Pimp (38 page)

This square world is a strange place for me. For the last five years I have tried hard, so hard, to solve its riddles, to fit in.

Catherine, my beautiful wife, is wonderful and courageous. She’s a perfect mother to our adorable two-year-old girl, and our sturdy, handsome three-year-old boy.

In this new world that isn’t really square at all, I have had many bitter experiences. I remember soon after my marriage how optimistic I was as I set out to apply for the sales jobs listed in the want ads.

I knew that I was a stellar salesman. After all, hadn’t I proved my gift for thirty years? The principles of selling are the same in both worlds. The white interviewers were impressed by my bearing and apparent facility with words. They sensed my knowledge of human nature.

But they couldn’t risk the possible effect that a Negro’s presence would have on the firm’s all white personnel. In disgust and anger, I would return home and sulk. Bitterly I would try to convince myself
to go back into the rackets. Catherine always said the right things and gave me her love and understanding.

There was another indispensable source of help and courage during these hard times. She’s a charming, brilliant woman. She had been a friend to my mother. She functioned as a kind of psychotherapist. She explained and pointed out to me the mental phases I was passing through. She gave me insight to fight the battle. To her I shall always be grateful.

The story of my life indicates that my close friends were few. Shortly before I started this book I met a man I respected. I thought he was a true friend. I was bitterly disillusioned to discover he wasn’t. I’m glad in a way it turned out the way it did. I’ve always come back stronger after a good kick in the ass.

I have had many interesting and even humorous experiences in this new life. They will have to wait for now. I see my little family is awake. I’ll have to light the heater. I can’t let them get up in the early morning chill.

How about it, an Iceberg with a warm heart?

APPLE, New York City

BANG, injection of narcotics

BEEF, criminal complaint

BELL, notoriety connected to one’s name

BILL, a hundred dollars

BIT, prison term

BITE, price

BLACK GUNION, powerful, thick, dark, gummy marijuana

BOO KOOS, plenty

BOOSTER, shoplifter

BOOT, Negro

BOSS, very good, excellent

BOTTOM WOMAN, pimp’s main woman, his foundation

BOY, heroin

BREAKING LUCK, a whore’s first trick of working day

BRIGHT, morning

BULL SCARE, blustering bluff

BUSTED, arrested and/or convicted

C, cocaine

CANNON, pickpocket

CAN, derriere

CAP, a small glycerin container for drugs

CAT, female sexual organ

CHILI PIMP, small-time one-whore pimp

CHIPPIED, light periodic use of heavy drugs

CHUMP CHANGE, just enough money for basic needs

CIRCUS LOVE, to run the gamut of the sexual perversions

COAST, somnolent nodding state of heroin addict

COCKTAILED, to put a marijuana butt into the end of a conventional cigarette for smoking

COME DOWN, return to normal state after drug use

COP AND BLOW, pimp theory, to get as many whores as leave him

COPPED, get or capture

CRACK WISE, usually applied to an underworld neophyte who spouts hip terminology to gain status

CROAK, kill

CROSSES, to trick or trap

CUT LOOSE, to refuse to help, to disdain

DAMPER, a place holding savings, a bank, safe deposit box, etc.; to stop or quell

DERBY, head, refers to oral copulation

DIRTY, in possession of incriminating evidence

DOG, older, hardened whore, or young sexual libertine

DOSSING, sleeping

DOWN, a pimp’s pressure on a whore, or his adherence to the rules of the pimp game; when a whore starts to work

FIX, to bribe so an illegal operation can go with impunity; also an injection of narcotics

FLAT-BACKER, a whore who gets paid for straight sexual intercourse

FREAK, sexual libertine

FRENCH, oral copulation

G, one thousand dollars

GANGSTER, marijuana

GEORGIAED, to be taken advantage of sexually without receiving money

GIRL, cocaine

GORILLA, to use physical force

GORILLA PIMP, no brains, all muscle

GRAND, one thousand dollars

H, heroin

HARD LEG, an older, street-hardened used-up whore

HEAT, police, or adverse street conditions for hustlers

HIDE, wallet

HOG, Cadillac

HOOKS, hands

HORNS, ears

HYPE, addict

JASPER, lesbian

JEFFING, low level con

JIB, mouth

KEISTER, derriere

KITE, note

KITTY, Cadillac

LARCENY, to turn against by vocal condemnation

LINES, money

LIP, lawyer

MACKING, pimping

MARK, victim; sucker

MITT MAN, a hustler who uses religion and prophecy to con his victims, usually the victims are women

MOP, hair

MUCKTY-MUCKS, a temptuous term applied to the rich and privileged by the poor and underprivileged

MURPHY, con game played on suckers looking for whores

NUT ROLL, a pretense at stupidity or unawareness

OKEE DOKE, a con game

OIL, pay-off money to the police

OUTFIT, hypodermic kit used by addicts

PACIFIER BULB, the rubber top of a baby’s pacifier used by addicts to draw up drugs through the eye dropper

PIECE, measurement of narcotics; usually an ounce

PIECE OF STUFF, one ounce of narcotics

PINNING, looking

POKE, wallet or bankroll

REEFER, marijuana

ROLLER, policeman, usually plain clothes

ROUST, stopped, harassed by police

SHAKE, extort

SHEET, police record

SHIELD, badge

SHIV, knife, usually made by convicts from various objects

SHORT, car

SIZZLE, narcotics carried on the person

SLAT, one usually refers to money or length of prison term

SLUM HUSTLER, a phony jewelry salesman

SMACK, heroin

SNATCH, female sexual organ

SNORT, sniff or inhale

SPADE, Negro

SPEED BALLS, a combination of heroin and cocaine injected

SPIC, Mexican

SPIELING, talking, a term used by older hustlers and pimps

SQUARE UP, get out of the life

STABLE, a group of whores belonging to one pimp

STALL, an accomplice of a cannon

STAND UP, to endure or survive

STASH, hiding place

STING, rob

STRIDES, trousers

STUFF ON, to play on or con

THREADS, clothes

THREE WAY, orally, rectally, vaginally

TO PULL COAT, to inform and teach

TURNED OUT, introduced to the fast life or drugs

UPTIGHT, in trouble, financial or otherwise

VIC, mark, victim

VINE, suit

WHALE, throw, usually applied to throwing dice

WIRE, information, message, etc.

YEASTING, to build up or exaggerate

YELLOW, a yellow capsule containing barbiturate powder

PRAT, to pretend rejection to increase desire

PEEL OFF, removal of only a portion of money from a wallet or roll