Hood Love

By Brian Rodgers

I believe you will enjoy this book because the author shows a realistic look into the lives of people who are successful and some with shady pasts. The characters rage from successful businessmen, strong businesswomen, and the rich to hustlers from the streets. They are likeable, complex, and funny, yet they are dangerous people who seem to be a magnet to money and power.

The author has been writing for five years, and this is his more powerful book of the two. In his younger, lawless days, he had been a hustler and came into contact with people from all walks of life. He studied and watched these different people and their personalities. But as he grew rich with power and money, he became disenchanted with people trying to use him. He gave up his successful street hustle and began what he called a civilian life and began working at a hospital.

While working, there he ran into a guy who works in the film industry. He had known of his past and found the stories and accounts interesting. He suggested to him that he should consider writing about some of his exploits and that he should take some writing classes. When he first begun the classes, he didnt understand the focus needed to express his emotions and ideas. His writing style was, at best, raw and a little hard-core for Hollywood standards. But the longer he stayed with it, the more he became in tune with the tone of his writing.

After a year of writing classes and workshops, he began writing his first script about his life growing up as a basketball star who gave it up for the fast money of the streets. He also wrote of his college life and his encounter with his roommate, who would go on to be one of the bass players with one of the greatest bands ever known in the world.

As he grew older, he became a film junky, watching and studying every film released. In society, the bad guy is always thought of as big, mean, tough, and ruthless. In this book, the author paints the star character as someone who is a reformed bad guy who has morals, is funny, is a female magnet but still trying to find himself when it comes to women, and being successful legally. You will quickly be able to relate to the author because he doesnt fit the profile of the TV bad guys or gangsters. He is a regular person like yourself with real-life experiences and had a shady yet entertaining past. Thank you, and enjoy the book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524504793

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Brian Rodgers.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016908644

ISBN:      Hardcover         978-1-5245-0481-6

           Softcover         978-1-5245-0480-9

           eBook             978-1-5245-0479-3

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.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 06/01/2016

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FADE IN:

INT. COUNTY JAIL - 26TH CALIFORNIA - MORNING

After serving five years in prison, a man meets his lawyer to seek his freedom.

TITLE: CHICAGO, 2005

A man's fate is in the hands of the legal system that he doesn't trust.

He was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for murder back in 2000. He was at a party with friends, and one so-called friend who couldn't handle his sauce started a fight with his friend.

When he tried to intervene, the so-called friend pulled a gun in the club.

Shots rang out. When it was over, Bishop Thomas was under arrest for murder.

After years of appeals, his lawyer gathered enough evidence to have the case brought in front of a judge.

INT. COUNTY JAIL - COURTROOM 101 - CONTINUED

MR. RADACOVICH

Your Honor, the evidence and witnesses I have presented totally show that the victim fired shots at my client, and he returned fire in self-defense. We move to have all charges dropped.

PROSECUTOR

Your Honor, we stand by our evidence and believe the sentence should stand.

JUDGE

After going over the evidence, I must agree with Mr. Radacovich. All charges against Mr. Thomas are dropped.

The family and friends of Bishop broke out in jubilation, while the brother and family of the victim erupted in anger and threats toward Bishop.

JUDGE (CONT'D)

Order in the court. Order in the court. Mr. Thomas, you are now a free man, and your paperwork should be processed within a couple of hours.

BISHOP

Thank you, Your Honor.

As he was escorted out of court, a threat was thrown his way by Matt Willis, the brother of the victim.

MATT

This shit ain't over. You a dead man, bitch.

After several hours, Bishop and his lawyer had finished his paperwork and walked out of the courthouse. He was greeted by friends and family.

Bishop was thirty-five now and was somewhat overwhelmed by his freedom and future.

His biggest supporters were his two best friends, Kevin and Ramon.

KEVIN

Give me some love. And I'm not talking about that prison love we all heard about.

The crowd broke out laughing.

KEVIN (CONT'D)

Just kidding, man. You look good, Bishop. The streets have changed. I've made the change too. I got a legit job waiting for you.

BISHOP

Thanks, Kevin, I really appreciate it.

KEVIN

We'll talk later.

RAMON

Love you, Bishop. I'm sorry.

Ramon was the guy who got into an argument with Will Willis. He blamed himself because Bishop shot the dude who pulled a gun on Ramon and was forced to kill him.

He grabbed and hugged Bishop with tears in his eyes.

BISHOP

Ramon, it's all right, dude. You like a brother to me. It was him or you, and you know you weren't going to catch a bullet with me around.

After a long greeting of friends and family outside the courthouse, Bishop was whisked away by Kevin and Ramon.

BISHOP (CONT'D)

Where we going?

