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"As a kid, there were many things we said we would never do. As an adult, there's little of that I haven't done yet. I've done bad things. I am a bad person. But on the outside, can you tell? Can you see? I don't think you can. I am my childhood's worst nightmare. But oh, how the bad things are so much fun."
- August 12th, 2014
Hours had passed, but after arguing, throwing things, and a near-complete meltdown, they were able to replace my tire with one from some random car they had in their yard. It was nearing the afternoon, around 4:30 or so, and I still hadn't heard back from my grandma. I was a little surprised she didn't call again to check on me. She was usually blowing up my phone. Every time I thought of calling her, I'd get distracted by something else. At this point, I figured I'd just show up without a call to avoid any more arguing.
I stepped outside to see Gio and Troy cleaning up their mess of tools. Danielle was still tending to one of the fires but stopped when she noticed I had finally come out of the house.
"You should have seen them," she said as she walked towards me. "Gio kept trying to tell Troy what to do like he isn't a certified master mechanic. It was a show. I tried to stay out of it. At least your car is fixed!"
"Yeah, I really appreciate it. I can only imagine what it was like out here. I heard a little of it when I was inside. I wasn't about to come out until I knew it was done!"
"Smart thinking. Are you staying a while longer?"
"I... I want to, but my grandma is probably freaking out because I'm not home, so I should really head out."
"Aww, well come back when you get a chance!"
"Yeah, of course. I'll send you a text or something when I'm heading back."
"Okay, see you soon!"
I got in the car and backed out of the driveway. I waved at Troy and flipped off Gio. He threw his hands in the air and looked confused as if he wasn't the reason my tire was slashed in the first place.
As I was about halfway home, I got a call from Ty. I ignored it, but he called again, and again, and again. I finally answered the fourth time. I assumed something bad happened and he needed me.
"Yes, yes, what do you want?!"
"God, answer your phone the first time I call!"
"Man, I'm not in the mood. What do you need?"
"I need you to pick me up-"
"Of course you do," I said, cutting him off.
"Look, you know I always give you dope when you take me somewhere. It's in Spearhead, the gated community. I can't just walk on in there. Someone has to drive."
"Man, how do you expect me to get in there? I don't fuckin' know anyone who lives there."
"We're meeting someone and following them in."
"So why don't you just ride with them?"
"He's got a two-person truck and already has someone else with him."
"Jesus Christ... Alright. Where are you?"
"Just meet me at the gas station on the lake off of Sanchez road."
"I'm like, 5 minutes from there actually."
"I'll be waiting. Already here."
"Okay, fine. I'll see you in a minute."
I skipped the turn home and went straight through the stoplight and down to the gas station. I started wondering how he got there in the first place if he didn't have a ride to begin with, but then again, he seems to find his way anywhere anytime.
I pulled into the gas station but didn't see anyone else around. I waited a few minutes, then decided to go inside and grab a drink so I didn't look too sketchy. As I headed in and grabbed an energy drink, of all things, I turned around and saw Ty.
"Oh, hey, where did you come from?"
"I had to use the bathroom. I'll be in your car waiting."
He quickly turned around and walked out of the store. I went and paid for my drink and went back out to the car. As I got in, I heard my CD playing and Ty desperately trying to find which button turned it off.
"What the fuck are you listening to?"
"The Devil Wears Prada," I said as I switched it to his typical rap station.
"Is that Satanic shit?"
"Not in the slightest," I said with a laugh.
"Fuck. Anyways, head down there, he's in a white Ford just up the road waiting on us."
"He couldn't have just waited at the gas station?"
"He's really sketched out right now. He's going to his brother's house and he doesn't want him there, and he's been awake for almost a week."
"Oh, great."
We drove down the road and saw a truck pulled off to the side. Ty waved his arm out of the window and the truck pulled in front of us. I followed it down a winding road until we got to the large iron gates. He stopped at the tiny little brick house where a Sheriff was standing by. My heart started to race at the sight of him. I watched intently, but he just nodded and waved us on.
"Are there cops everywhere down here?"
"No, he just checks people in. I've never seen any cops out her other than him. Do you think I'd have you come out here if there was?'
"I don't know, they just make me nervous."
"Fuck, me too. I'm fucking absconded. If they find me, I'll be in jail again."
"You've got some balls driving right past a cop then."
He ignored me and focused on the truck in front of us. As I was driving, I expected to see nice houses, lush green yards, and a Lexus in every driveway, but it was kind of sad looking. The houses were older, some had peeling paint and broken windows. DIdn't look like there was much to be hidden out here.
The truck finally pulled into the driveway of stone-walled house. The man who got out of the truck looked a little disheveled and dirty. He put a hat over his dirty blonde hair and stumbled his way to the front door. A woman followed behind him, her black ponytail swinging from side to side. Ty got out and motioned for me to follow.
