He was half-done writing the article. but his elbows are rested on the table. his head pivoted on his left arm as he glares at the check. it rushes all sorts of emotions and memories running through his head. he could not complete his task at work. He left and called up one of his good friends to come meet him at the bar.
Like always, Juan was there waiting for him
"I hope it's good? Just passed up a chance to go holla at a shawty 'coz of you"
Daniel snickers, passes Juan a check
"A check for me! Thanks!" Juan exclaims jokingly
Juan looks at the check closely...he realises what's bothering Daniel.
"What is this?"
"The old woman made some sort of insurance when she was with the factory" Daniel said. "She made out both of us as beneficiaries"
"Hmm..."
"Yes..same thing I thought."
"These things shouldn't worry you man. You getting married to a beautiful woman...shit...you should be celebrating man..not here been sad up"
"Maybe you are right...but I dont feel like I've accomplished nothing."
"Why?"
"See, I feel like it's all my fault, if I were there for them...maybe they wouldn't have been what they became"
"If you were still there, you'd be just another crackhead in the streets brother, count your blessings, have a drink"
Dan sips his brew, but still mutters "I have not accomplished anything"

Dan returns home...his fiancee promised him something special. He expects some good food...but she gives him something better.The foreplay leading up to the bed upstairs was orchestreated beautifully by Manuela. But now, he can't do anything. He just lies back on the bed...7 minutes later. Not even the sight of his woman's nicely shaped C-cup breasts could do the trick to get him up. He just stays there.
"What's wrong sweetie" Manuela asks
"I just don't know"
"Aww..don't worry, it happens" She says softly, rubbing her bres
Dan stands up, reaches for his bag and shows her the check.
"Benita...Spencer?"
"Yes.."
She folds it gently and keeps it on the table "You shouldn't be thinking of things like this right now"
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because we are at that point where we don't have to"
"...it's my fault...if only I came back for them"
"You can't blame yourself for their addictions. They chose their path, you chose yours too"
"But I could have saved them"
"THEY WERE AS GOOD AS DEAD"
"But they are NOT!"
"What?!"
Dan moves to one side of the room...his hand on his head in a pensive manner "See, I know my mother is dead...a crackwhore she died. I could have saved her, but I can still save my sister...she's still alive...somewhere in Detroit"
"You never saw your sister since she left the house when you were 18, Dan you are 25...times have changed."
"What of if she is still alive?"
"Well, she has done a good job keeping in contact hasn't she?"
"Manuela..."
"Dan...stop it..face it man, she's dead"
"SHE IS NOT"
"Ok...fine"
Manuela rolls over to the bed and Dan just stands there for a while...thinking while looking out the window

A few days later, he sits at dinner with Manuela
"I'm going to look for Benita"
She stops for a minute...stares at Dan...Dan stares back...he gives her the facial expression...he's serious
She resumes eating
"How do you know she's still alive?"
"It's worth a try"
"When you want to go"
"I called the job and settled it. I'm going next week"
"...but the wedding is in a month...we need to put the final touches"
"I'd be back way before then...it's not that hard to find someone in Detroit if you know the right people and you got the right money"
They keep on eating
"...moreover, I want my sister to be at my wedding"
She stops another time
"Daniel, that thought scares me...a crack addict at our wedding?"
"You better watch your mouth woman"
"No no...don't get me wrong...it just that...it scares me."
"Don't worry...I'd do what's in our best interest"
"How am I going about the wedding"
"I'd make you an authorised user to my credit account...I'm trusting you to use it wisely future Mrs Manuela Spencer"
Manuela blushes "You know I will"
"Good...I'd be back in time for the rehearsal"
"Promise me you'd be back to me safe?"
"Trust."


Detroit. Dan is picked up by his old homeboy Rick.
"Rick,it's been a while man"
"I know. I heard you were a big shot sportswirter down in Miami"
"Well, you heard right"
"Ha...and Juan"
"Still a playboy...messing around with those young girls in Miami"
"Trust."
"Yup."
"So what you doing back here? Not seen you in almost 3 years"
"Yeh..I know. I'm back for Benita"
"She's dead"
"She's not"
"Why you said that?"
"Rick, how long have I known you?"
"Since we was playing Cowboys and Indians"
"Ha...and you know I know when you lie?"
"...I see a joy in your eye..a sparkle"
"..I want my sister back"
"I'm sorry to break it to you man, but she's as good as dead"
"Why?"
"Crackwhore"
"I can still save her"
"Don't you think you are 4 years late?"
"There's nothing I could do about my mum...my sister was not something i could handle"
Rick stands up from the Park Chair
"YOU WERE IN A COLLEGE THAT WAS PRACTICALLY AT OUR FEET! I GOT MY FOLKS IN THERE AND YOU COULDN'T?"
"I could not"
"AND YOU THINK 5 YEARS LATER, 4 YEARS LATER, YOU CAN SAVE HER?"
"MAN, LET ME DO THIS..."
"So what? YOU CAN SHOW HER TO YOUR WHITE WOMAN"
Dan looks puzzled
"Yes, I heard man...you and your white woman...you just left us in the hood and went off down south with your white woman"
"First of all, she's cuban. Second of all, Manuela helped me through a lot of shit. The injury rendered me helpless. I had no chance at the NFL...remember? She helped me through it emotionally and physically...finally, the money and the job moved me down south"
"You were a legend man...the NFL wasn't going to pick any of us in the first place...Juan was lucky he got that scouting job for the Dolphins or else..."
"I was the best HB in the squad for 3 years..I had a shot"
"Are you paying attention to me man? You were a LEGEND. The kids needed someone like you. To tell them to go to college, to tell them that hoop dreams are an optical illusion...to help them move on"
"..enough of that bullshit. I'm here to look for my sister"
"Alright. FIne then. You will see her. But you do know that I have not seen her in almost a year...and since I've not seen you for longer...there was no need keeping any memory of where I saw her"
"Where's she?"
"Somewhere in between the thousands of crackheads in detroit"
"I got the money, I got anything you want...let's find her"

