Just like the dancing yellow script announced over the purple sprayed glass window, "Mama Ellerbee’s Grocery/deli. . .everything from Avocado to Zitpads", Mama Elle’s had everything a man needed.

Opening the door to colliding seashell chimes, Silvio called out to the back of the store.

"Elle girl, there’s a hungry man over here. Where did you go hiding?" He slammed his palm on the calling bell on top of the cashier’s counter.

"Easy child, easy. I’m coming, is just my books been neglected for a month now. Me stock boy fell ill, no inventory see. Cardboard boxes all over the blessed place. Couldn’t tell shit from shampoo. What you have?"

A slender black lady with polished skin and long limbs made up in a parrot-green African robe and a black headwrap stood behind the counter in a regal presence. She had a pleasant demeanor and a dazzling smile enclosed in quotation marks by her dimples. Her owlish eyes seemed long enough to stretch to her temples where touches of silver spitcurled to good effect.

"Gimme some sugar, girl, where’s your manners?"

"All right then." She leaned over the counter to hug Silvio.

"Child, you hungry or you just come by to visit with Mama? I need to know to begin your pastrami on rye."

"Relax, it can wait." Silvio hunched over the counter and with stretched arms gathered Mama’s hands in his and cupped them. He looked up and smiled.

"What has got you blushing now? Okay, ahaha, who is she? Who is this princess and when are you bringing her by?"

"You don’t miss a thing do you?" Silvio shook his head and surrendered a smile.

"Well?" Mama beckoned Silvio with a mischievous smile.

"The trouble is, Elle girl, I think she might be a princess, she lives in Grace, in that ritzy corner full of mansions. Besides, she’s with somebody."

"I don’t care if she lives in Buckingham palace, no it’ll be easy if she lived there they pretty loose up there, they mix with anybody. Now, if she got another boy then you best stay away. A girl who can’t make her mind is no good for you or herself. Does she like you?"

"I think so."

"Think so? Uh, hmm. I tell you this have trouble written all over it. Why you mixing with rich folk?"

"Come on, Elle girl, she nothing like that. She’s different."

"Oh, lord. This child is too far gone to be saved. Save him anyway. I’m gonna fix you a sandwich, there’s nothing else here that Mama can fix."

The door chimed again and in walked Benny shifting in his oversized varsity jacket and making fists inside his jeans’ pockets.

"May I help you?" Mama called out from the back.

"No, I just, I just needed to talk to Silvio here."

"Can I make you a sandwich? I’m making him one."

"Sure, okay." Benny seemed uneasy that he was talking to a voice from the back.

"Well, what kind?"

"Whatever."

Mama came out carrying a crumb addled knife in her hand. She looked furious.

"Now don’t whatever me, boy, where’s your manners? If you not hungry don’t eat. I don’t charge rent for visitors."

"I’m sorry Ma’m. I didn’t mean any disrespect." Ben grew red in the face.

"Well, no fuss. Don’t Ma’m me neither. I’m, Mama. Welcome to Mama’s, you’re new here aren’t you? Uh, hmm. I’ll fix you a soda. You drink soda?"

"Yes, that will be great."

"Easy child. Don’t look so petrified. Have a seat with Silvio. Will you straighten him out, child?" Mama winked at Silvio and returned to her sandwich.

"I'll try. So, you’re Benny, right? I figure you didn't tail me here to talk about a Physics assignment."

They sat down in foldable wooden chairs set around a pine table by the window next to the entrance.

"I’ll make this brief. What’s your plan with my girlfriend?" Ben clutched his face tight after he spoke his words.

"Who’s your girlfriend?"

"Come on, don't play dumb with me. She’s in the play with you, you know Carol."

"What about Carol?"

"You Jinx boys think you’re so tough. You can probably take me but I’m not giving her up without a fight. I see how you’re playing her, Silvio. I see the way you look at her, the way you’re trying to croon Shakespeare in her ears. She just sees you as Bassanio, but I know the real Silvio, the Jinx boy who wears a bicycle chain as a belt. The road warrior who rides around with lowlifes, looking for the next street brawl; you think that is enough to get someone like Carol? Once your crooked smile and macho bullshit wears off she’ll drop you like last year’s hairstyle."

