Page 35 of Changed Man


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“The name is not familiar to me,” Bunny said.

“Not surprising. We left the island when I was very young. It would mean a lot to me if you could introduce us,” I said while reaching in my pocket to take out money. I counted off some bills and just placed the stack on the table where he could reach for it … if he wanted it.

“I see.” He paused and sipped his drink. “Well, I can introduce you to Fenton.” He put his hand on the stack and pulled it closer to himself. “Where are you staying?”

“Grenadine House.”

Bunny picked up the money, eased it in his pocket and then he drained his glass and then he stood up with his hand out. “I’ll be in touch.”

I stood up, shaking his hand. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”

Now I had found somebody, and he agreed to introduce us, but I didn’t stop asking questions. I found some people that said that they knew him, but not personally like Bunny said he did. They told me that my father was a cop.

That one made me laugh.

My father, a cop.

His son, a killer.

One of life’s little ironies, I guess.

It was two days later when I got a call from Bunny saying that he was having drinks at Vee Jay's Restaurant and Bar with Fenton arou

nd five that afternoon. “It’s on Bay Street. Come ’round and I will introduce you to him.”

It was five fifteen when I arrived at Vee Jay's Restaurant and Bar and went inside. I didn’t see Bunny anywhere, so I went out on the balcony and there he was.

My father.

I stood there for I don’t know how long, just looking at him. There were so many things running through my mind at that moment that it wasn’t even funny. I had wanted this for as long as I could remember and here I was, standing ten feet from him and I am frozen in this spot.

What do I say to him? Hey, mutha fucka, you’re my father. That wasn’t how I wanted this to go.

It was then that Bunny saw me and waved me over to the table. I inhaled deeply and went to the table to join them.

Bunny stood up and shook my hand. “Mike, good to see you again.” He turned to my father. “Fenton, this is Mike Black.”

My father stood up and we faced each other. No doubt about it, I looked at this man, looked in his eyes and knew that he was my father.

“Mike, good to meet you,” he said and shook my hand.

His handshake was firm, and he looked me directly in the eyes. That told me that he was a confident man, and I hoped he was a man that commanded respect. I mean, after all, he is my father.

“Come,” he said and extended his hand. “Sit and join us for a drink.”

“Thank you,” I said to my father and sat down at the table across from him. I sat there with them, listening to the tail end of the conversation they were having until the server came to see what I was drinking.

“Hennessy XO, neat,” I said since I hadn’t found anyplace that carried Remy. But since it was twenty U.S. dollars a glass, it raised an eyebrow on Bunny and my father, but it did get him to talk to me.

“So, Mike, Bunny tells me that you are visiting from New York, but you were born here.”

“Yes, sir, I was born here, but my mother moved us to New York when I was very young.”

“What’s your mother’s name, Mike?” He had asked the question I wanted, and I swallowed hard before answering.

“Emily Black,” I said, and I looked him directly in his eyes and waited for a response.

“The name doesn’t sound familiar.” He looked at Bunny. “You know that name?”

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