With a mere screwdriver and a little patience, I managed to take the fake brass number and letter off of my door for this very reason, and trust me, it was well worth the time.

Well, sir, I said, oh so concerned, I’d hate for this poor girl to come back home and have her cable turned off.

Okay, give me a break. I know what you’re thinking; maybe I did overdo it a bit with the sympathy act. But what the hell. Whatever keeps my cable going, until I manage to scrape up the money, I will do it. I cannot live without my cable!

At that point, he looked at his paperwork and questioned, Back home?

Yes, her grandmother took ill last week and she had to go out of town unexpectedly. She’ll be back Monday morning. Just then I could see him softening.

Umm, Monday?

Oh yes, sir.

Ma’am, do you know that for sure?

Oh yes, I know this for a fact, because I’m keeping an eye on her place as she requested. You know, checking her mail and all. But if you want, you can do what you need to do. I have the spare key and I can let you in her apartment.

All of a sudden, I’ve done it again. I managed to drift off, while he babbled on about how important it is to pay the cable bill.

You know, ma’am, I could get in trouble if my boss knew I let this cable remain on. But because your friend’s out of town and due to why she’s out of town, I will leave it on for now. He continued, But, ma’am, can you let her know that if she doesn’t pay her bill by Monday morning, we will have to cut off the cable, whether we can get inside to get the boxes or not.

Well, sir, like I said, I realize you’re just doing your job. So if you want to go in, it’s not a problem, I said, while I batted my eyes at him, thinking the whole time, You chubby little shit.

No, I can let it slide until Monday.

Oh, thank you, I’m sure she will appreciate your kindness.

But, ma’am, please stress to Ms. Winters that if her cable is turned off, she will have an additional charge. She’s three months in arrears on her bill.

Yeah, yeah, bite my ass, you little maggot. No problem, I will inform her. This guy never ceases to amaze me, how he likes telling someone else’s business. I suddenly feel exposed. As if he told my neighbor, I have those new, black, crotchless underwear in my top right-hand drawer, under my black matching push-up bra.

Have a good day, I said. Of course, I didn’t mean it. I actually wanted him to go outside and fall down the steps. Well, I did, damn it. I feel so ashamed. Not about wishing this little shit falling down the steps, but now I have resorted to lying on my grandmother who’s been dead five years this October. Lord and Grandma, please forgive me. But God knows I need my cable.

You know the pitiful thing about this scenario? I make pretty good money. The problem is, if Saks pops in my mind, and I have a bill to pay, chances are, I’m headed to Saks. And the worst thing that ever happened to cable television is the home shopping channels. When home shopping started selling Hummel’s and Lladro, that was almost the end of me. I would sit there and look at my barren curio cabinet and think about what the Hummel and Lladro would do for that cabinet. Yeah, I know. Moet taste with TJ Swan money. I am an optimist. One of these days, I will be prompt with my creditors and the chase will be over. But for now, I guess I will have to maintain the shrewder approach and keep my running gear at the ready. But just until things turn around, you see. First thing Monday morning, I will make arrangements to pay my cable bill. Especially since I heard the shopping channel will be selling Nine West shoes on Tuesday.

As I sipped my wine thinking of making it down to the cable company before that clown reappears, suddenly I looked up, to see Bobby strutting in my direction. Bobby and I were like brother and sister. My family and his have been friends as long as I can remember. We grew up together.