"That’s pretty impressive you little worm, how long did it take you to rehearse that? You should be in the play too. I don't know about a speaking part but you can play one of those guys who stands around and fans the princess."

"If I do, Carol’s my princess. You stay out of the way."

"Hey, I sat down to honor your visit but now you’re starting to piss me off. If you know me so well then why did you come here, chump? You know what I can do right? You know it didn’t occur to me, but now I see why Carol loses her cool when you come around." Silvio’s eyes shone with malevolence.

"Let’s talk about you, okay. Leave Carol out of this. I don’t like you putting your moves on her. Carol is very trusting, she takes kindly to everyone. She has a bright future ahead of her at Yale. . ." Benny poured out his words in fast and furious bursts.

"That’s your bright future too, right?"

"Yeah, that’s right. Both our future. I got so much to offer her, a lot more than what you and your Jinx life can give her. I see you at nights walking with those strippers from Juicy Lucy. Is that the life you plan for you and Carol? You think she would be happy to live with that. She’s not just born rich, she thinks rich. You think you can satisfy her needs? Or is she just another piece of tail for you to taste and spit out."

Mama brought out a tray with the sandwich wrapped in foil and a glass of soda. She set the tray between them and quietly walked away without any indication of having heard the heated argument.

"Watch what you say, Benny. I can live up to your worst fears about me. I don’t need to explain nothing to you, chump. There’s nothing going on between Carol and me. If something was, nothing, nobody can stop it okay! Show some respect for your girlfriend, she’s got class."

"You gangsters are supposed to have honor. Where’s your code of honor? How can you get in on another man’s take? She’s everything to me, Silvio. Is there anything in your life that’s everything to you?"

"I believe she’s everything to you, you pathetic piece of shit. But what are you to her? Ever think of that? Ever think she may want more than the crummy life you imagined for her?"

"That’s not your judgement to make." Ben raised his voice and looked around for effect. Mama could be heard humming happily in the back of the store.

"No, but it’s her decision if she leaves you. Don’t put that shit on me. When she thinks it’s time, she’ll leave you. It don’t matter who, if not me then some other guy. You be man enough to deal with it."

"If she leaves she should leave on her own, without you prying her from me. Why am I talking to you like you give a shit? This is a routine to you right? Nothing is sacred to you man. You just live to tear things down. You never had anything precious to protect. Your life is nothing so you bring everything else down to nothing."

"Get outta my face before I really lose it, Benny. Mama’s is like a church to me, don’t make me dirty it with your blood."

"All I need is a gun, Silvio. Then the odds are even between us. You just remember that."

Benny slammed a bill on the table and headed towards the entrance door.

Silvio stretched the bill between his hands and saw a hundred dollar bill. He got off the chair with such a force that the chair went careening back several steps. He sprang forward and grabbed Benny by his jacket and slammed him to the wall. With his face a breath away from Benny’s, Silvio spoke,

"What the fuck is this, chump? You throwing your money at me? Huh?"

"Keep it. You can use it for one of your whores from Juicy Lucy. That’s what you want right? A piece of tail? If you want I can get you more but leave my Carol alone."

"You’ll do anything for her, huh?" Silvio loosened his grip on Benny’s collars and stepped back.

"You don’t know what it’s like to lose someone like Carol." Ben said in a defeated voice.

"All this for a girl to love you. Shit. Look at you. I won’t let anyone make me feel like this, Benny. No way. Go to her. She’s yours for as long as you can keep her."

"You mean it? You won’t. . ."

"I’m through. It ain’t worth it." Silvio put his head down and shook it.

"I don’t know what to say. I. . .I. . ."

"Benny, just take your money and go." Silvio turned around and went to the cashier’s counter. A somber looking Mama gave him a knowing smile.

"See, now that boy needs some sugar. You okay, child? You don’t look so good."

"You should see the inside, Elle girl. It’s worse. I gotta go. Oh, leave the boxes alone. I gotta walk Heather from Lucy’s after her late shift tomorrow. I got some time before that, I’ll come here, stock, inventory and straighten out the place."