16- Landon Breaker Mercer
I could hear Pop’s car coming before it made it up the block.
He was tearing ass trying to get to me. When his car rounded the corner, that mufucka was damn near on two wheels.
Laughing under my breath, I watched him jump out the car barely giving it time to stop.
I was still sitting on the porch as he did a light jog to me.
Seeing him like this always had me grateful as fuck God put him in my life.
That nigga was a great father, and he showed it time and time again.
Pops looked at me and realization showed on his face, and in his movements.
He was no longer burning the soles off his shoes trying to make it to me.
After dapping it up with Titan, he sat next to me and looked around.
“What? Yo petty ass called me over here to take you to eat?” Laughing, I shook my head no and stood up.
“Naw, it’s a court over there and I was ready to bust yo ass. I didn’t expect you to drive up in skips, slacks, and a church vest.” Pops looked down at himself and I fell out laughing.
“Nigga, fuck you. I had a meeting. Don’t get this shit twisted though, I can still take your ass. Ummm, is you cool though?”
“Nigga, yeah. What you mean?”
“I got a court. At home. In my million dollar mansion. Why the fuck would I play out here in the hood? It’s some unsavory characters out this mufucka.” Me and Titan both fell out laughing.
“Not you done went Hollywood on us. It’s aight because you not about to tell Moms I’m the reason your ankle done slid inside out.” I could see the competitive look come across his face.
“I got gym shoes in the car.”
“Say less.” Pops ran off and Titan shook his head.
“You challenged that nigga and he done forgot he got his boujie ass out here about to play in the hood.”
“Mufucka damn near slid to the car. He really gone be mad if one of these lil jits catch his ass on camera getting whooped.” Pops walked back over with a ball in hand and his sneakers on.
“Don’t back yo ugly ass out now. Let’s go.” His ass charged off with me following behind him. The court was empty, so I took my hoodie and hat off.
“Titan this nigga be cheating, so keep score.”
“I ain’t gotta cheat, nigga. This is what I do. Check ball.” He threw the ball at me, so I bounced it back to him. Pops dropped a three immediately. “I don’t hear you saying shit now.”
“You got one point and acting like you won.”
“Shut yo hoe ass up. Money.” He shot and sunk another three.
Walking up closer to him, I put my arms in the air.
“Finally, you ready to play defense.” Ignoring his taunting, I watched his hands and when he tried to go left, I stole it from him.
Bouncing the ball, I took off running towards the basket. “Travel.”
“Nigga, what?” I looked at Titan to say he was wrong, but that mufucka was laughing.
“You just took five steps.” Shaking my head, I threw the ball back to him and went back in defense mode.
Pops tried to body check me before doing a fade away, but I blocked his ass and grabbed the ball back.
Drawing back, I shot, and missed. “Damn boy, I guess being an athlete don’t mean you can play all sports. ”
“Man, play ball.” He was talking big shit, and I could tell he was feeling himself. Pops laid the ball up and got another basket.
“You done got quiet, ain’t it?” Sweat was running down my face as I tried to focus. His shit talking was throwing me off my game.
“Are you going to play ball or talk shit?”
“Whewww, you gone got sensitive. Money.” He dropped another three and I couldn’t do shit but laugh when the big ass smile spread across his face.
“You can let me get a point. Damn!”
“Naw, I gotta learn you something. You think you can take your daddy on. In his sport. Gotta make sure you know who the champ is on this blacktop.”
“Top deez nuts.”
“No, thank you! Money.” That nigga popped another three and I thought real hard about tripping the fuck out his ass. “Son, you gotta do something. I’m never gone let you live this down.” I knew he wasn’t lying either.
“Hey yall, that’s The Mercenary.” Some lil jit screamed to his friends.
Pops was still locked in, so he didn’t even hear someone recognized him.
I felt proud as hell for him though. Even though he played here, he’s a Chicagoan, but they still show him mad love.
A crowd of kids ran over, so I tapped in.
I wasn’t trying to get caught losing on camera.
His next shot, I blocked it and immediately took it to the hole.
