Couples of South Pointe Lake

10. Rooster Pickup

The roadhouse bar was called the Midnight Rooster.  It was located in five-acres empty farmland near the northbound railroad in Cumberland, west of South Pointe.  Decades ago, it had served as a stable house for thoroughbred horses. That was back when Cumberland had been a thriving farming country.  The economy had been robust and thriving.  Then came the second Gulf War, then things got worse with the Recession, bringing to an end everything that was robust and good.  Ownership had changed hands and the farmland’s new owners—a pair of ambitious city slickers—cared for nothing about farming, had questionably renovated the dilapidated stable into one of the best watering hole for the town’s drunks, reprobates, night-owls, and anyone else who cared to soak up midnight’s debaucheries with regards to entertainment.

This was where Charles DeGreese, former dope fiend, now a recovering addict, preferred spending his evenings.  Here where he was prone to connect with customers demanding what he sold.  He could cache drinks or cigarettes off some of the regulars if he were so desperate, regardless of whether they abhorred his personality.  On days when he could afford his own drink and felt inclined not to pester anyone, he would shoot some pool and wait for the night’s special events to buoy his spirit.  Tonight his woman, Jo, was performing an exotic number.  Hopefully, some lonely cat was bound to catch her fancy and get lucky with her tonight. 

The bar was shaped like a large rectangular box in the center of the room.  South of the bar was situated the pool tables and a classic jukebox that belted out classic rock music.  The opposite end bore a stage with three stripper poles and a curtained background where the night’s entertainment took place.  The time was 10:45 p.m., and even that was early.  The event never began until 11:00.  Charles sat near the bar where he had an excellent view of the room, especially the entrance.  He was paying interest at the regulars shuffling into the bar, looking out for new faces worth hustling.  He nursed a drink in his hand that he had held since he arrived.  A cigarette dangled from his lips.  Sal, who ran the bar and also the establishment, didn’t take too friendly to anyone smoking reefer inside.  Charles was on his best behavior because of Jo.  She was prone to get upset with him if she found out he was bumping drinks from other customers.  He had promised he would be good and would try his damn best not to give her any embarrassment.

There was a lively crowd in the bar today.  A majority of them were men, looking weary and drained from whatever dead-end jobs they had been hustling.  Others were night-crawlers with nothing on mind besides the warmth of good liquor and the sight of t**s and ass shaking at their face.  The music was jamming.  The air conditioning sucked out the billows cigarette smoke before the place could get too noxious.  Sal worked the bar with his bar girls, occasionally dishing out free drinks on the house to familiar faces.  By familiar, that meant to regulars who never gave a reason to cause any trouble.

 Charles stubbed out his cigarette and looked toward the entrance at the new persons filtering past the door.  He almost slipped his drink when he recognized the two people that entered.  What gave him further discomfort was that the two men saw him right away and locked eyes with him.  Charles switched his gaze elsewhere, but it was too late with him been spotted.

Scott Baskin and his partner Elroy Jamison were off their beat for the day.  Elroy had offered buying his partner a drink before heading home to his woman, and what better place for two off-duty cops to chill than the Midnight Rooster.  Scott scowled at the sight of Charles DeGrasse, who instinctively swiveled on his stool to face the bar.  He held his drink to his face as he soon perceived both cops breathing down on either side of him.

“What’s up, DeGresse?” Scott slapped his shoulder.  “How’s business these days?” 

“It’s all good with me, office,” Charles answered while struggling to maintain his calm.  The cops knew his record.  He knew these two would love nothing better than to bust his ass if they so much as sniffed a pinch of narcotics upon him.  “Didn’t know you fellas frequented this joint.”

“We probably would have gone someplace if we knew your stink would be here,” Scott said, then looked to his friend.  “Don’t you agree, Elroy?”

“Yep, pretty much,” Elroy replied.  “How about it, Charles.  You been good with yourself since?”

“Yeah, I’ve been good, officer.  Just as good as a man can be.”

“You sure about that?” Elroy leaned closer so Charles could hear him over the Country-Rock music number that was playing.  “Your ass ain’t here trading stuff you ought not be peddling, are you?”