I followed him inside of a cozy little house. It was full of instruments, band posters, and pictures of someone's family, but on the coffee table laid syringes, pipes, and empty baggies. It looked so out of place in such a nice little house.
I looked around the living room, and above the fireplace, I saw a broken guitar that read "My guitar and myself are broke because... This audience needs to get a fucking life". I found it oddly beautiful, so I snapped a picture while no one was looking. I wondered about the story behind it. Where they were, who they played for and what brought them to such a place of despair and destruction.
Down the hallway, I saw Ty and the mystery girl all over each other. He grabbed her and led her into a room and locked the door, leaving me by myself in this house where I didn't know anyone. I didn't know where I was. I didn't even know who's house this really was. For all I knew, this house really wasn't any of theirs or his friend's brothers. I looked around but didn't see the guy who we followed. I just sat back on the couch and lit a cigarette.
I listened for any sound of life, but I didn't hear anyone or anything. I was feeling uneasy just sitting here alone, so I walked out and sat in the car. I smoked another cigarette and scrolled through Instagram while I waited.
The sun was starting to set in the distance. I thought maybe I should call and check on the kids, but my grandma might make me come home, and I wasn't ready. I mean, I was in a way. I wanted to go home, but I wanted to get high too. I couldn't do that if I went home. I knew it was irresponsible. I knew I was being a horrible mother, but I also knew my kids were in good hands. I justified my reason for staying, even though I knew I was wrong. I had to make it seem like I was in the right.
As it got darker, Ty finally came out of the house and got back in the car. In his hands were several bags of dope. He looked them over carefully, setting two aside and putting the rest in his pockets.
"We're gonna go flex on someone, but I need you to follow along."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Flex? Fake dope. He sold me flex a few months ago and probably thinks that I didn't notice, so I'm going to sell him two grams of the shit. Just don't say anything, you understand? And you're not Emily. If anyone asks. Just make up a name."
"Sure. Be quiet, not Emily. Got it."
We drove to a rural area just outside of town. Ty had gotten in the back of the car, waiting for me to pick up the other guy. As I drove down the unfamiliar roads, I saw a man in a black hoodie standing next to a mailbox. Ty told me to pull over and pick him up.
I came to a stop and he opened the back door and got in next to Ty. I kept driving aimlessly while they did what they needed to. I was scared he'd find out it wasn't real and go off on TY, but as time passed, it looked like it was actually working.
As I came back around to where I picked him up, he got out of the car and Ty got upfront. He looked at me and nodded, so I hauled ass out of there. Ty had a huge smile on his face. He looked like he just won the lottery.
"We flexed on 'em!" he said while flexing his arms.
"Yeah," I said confused, "you sure did."
"But look what I finally got. I've been trying to get these for years." He held up a large key ring with four keys on it,
"Keys?"
"Not just any keys. The four universal Ford keys."
"The hell is that?"
"They work on any Ford Truck. Older trucks usually. They used to make only four different types of keys for them way back. Which means no hot-wiring cars, just slide right in and go. Grand theft auto that shit."
"Okay, well that sounds like a bunch of bull shit for one, and you better not be stealing cars when I'm with you. You make me nervous doing that shit."
"I've been doing this for years, there's nothing you need to worry about. I've seen it work though. It doesn't work on newer models, but a truck is a truck."
"Right, well, if it's really legit, that's kind of awesome."
"Oh, and I gave him your phone number, if he calls you, just say your name is Jennifer and I gave him the wrong number. I don't know a Jennifer and no one knows you, so we're getting out with no trace."
"Great, thanks. Now I'm going to have tweakers blowing up my phone."
"Just turn it off or something."
I grabbed my phone to turn it off and noticed six missed calls from my grandma. It was after 10:00 at night now. I never went home. I never called her to tell her I was okay, and I wasn't about to call her while Ty was in the car with me. I knew she was worried and scared, but I just couldn't call her right now. Instead, I shut my phone off and put it in the back seat of the car.
We headed to Brick's house with the keys. I felt guilty for not going home, not calling her to check-in, and just shutting off my phone, but I had other things to do right now. Right now, I was needed. I was a vital part of whatever shit Ty had going on, and being involved in that made me feel important. Like I was somebody. Until I was nobody again, I didn't want to ever go home.
So here's some things I'll go over. The universal Ford keys. They were a thing, but I never saw it in action, so I don't know if it actually worked, but damn did those tweakers want them. Those and a HUGE key ring full of CAT keys. Like the bulldozers and stuff. What they would do with that, I never knew, but off-topic, there was one down the road from Troy's house while they were doing construction and I begged him to go get it so I could ride down the road in the scoop, but he was too chicken. I thought it would be fun, hah.
I found another picture on my Instagram when I was waiting around for Ty to get done.