It takes almost one or two weeks to look around Detroit..every crackhouse..every rehab facility in the Detroit area...a few clues..endless. Lord knows how many girls end with a Nita in Detroit. Seems that's what crackheads call themselves...Bo or Nita.

Dan is frustrated...he thinks about how he messed up. He had the chance to send his sister an application form...come back and give his people a chance to open their minds...give his sister a new way of life...but he left her for the system..and it's imperfections. The high schools...he remembers. He was a weedhead then..same school that introduced his little sister to crack. At least he could run...he had hope in football. She had no one. Their mother passed away. She was living foster home to foster home while her brother was engulfed in College football superstardom...the women, the weed, the wine...he was lost and engulfed in this world.

He remembered what his Manuela told him. He knew he had to make it back alive. His old hateful neighbors were aware of his presence and were getting tired of it and might soon chase him out dead or alive if he kept interrogating their customers.

He was driving down to the airport with Rick.Dan remembered how he tried flirting with Manuela when they first met...he chased her until she told him in front of a whole Student Center "I maybe no virgin, but I'm no slut"...this knocked him back a little. A young jock too used to getting what he wanted,..even the christian girls with their Jesus is Lord tshirts were always ready to touch their toes at his beckoning...but this girl would not shake. She forced him to go the right route. His injury came around the time of the NFL draft...his scout/manager told him no show for the NFL. He was depressed. She got him back physically pro bono because she was an up and coming physical therapist in the school medical center. She helped him emotionally too. A relationship was formed after that and he took his books and read them...got a good degree and was sent to Miami as a sportswriter/commentator.

He's now looking at the gas pump, thinking about the wedding, his bride, his waste of money and time, when Rick taps him on his shoulder
"Look"
He looks..someone resembling his late mother, lot skinnier, a lot darker...still shivering coz of Detroti cold...he walks up to her
"Benita"
She suddenly stares up "The fuck is you nigga?"
"It's Daniel...Danny Boo, It's me"
"Who?"
"Your brother"
"I aint gat no brother...you want some head...a head for $50"
"What?!"
"HEAD...you want HEAD?!"
She stands up and bobs her head to and fro
"...She's gone Dan" rick says "Look at her...her mind is a wreck, it's gone...every cell is dead now..too late"
"...Benita?"
"Nigga...what?"
Suddenly a drunk homeless man comes over and tries fighting with her coz of street space
Daniel steps back...he watches in disbelief as he watches what is left of a sister he once had fight a homeless man
She's knocked out, lies by the wall...the old homeless man still kicks her to move out his space
Dan sheds a tear...about to walk to the car and get out of there...he walks back and gives the man some money to leave...he keeps her check in the pocket. Hopefully soemday she'd remember who she is.

He walks towards the car...spots a few kids playing basketball in a court nearby
Walks there
"Hey son"
"Who you?"
"Daniel Spencer"
"O shit...the thunder!"
"Yeh, it's me"
"You are a legend man""My dad said he isn't, said he's a bitch nigga""Why?""Said he left the hood for some white girl"
"Nah...I didn't...you know DPSN right?"
"Yeh...but wut's that gotta do to us"
"haha...Y'all still have that attitude...where you rep?"
"10 mile!"
"Good good...hey kids I got a lesson for y'all...see..I made it here coz I got my education...my mistake I made and I dont want any of you to make is not using it to an advantage...pass the knowledge on...come back..help your people...be the best you can be so your people can be the best they are as well, coz you see...kids, hoop dreams and NFL contract dreaming would get you nowhere...all u need is to enlighten your mind...your mind is the greatest weapon in the world...dont let anyone make it otherwise...dont let anything...any drug, any thing...or else...you'd look like that"
He points to Nita...who's still getting kicked by the homeless man who has now returned.


He returns to miami
"OH GOD! I missed u? Are u alright...the rehearsal is tomorrow...u ready?
"Sure..."
"THat sounds...dead...did you find your sister"
"Yes I did..."
"Great...is she alright to come? Or what happened?"
Daniel Smiles.
"You were right.."
"How? I feel I hate to be right right now"
He smiles again
"You were right...she is...as good as dead."