“Hell no, officer,” said Charles with slight indignation.  He turned to look at Scott and almost melted when he met his stare.  He was somehow glad that nobody else at the bar appeared concerned by them.  “I’m an honest Joe, sirs.  I ain’t peddling nothing, I swear it.”

Charles tried to smile but that didn’t help his plight.  He was lucky not to be carrying anything incriminating upon him, except for a roll of weed hidden in his socks.  Beside the hassling, he knew there was little indication that they would haul him outside for a thorough search.  But that was a notion he didn’t plan on testing out yet.

It was Elroy who tapped his partner’s arm.  “Come on, let’s go find ourselves a table away from this heap.”

“You stay good, DeGrasse,” Scott gave him a look that said: “Next time, motherfucker”, before joining his partner.

Charles remained tense as he watched them navigate toward the other side of the bar, settling at themselves a table closer to the stage.  Likely they were here for the midnight special.  Charles looked at his drink that he had maintained the entire time and tipped his head back and threw its content down his throat.  He grimaced and let off a gasp as the alcohol burned its way down to his gut.  Charles coughed and relaxed as a wave of calmness washed over him. 

The lights in the bar section grew dim.  The playlist of rock music gave way to something urbane, and a murmur broke among the crowd as all eyes went to the stage.  The curtains parted and a bright spotlight centered on a bodacious blonde woman with short-cropped hair.  Her name was JoBeth, and tonight, she was here to entertain.  She wore a corset outfit, elbow-length gloves, pantyhose, and high heel pumps.  The crowd went buck-wild as she strutted back and forth on the stage, soaking up the adulation thrown her way.  She swung her limbs and sashayed her hips to the music as she then grabbed one of the stripper poles.  Jo spun around it and kicked the air with her feet while lifting herself off the ground.  JoBeth shook her rump at the crowd while still grinding her pelvis against the pole.  The crowd roared with unabashed glee.  They slammed their drinks on the table, and they pumped their fists in the air while yelling for more.  Jo continued with her dance routine.  Her t**s bounced in her corset as though wanting to party with the crowd.  

Charles smiled as he, in turn, observed the crowd.  Everyone’s eyes in the room were aimed at Jo.  Always he got an enthusiastic kick from watching Jo dance and seeing every man become captivated by her.  On the stage, she was like a prima-ballerina.  The men all gazed at her with enviable lust.  He could tell they wanted so bad to rush the stage and rip her out of her corset and f**k her while the crowd watched.  The idea of that happening was enough to entice an erection from Charles.  How great it would be to see which of these johns would get lucky to give her a ride home and f**k her.  Even better if they got to f**k out in the parking lot.  Charles would give off a whole bag of weed to watch one of them f**k her on the hood of her car.  He knew Jo would love that too.  She often brought men home, or if it felt right, she would leave with them to their place.  On those occasions, Charles would have nothing to work with besides his imagination, picturing the fun she would be having.  He ordered another drink and continued observing the crowd.  His eyes went to the two off-duty cops.  They didn’t roll with the excited crowd around them but instead drank their beers while enjoying the show.

Nearing two minutes into her routine, JoBeth began stripping her clothes one item at a time.  She rolled on the floor and carefully slipped off her pantyhose; her panties and elbow gloves came next, hurling each item at the crowd.  Her corset took the most excitement to undo as she pulled on a string behind her back to make it come loose.  The crowd gave a tremendous cry as her t**s tumbled out to full view, as though none of them had seen a pair of gorgeous, natural t**s in their life.  Jo discarded her corset at the nearest table and watched as the occupants scrambled for it.  She grabbed the pole once more and leaped into the air and spun around while spreading her legs for everyone to view her snatch.

JoBeth’s acrobatic skills aroused Elroy as he continued watching her dance.  The beer was subtly relaxing his nerves including the music., all mixed with all the cat-calling and wolf-whistling raging around him.  He glanced at Scott, who responded with an affirming smile that said he too was loving the atmosphere.  Their thoughts were like twin streams moving on separate, perpendicular plains, neither bearing any relationship with the other.  

