Street Race, part 1
Jun 28, 2022 21:36:38 GMT -5
Jet Somers and "Burned in Blood" Konrad Raab like this
Post by Vespertine on Jun 28, 2022 21:36:38 GMT -5
Place: Vespertine’s apartment, Nob Hill, San Francisco, Ca
Time: 11AM
“Scene 1: Getting the call and calling”
(Vespertine sits on the window seat ledge by the huge Bay window in her living room. The view is of down the street to Pier 39, the Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge to the left and Tiburon, the small town that is across the Bay. As she sits, she has in her hand a crumpled up piece of paper and is currently on her Droid Nextgen talking to someone on the other end.)
V: I don’t know. I agree it’s short notice. But it gives me a chance to prove that I still got it. Jayce, you don’t mind if I bring James do you? He’s my boyfriend?
(silence as the person on the other end of the talks to her)
V: Cool. I don’t think he has done this before so he’ll be sitting it out if he wants. I need my car pumped and primed for this so, can we meet there and while I look around for people, you be getting it ready?
(silence again)
V: Come on. What else do you have to do after midnight on a Saturday morning in the wee hours?
(silence)
V: I think they are holding it in Oakland this time. Wait! Before you interject. I know what you think about that crowd over there but I tell you, they are the big time over there. Come on, Jayce. We have to do this my sweet.
V: Thank you my sweet. I owe you one. I gotta go, I want to call James. Cool. Talk to you later.
(She pushes a button on the Droid. She then scrolls over on it, pushes another button, pushes speaker and it starts ringing. Then, James voice can be heard.)
James: Oi! Buenos tardes mi amor. Que pasa?
V: (in a coyish voice) Nada! Y tuuuuu?
James: Uh oh. I know that voice. What’s on your mind? Dime.
V: Well…. I’m not sure if you have done something like this but I got a flyer in front of me, right now. Tonight, starting at 11PM, over at Jack London Square, there is going to a “car show”, then a Sideshow. Then a winner take all match. Jayce is going to meet me there and get my car pumped up.
J: Wait! What? Wait wait wait. Are you talking about street racing? Is this legal or illegal?
V: James! What street racing is ever legal?
J: You street race? So wait… why are you telling me this?
V: I wanted to see if you wanted to come watch and cheer me on. If you aren’t scared, maybe ride with me.
(There is a long silence before….)
J: How long have you been doing this?
V: Long enough to know that a question like that can hurt me. Let’s just say that one year I was Winner Take All Winner. (pause) So are you in or are you out? I know I’m going. Deuce 40 is in town. I love a new ride and I think can take him this time.
J: You never cease to amaze me with what you do and what you know. (pause) I’m in. Do you want me to meet you there?
(She continues talking as she explains what is going to go down and what will happen.)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Place: Jack London Square entrance roundabout, Oakland Ca
Time: 12:30AM
“Scene 2: Gathering”
(At the empty lot across the street from Jack London Square there are many people there, many cars in the lot and loud music blares over the loudspeakers. A DJ plays his tunes on the recording table up on the stage. A black Ferrari drives up which is followed by a Green Cadillac. They pull into the lot, find parking spots and stop. Immediately everyone crowds around the two cars. The door to the Ferrari opens up and out steps Vespertine. From the Green Caddy, steps a latino man with two tattoo sleeves up both arms and his hair is too his waste and tied in a ponytail. He is dressed in jeans, red sneakers and a white T shirt. He has a red rag in his back pocket. This is Jayce. Vespertine’s mechanic. He gets out and a guy his size comes up and daps him.)
Man1: Hey, you working it tonight? Could you do my car?
Jayce: Sorry amigo. I’ve been bought and sold already. None other than the She Lion herself, Vespertine.
(Vespertine comes to stand beside Jayce)
Man: Ah Vesey, I didn’t think you were going to be here tonight. Don’t you have a match a few days from now.
(He hugs her)
V: Diego. Always a pleasure. Yeah, I have to be on the plane tomorrow afternoon for my match. I thought I would get some guilty pleasure in tonight, blow some steam off, hopefully do some winning.
(James appears from out of the crowd and comes to stand behind her and puts his arms around her. He wears black dockers, black dress shoes, a white dress shirt unbuttoned and a T shirt under it.)
J: So is this man bothering you mi amor?
(She turns around in his arms and squeals with delight)
V: James! You made it! Welcome to my second life. Oh, this is Jayce, my mechanic and the man who’s arms you saw around me is Diego, a fellow racer. (All three men dap hands and she finally looks him up and down) Wow! Did you just come from a party?
J: Look around. I can hear this a few blocks away. I figured I would dress up for this. But damn! I never knew this scene and these women look so good.
Jayce: Amigo. You ain’t seen nothing yet. Hey V, I’mma gonna get to work. Go find your prize.
(Diego disappears back into the crowd and Vespertine takes James hand and they walk arm in arm in and amongst the cars until she spots a black ’78 Dodge Charger with the Flames Decal coming out of the back.)
V: Now see. I have no idea why he would bring a car like this to a show like this. This is more a muscle car than anything else. This thing can’t go fast. Even with all the 170 horse power he got atop that engine mount block.
