”Thinking retreat was the best thing she could do for now, Charlotte turned and shuffled away down the sidewalk. She tilted her head and read the na...me on the business card: “Javier Valerde”.“May I know your name?” he called out from behind her.She stopped. Pausing for a moment, she looked back and said, “Charlotte.”“I'll be seeing you, Charlotte,” he said, with a light salute. He and his smile disappeared into the showroom.She remained frozen before slowly getting her feet moving again. She. My neighborhood was one of the poorest in Detroit and, in my high school, there was nothing but black kids. Some of the kids there actually studied and tried to get an education so they could have a chance to get out of that life. But others had already resigned themselves to living there and were only concerned with getting what they could while they still could draw a breath. It was a tough place to grow up, and only Chicago had a higher rate of gun violence and crime. I fit into that first. I slid over Ron and he patted my ass as I did. He was having a great time with me at my expense and for him it was only going to get better. I opened the back door, looked around to be sure no one was watching and stepped out, naked so anyone looking could see me. I just hoped none of my coworkers saw me because they come here to eat too.After getting out, Ron closed the door and I was alone outside. I made my way to the front of the car and then up to Jeni's window. I stopped with the hopes. Like they had spent weeks on the nude beaches of Perth ... tan, fit and ready to party.“Listen to that,” said Two.Faint and wind borne, fading in and out with the breeze, was the summer music of Jamaica ... reggae.“Oh, good lord,” I said. “I love reggae. That sounds like UB 40. Who is that?”“Some local group,” Seven said. “We don’t have any other ‘specials’ here right now.”The others began reporting in. It didn’t look like anyone was as bad off as I had been. Before I could say anything, Seven.