Savages

185

Sal comes to Jesus.

Yeah, it’s a cheap joke, but what do you want, it’s his name.

They find Jesus where you always find him, in the parking lot behind the liquor store, next to the car wash, hanging with five other 94s, drinking beer and smoking a little yerba.

Eleven AM and they’re just out.

Three years now, Sal and Jumpy been trying to join the 94, but been shut out. Jesus told them it wasn’t like the old days—you lived in the barrio, you could get jumped in—now you have to bring something to the table, m’ijo, ese. You have to bring—what did Jesus call it? Assets.

“Hola, Jesus.”

Hola, hola, m’ijo, all that.