It was Christmas Eve in the Ghetto. The snow had just started to fall and Scrooge, the drug dealer, was making his last rounds for the night. He approached his block just as Cracket, his post up boy, had just finished making a sale.
“What’s up, Scrooge. Merry Christmas?”
“Where’s my money?” Scrooge replied.
“The pigs are out. Money is slow.” Cracket stated. “I think I’m going to spend the rest of the night just answering my phone. It’s cold as shit.”
Scrooge got very upset and demanded Cracket stay on the corner until all his work was gone. Cracket agreed.
Now, Scrooge was very tired. He had been up for two days straight filling orders. He hated Christmas. He hated the lights, trees, and chubby white men running around like Santa Claus. Shit, Santa had never came to his house for Christmas. But he couldn’t be mad at all the business this time of year brings in.
When Scrooge got home, he went right to bed.
At the stroke of midnight, Scrooge awoke to a Shhhhh Shhhhh sound. He popped his head up and grabbed his gun. In front of him stood a little kid with a spray can. He was drawing graffiti on Scrooge’s bedroom wall.
Scrooge stated with the threats but the kid kept on drawing. Scrooge attempted to throw the kid out but his hand went right through him. Then with a crack of thunder and a flash of lightening, the little kid stopped drawing and moved, exposing the drawing on the wall.
It was a portrait of Scrooge’s apartment when he was young. The place did not bring back happy memories. The kid finally spoke.
“Bitch ass nigga, I’m the ghost of Christmas pass. You act like you forgot where the fuck you came from. Let me remind you.” And with a spray of his can, Scrooge magically appeared on the outside of the small apartments only window.
Scrooge watched as his younger self hid in the closet while his step father beat the crap out of his mother.
“I don’t want to see this shit. I’m out.” Scrooge shouted.
“Nigga, you ain’t goin nowhere. I suggest you shut up and remember.”
There was loud knock at the door. Scrooge’s cracked up step father opened the door. It was was Scrooge’s grandmother. She forced her way into the house. When she saw the condition of her daughter and found little Scrooge hiding in the closet, she called the police.
“I had a really good Christmas that year. We stayed at Grandma’s. I ate so much food and everyone gave me presents. It was probably my best Christmas ever.” Scrooge remembered fondly.
“Then what the fuck happened to you. Now, all you care about is yourself. What the fucks up with that?”
“Shit, that was only a couple nights. My mom’s went right back on that shit. Can we go now, I don’t like this little trip down memory lane.”
The spirit agreed. With a spray of his can, they flashed back to Scrooge’s bedroom.
“Nigga, I’m just one of the ghost that’s going to fuck with you tonight. Get some rest if you can. Ha Ha” The kid disappeared leaving echo’s of his laughter.
Scrooge thought he was having a bad dream. He climbed back in bed and pulled the covers up. He waited for a moment, examining every sound. Then he decided he was being paranoid and went to sleep.
He was instantly awoken by the sound of music. Then a krump dancer came dancing out of his bathroom. It was like a train wreck, he couldn’t help but watch.
The dancer ripped off his shirt and the words “Ghost of Christmas Present” was tattooed across his chest. He jumped in the air and when he came stomping down, Scrooge was in his Grandma’s house.
“What the fuck is she doing here?” Scrooge shouted rather upset.
The dancer finally spoke.
“Where else would she be? Her power got shut off. She called and asked you for some money to pay the bill but you told her you were broke.”
“I don’t give a fuck. Just because she my baby mama doesn’t mean she has the right to bother my family. I’m a man, I take care of my own shit.”
“So, what would you suggest she do? Let your son sleep in an apartment with no heat or lights on Christmas.”
Then there came another loud knock at the door. It was Cracket’s baby mama.
“Have either of you seen Scrooge? Cracket just got popped and I need some money to get him out.”
Both of the women felt bad. They knew Scrooge wouldn’t help him. Grandma decided to pay the bail.
“What the fuck? Does everybody come to my Grandma for help?”
“Yes. After all these years, she still has to clean up her families mess. You would think she would have some time to rest and just enjoy her life. Instead she has had to clean up your mother’s mistakes and now yours. She is one lucky woman.”
The dancer jumped up and when he came down, Scrooge was in the jail cell with Cracket. He watched as Cracket sat with a picture of his girl and daughter his hands.
The dancer jumped up and when he came down, Scrooge was back in his bed. The dancer snapped and popped backed into the bathroom and the music was silenced.
Scrooge couldn’t take anymore. He got dressed and was about to leave when he heard a mic check.
“What’s up everybody in the place to be. Put your motherfucking hands up. Scrooge, you can’t get away from me. Sit your motherfucking ass down. ”
The rappers lyrical skills were atrocious but he was fully blinged out.
“What’s up booyyyyyyyy? I’m guessing you know I’m the emcee with all the flavor, Sir Christmas Future. You think I should change it to Lil Christmas Future. How about Lil CF? I’ll worry about that later. You ready. Time is money and I ain’t making none off a one man show, you dig?”
“What the hell, let’s get this over with.”
“Let’s go.” Lil CF started beat boxing and they appeared in a graveyard. “Damn dog, don’t look like the future is that bright.”
Scrooge’s baby mother was sitting beside a small head stone. She looked as though she had no more tears to cry. She just sat there.
“What the fuck happened to her?”
“You. You happened to her. Cracket was so mad you didn’t bail him out, he went and got work from your competition. He messed up the deal and ran. They blamed you. When they couldn’t find you, they went after your entire family. They killed your grandma, your mom, Cracket’s girl and daughter, and………”
“And…..And who?”
“They killed your son.”
“No. He ran toward his baby mama and looked at the grave. It had his son’s name etched in tiny letters.”
“I’ll kill them. I’ll kill every single one.”
“You don’t learn shit, do you? Maybe if you were really taking care of shit, none of this would ever happen. I can’t talk to you no more. You ain’t no real OG. Real OG’s know that their family comes first. I got something for your ass.
People just think I’m some wanna be rapper. Shit. I lived your Christmas past. I’ve handled your Christmas present. And I’m blinging in your Christmas future. Since you don’t wanna learn, let me help you speed up the process.”
The rapper began his mic check again and the ground opened up under Scrooge’s feet. He felt his body falling and began yelling.
“I’ll do better. I’ll do better.”
When he opened his eyes, he was back in bed.
He grabbed his phone to check all the messages. His baby’s mama was asking when he would have the money to turn the light on. Cracket was asking if he could go home for the night. And Grandma was asking if he would come over for Christmas Dinner.
Scrooge jumped up. He went to one of his cash stashes and removed all the money. This was going to be the first of the best Christmas’ of his son’s life.
Scrooge called Cracket and told him to bring his family to Grandma. Then he set out to buy toys for his son and presents for the rest of his family.
When he got to Grandma’s everyone thought he had lost his mind. He was handing out gifts, smiling, singing, and just having a good time.
He pulled his Grandma aside and handed her a box. She gave it back. He insisted but she had another request.
“I’m not going to be here forever. I need you to get your shit together so you can take care of this family when I’m gone. That’s all I want for Christmas.”
“You don’t even have to ask. My dealing days are over. I want a blinging Christmas Future. But you deserve a blinging Christmas Present for all the not so cheerful Christmas’ Past. So take it.
Grandma opened the gift. A simple golden cross with I Love You etched on the front. This had to be the best Christmas Ever.