JoBeth finished her routine and the crowd’s adulation never once let up as she took several courtesy bows and waved at them before disappearing behind the curtains.  Sal’s voice boomed on a microphone as he got the crowd further hyped for the next dancer.

The Midnight Rooster cleared off at 3:00 a.m.  People reluctantly finished their drinks and shuffled out towards their vehicles.  A few muttered goodnight to Sal and his waitresses as they closed up.  Some were too drunk to stand and had to be helped out by two burly bikers who acted as security.  In an establishment like this, such men were necessary when it came time to break up squabbles before they blossomed into full-blown fights.  JoBeth came out of a backroom with four other exotic dancers, all happy to be done for the night.  She hoisted a bag over her shoulder that carried her exotic outfit, high heels, make-up kit, and other changeable clothes she needed for her performance.  They said goodnight to Sal after collecting their envelope containing their pay for another worthy night, then filed down a dimly lit corridor that led out to the establishment’s back.  It was safer this way in case any of the bar’s patrons intended accosting them out front.

Charles was one of the few patiently waiting in the parking grounds.  He sat on the hood of Jo’s Sedan, smoking a cigarette as he watched the Midnight Rooster’s regular clientele disperse for the night.  He watched them smoke their last cigarette before unsteadily climbing into their rigs and driving off.  A few of them bumped rides instead of walking the two-mile stretch of asphalt back to the heart of town.  They appeared somewhat reluctant about returning to whatever dismal abode they considered home.  Charles held his cigarette to his face, presenting a grim countenance while inwardly fighting his nervousness.  The reason being that one of the patrol cops, Elroy Lewiston, stood ten feet from him leaning against his car while drinking a bottle of Crystal Clear water.  He, too, looked like he was waiting for someone.  Charles could only figure it was one of the girl dancers.  His partner had driving off a while ago, leaving him behind.  Charles wished he could conjure him to disappear.

"Hiya, babe."  JoBeth came tapped Charles’s arm, nearly making him drop his cigarette. 

“Careful, Jo,” he said after getting back his composure. 

Jo exchanged goodbyes with the other girls as they made for their waiting vehicles; two went to catch rides from other gents who couldn’t have been happier.  

"What did you think of my dance?"

"Fantastic is what I think,” Charles put his foot down on his cigarette.  “Everyone loved you in there.”

"Sharona and I are scheduled to perform a tub wrestle next week.”  Jo opened the passenger door and threw her bag into the backseat.  Charles offered Jo the car keys, but she shook her head instead after slamming the door shut.  "You're driving solo tonight, babe.  I'm riding shotgun with my date."

"What're you talking about?"

Jo gave a girlish laugh and kissed his cheek before walking away from him.  Charles wanted to call out to her but stopped when he realized where she was heading. 

Elroy came away from his car, smiling as Jo approached, and they hugged each other.  Charles felt the blood drain from his face as he watched them.  Elroy's hand shamelessly squeezed her butt behind her jeans short; this got a positive response from JoBeth, who broke into laughter.  Charles found what he was watching as wholly unreal.  He always assumed he knew the type of men that enticed Jo's fancy, never had he envisioned her going to bed with a black man . . . unless there was more to her that he never realized until now. 

Elroy opened his passenger door for Jo, who then stopped to look toward Charles.

"For f**k’s sake, get in the car, Charles," she said.  "My friend here is bringing me home."

Charles swallowed his pride and did as she ordered.  He started the car and drove out of the parking grounds.  His eyes went to his rearview mirror at Elroy’s headlights, which stayed a moderate distance behind him.  Charles maintained his watchful glance as he drove down the dark, empty Cumberland streets.  He slowed his speed one time when he felt they were too far back.  There was a tremble in his heart as if he feared the patrol cop might whisk Jo to some unknown place, leaving him to drive home alone.

