I deampt...

I dreampt I was young and slender again
young slender and still hot
with waist long thick thick hair
and eyes so brown they are almost black

I'm wearing a beat up old brown leather jacket
10 year old trim fitting jeans and a white razor back T
and well fitting comfortable boots

I am a thug
er rather
I am a descendant of street thugs
I am one of the 6th generation
of people that have migrated to this country
to have a better life.

I walk into the store close to closing
I bypass the owners holding court for their many admirers
I take the stairs and narrowly miss being caught by the cameras
Security rides the elevators and the maintenance lifts

I wander around the third floor
racks and racks of name brand coolness
designer clothes to appeal to men and women
with time on their hands and money to burn

I know only the hard core rider with money comes up here
and I’ve already seen the crowds around the likes of Paris Hilton
and Lindsay Lohan on the first floor

I stride past the racks of Hilfiger and Harley Davidson clothes
I disappear into the ladies washroom and use my knife to
slide open the lock on the door to the supply closet

I nestle into a niche
between the boxes of toilet paper and tampons
relocking the door from the inside
I hunker down for a wait

At 9 PM the store closes
I hear the security announcements
and the teams of radio operating security guards
roving back and forth across the floors
making sure no one is left behind

Security even comes into the Ladies to check
that no one is sitting on the john
with their feet pulled up
they are smug in their thoroughness

by 10 PM all is quiet and I exit the closet
and head for the office
I stretch out on the leather couch in the Owner's office
and go to sleep

I awaken at 4:30 to the sound of the alarm on my watch
and I slip behind the wall the into the hidden closet
that I'd helped the Owner design when we were kids
from behind the wall, thru a peephole
I watch the custodian clean the Owner's office
under the watchful eye of 2 gun toting security guards

When they are done and leave
I head back to the third floor Ladies
knowing that it's already been cleaned and I can
safely lock myself back in the closet
I hunker down again and go back to sleep

I wake again at 7:30
this time on my own
and step out of the closet
I stop and smile as I realize that at this time
there is no one in the store
not even the crack security team
there is just me
and the camera's

I wander through the rows of merchandise to the escalator
silent and waiting to move the day's patrons
I slide down the handrail to the second floor
and lengthen my stride as I head for the grand staircase
to take me to the main floor

I know the cameras are missing me
it's the computer program that one of the Owner's and I designed
it receives sensor signals from objects that move where they shouldn't
and how they shouldn't
but the isles and grand staircase aren't picked up
as they are too obvious
unless the person using them
is running or skulking

I walk down the grand staircase with confidence
and stride to the front door of the store
I spot 3 people walking by the front of the store
so I push open the double doors
bringing on the urgent sound of the alarms

I saunter along on the sidewalk
looking for all the world like one of a group of 4 people
headed home after a long night of partying
while police cars descend from all directions
to aid the crack security team
find the culprits
the thieves
the people trying to ruin the dynasty

Hours later I come back to the store
I enter with no problem
and climb the main staircase to the 2nd floor

There I spot Greg and Derek the Owners
holding court...

I grew up with these men
Greg - young lithe and muscular
the life of the party and the hard core brains
the moneymaker

Derek - older, quiet reserved,
bald and well built, muscular
wrap around shades and a white goatee
rarely speaks and when he does his voice is like gravel
the brawn

Greg and Derek have grown up to open this 4-story empire
it's a motorcycle shop the likes of this world has never seen
one large city block, 4 stories high
all chrome and shiny
miles of leather
and every kind of high-end part
a body could want on his ride

Greg has prided himself on having the highest paid
crack security team on the planet
he's made his money dime by dime
fighting every step of the way
and nobody is getting nothing for free

Derek sits on the sidelines and quietly watches
he understands what drives Greg
and he supports and upholds Greg's decisions
they have, after all, made him rich

they are celebrities now...
often surrounded by celebrities and paparazzi
They don't often have time for old school
for the thugs and family they once were

I wiggle thru the crowd surrounding them
and bring myself to the forefront
Camera’s flash as Greg turns to me

"Little Bit, what are you doing here?"
I shrug
"I ain't got time for games today girl....
I've got meetings with the board of directors
and Trump is coming by for lunch"

I glance over at Derek all tanned and strong
sitting slumped and unhappy
on the seat of a 2005 VRod...

"I suppose you don't have time either?" I ask
He just shakes his head no...as Greg answers
"he's after that ghost again...you know? the one in the news?
something sent the sensors and the cops
into a whirlwind at dawn again this morning"

he shakes his head as he turns away from me...

"that's the 25th day in a row...and them high dollar suits in security
can't figure out what the f....just what are we paying them for?"
he says, as he turns to walk away

Derek stands to join him

"I was in the store last night"
I say,as they continue to move away from me
Derek stops mid stride
and they both turn to look at me incredulously

"you what?" Greg says
as Derek growls..."L'il bit?"

"I was in the store last night" I repeat
"actually...I've been sleeping in your office for over 3 weeks"

silence broken only by the pop pop of camera flashes
"I popped the front doors open at 7:51 this morning when I left"

"come with me" Greg mutters as he grabs my arm
Derek moves to my other side
and they begin to escort me
out and away from the reporters

a smile begins to dawn on Derek's face
"it was you?" he growls
"who else?" I smile

and I awaken.