KEVIN

Down to my business. Want to show you your new place of employment starting Monday.

EXT. CARSON CONSTRUCTION - NIGHT

The three ended up at a building on the south side of Chicago called Carson Construction.

KEVIN

Remember I told you to take some trade courses while in the joint like carpentry, plumbing, and electrical? Well, this is why.

BISHOP

You own your own construction company?

KEVIN

Fucking right I do.

All three burst out laughing.

Ramon attempted to blindfold Bishop.

BISHOP

What's up with the blindfold?

KEVIN

It's a surprise.

After they blindfolded him, they led him in. After about twenty steps inside, it became totally quiet. The next thing Bishop knew, someone put a gun to his head and said goodbye.

He thought this was a setup and was getting knocked off.

Then everyone screamed surprise. When he took the blindfold off, he saw three of his childhood friends: Chuck, Jack, and Tony.

He also noticed five beautiful young ladies dressed in lingerie. On a scale of one to ten, they were all tens.

Everyone greeted him with a hug, and each one of the ladies greeted him with a kiss.

It was party time . . .

As the party began, the ladies got comfy, meaning butt ass naked. After drinks and a little physical contact with the ladies, it was late, and Kevin began to shut down the party.

KEVIN (CONT'D)

Thanks for coming out and welcoming my boy Bishop back, but it's two in the morning, and I have a wife to answer to.

Everyone welcomed him home and said good night.

KEVIN (CONT'D)

Hey, man, I take you home wasted like this, your moms will kill me.

BISHOP

You right about that shit.

KEVIN

You can spend the night at my crib.

BISHOP

Is it OK with your wife?

KEVIN

Yeah, she's out of town for the weekend.

FADE IN:

TITLE: FLASHBACK TO THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER, CHICAGO, 2000

While driving to Kevin's house, Bishop went into a short sleep. As he did, the memories of what sent him to prison were still fresh in his memories.

Bishop, Ramon, Will, and friends were hanging out at a local club called Rico's Joint. Somehow Ramon and Will got into a dispute.

WILL

I see you still Bishop flunky huh, Ramon.

RAMON

You talking to me, little dick Willie?

The table burst out laughing. Everyone knew Ramon was the wrong person to try to crack on head-to-head. He was funny, and his comebacks were a killer.

WILL

Yeah, I'm talking to you, punk.

RAMON

What's your problem tonight, dude?

WILL

My problem is I was trying to talk to that chick over there, and you started blocking.

The story was Will tried to holler at this young lady, and she blew him off to talk to Ramon.

RAMON

Man, all the women up in this joint and you tripping over that chick. You need to lighten up and move around.

WILL

Man, I ought to kick your stupid little ass.

That's when Bishop walked up with two drinks and tried to calm the situation down.

BISHOP

Fellows, you have a problem here? All these women up here tonight, shouldn't nobody have a problem with getting any tonight.

WILL

You stay out of this, Bishop. This is between me and Ramon.

BISHOP

This ain't between nobody. This matter is over with. Here's your drink, Ramon.

Before Ramon could take the drink, Will slapped it from Bishop's hand.

Everyone knew Will was a hothead and always carried a gun. So now there was tension in the air.

WILL

Looks like Ramon spilled his drink.

BISHOP

You lucky I'm in a good mood tonight. Or else they would be wiping your ass off the floor with that drink. Come on, Ramon, let's go.

WILL

Look at the coward and the chicken running. Ha, ha, ha, ha.

RAMON

You the only chicken up in here, dude. Don't forget to pick up your eggs falling out your ass.

As they walked away, everyone started laughing, and Will just lost it. He pulled his forty-five automatic out, and someone screamed GUN . . .

Two shots were fired, and everyone started running. Bishop and Ramon ducked behind a table but saw Will approaching them with a gun in hand.

BISHOP

You got your pistol on you?

RAMON

Yeah . . .

BISHOP

Give that shit up.

Will fired three more shots at Bishop and Ramon. Bishop rolled from behind the table and fired two shots, and Will hit the floor.

Two minutes of gunfire had just cost Bishop five years of his life . . .

FADE OUT:

INT. KEVIN'S CAR - NIGHT

They arrived at Kevin's house, and it was beautiful.

BISHOP

Wow, Kevin, this is nice. You been doing well since I been gone.

KEVIN

Told you shit on the streets has changed. We'll talk in the morning. You can take the spare bedroom over there.

As Bishop walked in to the spare room, the lights were off, and he stumbled his way in to bed. As he got in bed, he noticed there was something on it. When he turned the lights on, he found himself in bed with a beautiful Latino and soul sister.

BISHOP

Damn, times have changed . . .

FADE OUT:

FADE