Charles and JoBeth resided in an apartment building two blocks from Cumberland Gardens, the town’s central boulevard.  The apartment lease was in JoBeth's name; Charles handled the bills and rent p*****t.  He drove into the building’s parking space and came out and waited as Elroy arrived a minute later and found a space for himself.  Jo got out of the car laughing at whatever humor Elroy must have shared with her.  She came around, and Elroy wrapped his arm around her as they walked behind Charles, who walked ahead into the building.  He unlocked the apartment door and allowed them to enter first before following right behind.  Jo threw her bag on the sofa while Charles switched on the lights.  His discomfort was apparent at the presence of the cop who made as if Charles didn’t exist.

"Alright, Charles," Jo winked at him; that indicated that she was about to get naughty and didn’t desire his presence. Usually, he would have been excited by such; this time, a numbness came over him.  "You go and putter about and be a good boy, you hear,” she added.  “Don’t let me see you in the bedroom for another couple of minutes."  

Charles shrugged his shoulders as if to acknowledge receipt of the message.  Elroy brushed past him, sniggering while he did.  "Yeah, you be a good white boy and stay right there." 

Jo laughed as she then grabbed Elroy's hand and led him toward the bedroom.  They shut the door behind them, leaving Charles as the living room’s lone occupant.  He felt some reassurance when he didn’t hear a key turn in the lock.  She usually only did that if they’d had a quarrel that lasted the entire day if he did or said something that pissed her off.  Jo always knew how to get back at him, and what better opportunity than denying him the sight of watching her getting pleasured by another man.  Either that or she would spend the night at a lover’s place and leave him to moan her absence.  Come morning, and he would be the one vying for peace.

Charles moved about the apartment aimlessly.  His nerves were acting up, and he needed a roll of weed to calm his nerves; he had lost the one that he kept hidden in his socks.  The remainder of his stash was in the bedroom, and there was no way he can get to it, not with the cop around.  He went into the kitchen and set about cleaning the dirty dishes that littered the sink.  Jo seriously didn’t want him coming to interrupt her moment with Elroy.  Likely because he was her first black man, but that was a gross presumption on Charles’s part.  There had been times he had been away for a weekend stint or a couple more days added, courtesy of the Cumberland County jail, there had no way of knowing whom she invited over then.  Jo wasn’t always forthcoming when it came to her exploits.  Unless he later inquired from her other dancer friends.  Charles reckoned this was something he was going to have to get to the bottom about.

Done with the dishwashing, Charles dried his hands with a rag, then thought of what to do next.  He looked at his watch and saw he had a few more minutes before going to spy on them.  He tapped his pocket for his cigarette pack but it came away empty.  Charles returned to the living room and rummaged through her bag’s contents as a way to kill time.  He looked up each time he heard bumping noises coming from behind the bedroom.  He concocted a plethora of images in his head of how good their f*****g was going.  From the persisting noises he heard, it was apparent that Jo was getting it.  Charles sat down and proceeded to bite his nails, eager for the minutes to run faster.

Ten minutes finally came and went, and then Charles got up and quietly approached the door.

He eased the door open and caught wind of his JoBeth’s whimpers including the bed’s consistent bumps slamming against the wall.  The room’s lights were off, so Charles had to slip further into the room, leaving the door open for some light to filter inside.  He made out Elroy’s profile resting on top of JoBeth; she held onto him from under her armpits while her legs flung into the air as he went on f*****g her; the bed covers laid crumble under them.  Her hips jerked back and forth; Elroy grunted with effort with each thrust he gave her.  Each pounding Jo received got her gasping and whimpering aloud for more.  Charles pulled a chair toward him and positioned it where he had a favorable view of Elroy’s buttocks squeezing between Jo’s parted legs.  The bedsprings squeaked irritatingly as simultaneously the bed’s headboard banged against the wall.  Charles listened to Jo’s breathless cries, growing more and more excited as he knew she was sinking into her s****l groove.

“Awwhhh!  Aaahhhieee . . . f**k me!”  JoBeth locked her arms around Elroy’s head, pelting him with frantic kisses.  Elroy lifted himself on his arms while he kept on working his hip muscles.  Jo’s cries grew more wanton than before.  “Ohhh f**k!  Give me that big black f*****g d**k!”