“Let’s get it.” Pops looked at me shocked before laughing.
“Nigga, you get one point and now you wanna talk shit.”
“Oh, shit. That’s Breaker,” a lil jit tried to whisper. Knowing I was spotted as well, I lined my shot up perfectly before dropping down a three.
“Dammnnnnn, Mercenary, I know you not gone take that shit,” someone from the crowd was talking shit.
It worked too because Pops moved in to stick defense.
I went to drive to the basket, but he snatched that mufucka right out my hands.
He didn’t even try to dribble it out. Pops pulled back and dropped it in.
“Ohhhhhh!!!” They yelled from the crowd causing me to look over. Exactly what I didn’t want, was happening. They lil bad asses was recording me getting my ass whooped. I couldn’t do shit but laugh.
The rest of the game pretty much went like that.
Pops getting off, everybody talking shit, and my getting my ass handed to me.
I managed to get one more shot, so I didn’t get completely embarrassed.
As soon as Titan called game, the lil jits rushed the court.
I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.
Sometimes in this life, you get caught up in the glamor and forget why you’re doing this.
It’s moments like this that makes everything I’ve been through in this sport worth it.
“Breaker, can I get a picture.” Titan was trying to keep them at bay, but I motioned for him to let them through.
“Don’t be putting a caption saying you took this after I got my ass whooped.” His smile was so big, I couldn’t do shit but smile with him.
“Naw man. I won’t do that, but he did whoop your ass though.
” I mushed him in the head before I pulled him in to take the pic.
A few more came over, so I took pics with them as well.
We took a few with me and Pops both in the pic, and now it was time for us to get up out of there before the crowd got too big.
I noticed one kid sitting on the bench, and he never came over.
Walking over to him, I sat down beside him.
“You good lil homie?”
“Yup.” Thinking about my past and how I had nobody to talk to before I met Pops, I thought that might be his issue.
“I know how it feels to keep shit bottled up, it ain’t healthy. Find you somebody to let that shit out.”
“You don’t have to come over here and pretend to give a fuck. I’m not like them other mufuckas acting like a groupie. I’m good.” His mouth sounded worse than mine at that age. Laughing, I nodded trying to find the right words to say.
“It don’t make you a groupie because you want to meet someone you look up to.”
“You come over here for thirty minutes, and we supposed to kiss your ass. Then you leave and go back home to your mansion.” Oh, this lil nigga was definitely me at his age.
“I’m definitely going home to that mufucka, and I’m going to sleep like a baby. You know why?” His eyes got big as if he was shocked I said that.
“Why?”
“Because I worked hard to get there. To leave here. That’s the goal. It’s not a flex to be in the hood. Yeah, you can’t forget where you come from, but I’m not ashamed I made it out. I’m grateful I had a nigga like my Pops to make that happen.”
“I get that. What I don’t understand is why you never give back.” I thought back to when Pops used to take me to visit the homes. The media had no idea he was doing that and he wanted it that way. He used to take me because he wanted me to carry on the tradition when he couldn’t.
“I do, I just don’t do it for the spotlight, but you’re right. I can do a lot more. I was raised that way, and somehow, I forgot. So, tell me, what’s a good place that can use my help?” His eyes lit up and I was glad I came over.
“We’re having a career day at our boys and girls club. I didn’t have anybody to bring because my whole family are hustlers. Would you come for me?”
“Say less. Take my number, and send me the details.” His hands shook as he grabbed my phone and stored his number in before calling himself from it. I looked at his name and laughed.
“What’s funny? If you playing you can keep that flawed shit. I won’t be mad.” Shaking my head, I stood up.
“I’m laughing because your name is Jr. That’s what Pop’s mama used to call me when he mentored me. Could be a sign.”
“Or it could be I’m just named after my daddy. Quit trying to make shit deep.” We both fell out laughing, as I dapped him up.
“You got that. I’ll see you soon.” Seeing some more people headed our way, I motioned for Titan to get me out of there. I didn’t mind being with the people, but a nigga wasn’t dumb. The way Pops was moving out behind me, I knew he felt the same.