Miss Opportunity - Ch. 6.4

Millsap and Mike-Mike headed back to Enfield without their intended package. They had to cancel today’s purchase on account of all the publicity they’d gotten at the track. Before the old generals retired they’d laid on a bit of sage advice to the new generals.

1. All strangers are the police.

2. All phones are bugged.

3. Never write anything down that can be used against you later.

4. If you get caught, you don’t know anything and can’t recognize anybody.

5. Stay off all public audio and visual recordings. Private audio/visuals should be regular family stuff with nothing criminal included.

Due to the incident at the track, Millsap and Mike-Mike were unable to adhere to the last piece of advice. They had been filmed thoroughly today. This meant their whereabouts could likely be traced to a drug buy in the future. They couldn’t have that. Especially not with all the busts that had been going on lately in the two-state area. Thus a new appointment would have to be made.

We need to set up another gig ASAP, Millsap mused, thinking about all the customers they had. About all the money they stood to lose if they lost those customers due to delays. And one thing Millsap didn’t play with was his money supply.

But like the wise general he’d replaced, he knew that timing was everything. Patience, man. Patience, Millsap told himself.

* * *

Later that night, Millsap thought about something he hadn’t thought about in a long time – college. He’d already completed two years of his Bachelor’s degree before he fully immersed himself in the drug game, rising from part-time street dealer to full-time drug lord. Now he was thinking about finally completing that degree.

For years, Millsap rebelled against finishing his college education because his mother convinced him that too much formal education could weaken a man. Bonita ‘Bonnie’ Monroe used his father as a prime example since Millsap Sr. was a PhD nerd with no backbone whatsoever.

But after being around Royal, Millsap saw that he could expand his education and still be strong. Not to forget the example of Bonz, who still had his street cred even though he was now a licensed pharmacist.

If they can get all that education and not get soft, then I can, too, Millsap decided, ready to call a few admissions offices first thing tomorrow morning. He might even go back to the college his father worked for since children of employees were eligible for free tuition. Anything to keep more money in Millsap’s pocket.

Incidentally, Bonnie said the same thing about religion’s ability to weaken a man. Though Millsap could also see that religion hadn’t weakened Bonz, Racker, or Royal, he would not dabble in that yet. Especially since it stood to interfere with his accumulation of fast wealth among other things.

Interestingly enough, when Delia and Royal mentioned putting Millsap and his crew on their prayer list before saying goodbye today, he hadn’t refused. Nor would he ever. Millsap might be a sinner, but he wasn’t stupid.

© 2008 by Suprina Frazier

Comments

Suprina said…
Going to bed now. See y'all later today.

Suprina
Paula said…
I am really starting to like Millsap. He reminds me so much of Bonz.
Anonymous said…
suprina! amazing all these chapters you rolled out today!! most of them were like a flashback but with added information because we are seeing and understanding events from Miillsap's view point wihich is quite interesting.
cami is a real trifling relative, delia trusted and helped her and she violated that trust in the worst possible way ever-- to bad it led to situations that brought on massive shootings, death and incarceration but all this is for the greater good of all.
y'know what? you've got me interested in Millsap as a person!! bravo for this feat!! but knowing how you write i knew this was inevitable. good luck for cami though--sheesh!

I'm glad though that Millsap seems to absorb the positive characters in men he's encountering- the positive is allowing him to shape himself as a better male and even change his outlook on life...he plans on going back to college? hooray Millsap! go boy! i'm excited for him! and he sooo rite where prayer is concerned "he might be a sinner but he sho' ain't stoopid!" lol!

we have a one day holiday tomorrow wednesday so you'll hear from me only on thursday! until then!

sharon
Suprina said…
Paula: I'm glad you like Millsap. And since Bonz was his mentor and is still someone that he looks up to, Millsap can't help but emulate the things he admires about the man.

Suprina
Suprina said…
Sharon: Yes, you know when a sista gets on a roll, she shares that roll with others. Okay, that was corny as I don't know what. lol.

Anyway, you get my point, I like pushing out large chunks of story at a time. It not only helps the story move faster, but when I have to go slower for some reason (family issues, sickness, rest etc..), readers tend to understand and work with me. And for some reason sales go up. Go figure.

Yes, Cami is real trifling relative...right now. One day she won't be though.

I'm glad to see you taking a liking to Millsap as a person. And so soon too. After your initial comments some chapters ago, I thought it would be awhile before you warmed up to him.

Don't know when anybody is gonna warm up to Cami. But hopefully the next few chapters will help soften our hearts some towards her. At least we will understand her better.

As for Millsap absorbing the positive characteristics from the men around him, you'll find him to be very smart when it comes to stuff like that. He even still has a good relationship with his gay father, despite the fact that he doesn't agree with his lifestyle and think he's a wimp.

I put that "Millsap might be a sinner" part in at the last minute before posting. The fact that it sparked something in you lets me know that I was right on target by following that unction.

See you after your holiday!

Suprina

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