They grappled with each other on the bed like horny teens.  Elroy managed to slide his hands from clutching Jo’s shoulders down to her buttock while pressed his weight down upon her, making sure she took every inch of his girth.  Charles could only afford himself a glimpse of his balls, but it wasn’t until Elroy pulled himself upward, and his p***s fell out of Jo, that Charles had a good view of what he was packing.  The man was all sinewy muscle and formidable like his manhood.  JoBeth trashed under him, thrusting her hips to match his thrusts.  She pulled him down into her embrace once again, and they locked lips in a passionate kiss.  Elroy later fell off her, gasping as he then rolled onto his back.  Jo came to her knees to suck his c**k.  She took time to savor his girth as she kissed the capped tip of his p***s.  

“Oh boy, this is such a huge c**k you’ve got here,” she murmured while stroking his saliva-coated shaft.  “I doubt I’ve had one thing good in a long while.”

“How about you hop on that d**k, you sexy bunny,” Elroy smacked her butt.

Jo stretched her leg over his other side to then settle her rump on his pelvis.  She cradled his erection before raising herself and then inserting it where it ought to go.  Charles caught sight of her p***y getting impaled by the black cop’s erection, such a fantastic sight it was.  Jo gasped and flung her head back as she then settled comfortably on her lover.  Her body went into immediate, self-conscious action, bucking her hips while absorbing his girth into her cunt.

“Aaahhhh . . . this is so f*****g good!” JoBeth whimpered.  “Ohhh . . . Ooohhh f**k me.  f**k me, big guy.”

Elroy’s hands gave her bouncing t**s a good squeeze.  He lifted his legs in a V stance and pumped his thighs harder and faster.  Jo leaned over his chest, screaming as she absorbed the brunt pounding he was giving her.  His hands cupped her buttock, squeezing her soft, warm flesh as she rode him in response.  Their tempo matched each other as did their arduous gasping.  Jo’s face was nothing but a grimace of lust; she gasped and screamed aloud her pleasure until he stopped and collapsed on top of him.      

They remained cuddled in each other’s arm for a while, making stuttered conversation as they struggled to catch their breath, laughing amid their breathing.  Charles assumed at first that the s*x was over, but he was wrong.  Jo wasn’t done.  She came off Elroy, once again knelt beside him and proceeded to suck his c**k.  Elroy forced her head down on him and went on brutalizing her mouth.  JoBeth continued sucking him even as He filled her mouth with spurts of semen.  Jo gulped his load while still planting her mouth on his d**k; she stroked his c**k with her hand to get more of his seed into her mouth.  c*m dribbled down her chin, yet she struggled to slurp as possible.  Elroy’s p***s remained turgid through it all as she jerked him until he grew limp.  Jo raised her head gushed with satisfaction as she then scooped splatters of c*m that had dripped down her chin and into her mouth it went.    

“Wanna have a taste, babe,” she said to Charles and smacked her lips playfully at him, laughing while she did.

Charles found a towel and brought it to her.  She used it to wipe the sweat and traces of c*m off her chin and torso, then turned to Elroy and cleaned his body with it.  

“That was fun,” Elroy said.

“You think.”  Jo finished wiping him then threw away the towel.  “You were amazing.  It’s been months since I had me a man like you in bed.”

“That’s because you’ve been playing with the wrong type of men,” he gestured at Charles.  “Like this one here.”

JoBeth looked at Charles and laughed recklessly.  Charles right away felt betrayed by that.  

“Don’t get upset about Charles.  Yeah, he can be a piece of s**t sometimes, but he’s my piece of s**t.  Besides, we’ve got ourselves a working type of relationship that suits us equally.”

“Ain’t my business what you both do,” said Elroy.  “As long as he ain’t f*****g you as long as I’m here.” 

“That you don’t have to worry about, babe.  Charles and I haven’t got anything involvement sexually.  Come to think of it, I doubt there’s any p***y in all of Cumberland itching to want to get f****d him,” she laughed uproariously at that, even Elroy joined her.

Charles felt hurt to hear her admit that because it was kind of true.  Aside from the kicks he got from Jo allowing him to watch her have s*x with whomever, theirs was essentially a non-s****l relationship.  As far as him getting any free p***y in Cumberland, that was something he categorized as a ‘Stop, No, and Don’t-Even-Think-About-It’ sort of thing.  His reputation in Cumberland preceded him like a wake.  His only other option was to pack up and relocate to some distant place where hopefully nobody knew him well enough.  

“I’ve gotta get my ass going,” said Elroy.  JoBeth stopped him when he attempted getting off the bed.  “Let’s leave it till weekend, babe.  I’ve got to be at the precinct early.”

“I know, but you don’t have to leave so f*****g soon.  I think I’m gonna need some more of that big c**k of yours.”

She flung a pillow at Charles, who was startled when it landed on him.

“The living room is yours for tonight,” she said to him.  “Go on and make yourself useful.”

Charles opened his mouth, wanting to voice a protest, but thought twice and clamped his trap shut.  He picked up the pillow and plodded out of the bedroom just as he had entered.

Charles heard something sizzling like something was roasting on a stake.  His nostrils twitched, and his tongue rolled subtly within his lips.  He huddled unconsciously in his sleep, and still there came the sizzling noise, this time it seemed to draw closer to his ears.  He heard other noise, but the distinct one that caught his attention sounded like something scraping against a metallic surface.  That was when his eyelids twitched as he inhaled more of the inviting smell; the smell enticed his stomach to emit an unmistakable groan.  His eyes came open and he raised his fist to his mouth and yawned.  He turned his head and everything appeared blurry at first before gradually coming into focus.  JoBeth stood before him in a tank top and panties, and a pair of fluffy slippers on her feet, carrying a frying pan and a spatula.  She was scrapping bits of scrambled eggs and slices of bacon into a plate on a coffee table in front of Charles.

“Wakey-wakey Charlie,” she went to the kitchen and returned with a porcelain cup filled with coffee, which she placed alongside his meal.  “Breakfast awaits you.  Better eat up before it gets cold.”

Charles sat upright, fully awake.  The pillow he had slept on fell to the floor, and he stretched his limbs and cracked another yawn before picking it up.  He had slept in his undershirt and briefs; his clothes were draped on the couch across from him.  He coughed once, then twice to clear the dryness in his throat.

“What time is it?” he asked.  His voice sounded groggy.

“A little past seven.”

He picked his cup and blew into it before sipping the coffee.  The hot sensation was the perfect antidote to soothe his throat.  The bedroom door stood open, and he could make out the unmade bed and nothing else. 

“Your guest still around?”

“You referring to Elroy?” Jo went to the window and drew back the curtains to let in sunlight.  Charles then realized that she was naked under her apron.  “He left hours ago.  Probably out there catching bad guys right now, or helping old ladies across the street.  Why do you ask?”

“Nothing really, just asking.”  He ate his breakfast and made time to drink some more coffee.  He could feel his strength returning to his body.  “How long have you and him known each other?”

Jo looked at him.  “Since when did we say it’s your business wanting to know who I spend time with and why?”

Charles sheepishly tried disarming the situation with a shrug.  “You’ve never played around with a black guy before, at least none I know of.  I want to know what changed you.”  

He said it like he was accusing her of cheating.  He forked some eggs and bacon into his mouth, and he paused for a moment, then suddenly began to cough aloud.  He beat his fist on his chest until whatever morsel of food lodged in his throat slipped down his gut. 

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.  I’m fine,”  his voice sounded raspy.  He hoicked phlegm in his throat and digested it back, massaging his throat while he spoke.  “I sure can use some water.”  

JoBeth went to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of water.  “Be a good boy and drink some of this and quit worrying about whatever men I spend my evenings with.  Quit trying to pretend like you’re my mother; God knows how bad I hate that b***h’s guts.”

Charles took the bottle of water and drank as much of it while Jo made for the bedroom.  Charles watched her buttock swish side to side before she then shut the door.  He stopped to read the label on the bottle of water.  Crystal Clear, it said.  Charles thought nothing about it as he drank from the bottle once more.