J: The hell! Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?
(A huge black man steps out of the crowd wearing all black, with a black preachers hat and a preacher’s collar.)
Man: What you looking at girl? This right here has won every race I’ve been in. It has never seen tail lights… except for yours.
V: You’re damn right you saw mine. You’re lucky I wasn’t in the taking mood that night otherwise your black beauty here would’ve been mine. Hey Deuce! (They hug) Can I ask, what in all the blue hells of Buddha are you doing in a preacher’s get up? Halloween ain’t for another 5 months yet.
Deuce: Dark and mysterious. Machine gun preacher. (she nods in approval)
V: Oh Deuce. This is James, my boy toy. He writes for the Oakland Tribune and works for the Bay Area Wrestling Federation as a trainer and sometimes wrestler.
Deuce: Sup? You got quite a star racer in this little girl. She’s a keeper. Did you know she took home Winner cups at the Winner Take All two years ago, two years running, came in 2nd place last year.
J: I thought I knew everything about her. Honestly I don’t.
(Another man walks up, a white guy in sport jersey. He daps Deuce and looks Vespertine up and down.)
Man: If I didn’t know you were a racer from Frisco, I’d say you were more eye candy than anything else what with that get up tonight. You ready to lose?
V: James, meet my rival, Don. Thinks he is the fastest thing on wheels. Never comes in first. Always clutches in the last stretch. But always somehow seems to find me and want a rematch. I give it willingly and the result is always the same: I win, he loses. That Silver Beamer in my garage. Was his. Is mine. Don, this is my boyfriend, James Rodriguez.
D: So, you went from Korean flavored in Sinjin to Mexican. Have your tastes changed?
V: I’ll save you the embarrassment of losing to me and agree to do a sideshow with you. Up on the 580 interchange. Unless whatever you brought, can’t handle it.
D: Let’s do this.
Duece: I’m in!
(He turns to another guy who is admiring his car and tells him it’s Sideshow time.)
Place: 580 interchange, Oakland, Ca
Time: After midnight
Date: Same
“Scene 3: Sideshow Time”
(Deuce’s black charger is followed by Vespertine’s black Ferrari and both of these are followed by a Yellow Mustang Corvaire. A few other cars, tricked out Hyandai’s, join them. Since there isn’t a lot of traffic this time of night, they stop their cars in the middle of the freeway. Then they start cutting wheelies and donuts and burning rubber and peeling out. James sits in the front seat and Jayce is in the back as they continue to go around in free floating circles. The traffic coming that direction on the freeway comes to a standstill as the traffic going the other direction does to.)
J: How long do you do this for? Ironically I have read about these shows in the paper. I never thought I would be attending one.
Jayce: Usually we do this until we get tired or the cops come. You read about the one that happened a few months ago during rush hour up here at 9AM in the morning?
J: Yeah. That was stupid. They stopped traffic dead and rush hour is already at a stand still on this interstate. (suddenly it clicks. He looks at Vespertine) Oh was that you?
Jayce No! That was me! We were bored and cops was busy elsewhere so we figured we could get away with it. They still haven’t found us yet.
V: You were also all over the six o clock news that day. (They chuckle and dap hands)
James: We are just going around in circles. This is fun for you? I can see why this is illegal.
Jayce: This isn’t even the main attraction. That comes later.
(As one all the cars suddenly stop in the middle of the freeway and one by one they peel out and go back to Jack London Square.)
Place: Telegraph Ave, Oakland, Ca
Time: 1:30AM
Date: Same
Background Music: Same
“Scene 4: Highlight of the night.”
(Vespertine and James and Deuce are leaning against the hood of his charger enjoying themselves with beers in hand as the music continues to pump from the loudspeakers and Deuce has a hot latina girl who is wearing a silver mini skirt and a silver bikini top with silver high heels, in his arm. James has his arms wrapped around Vespertine. The admirer to Deuce’s car comes up to him and whispers in his ear. Deuce looks taken aback.)
D: No shit! Really?
Man: Apparently, he figured this was the event of the season so he decided to make an appearance. Also, she’s here!
Deuce: Fuckin’ A! Are you serious? This shit is getting heavy!
V: What? Who’s here?
(Deuce scans the crowd and points to two people, the female is coming their direction.)
D: John Hopper, from Las Vegas, king of the Strip decided to make an appearance. He has won the last 4 years running. And the beauty coming up to us. Well she is Queen of Street Racing in her hometown of South Central. James, Vespertine, and my girl of course, allow me to introduce to you, Ava Maria.
(Ava Maria comes up wearing a tight one piece fly red mini skirt that barely covers anything and red high heels. Her and Deuce dap hands and he introduces Vespertine to her.)
Ava Maria: So this is Vespertine, the street champion of San Francisco. Meh, not much to look at.
(Deuce whistles and chuckles as does his partner. James raises an eyebrow. By this time, John Hopper sees them and comes over. Introductions are made again.)
V: Being from South Central, I see why I don’t seem much. But put your car up and that’s the last you’ll see of it.
Ava: Are you challenging me for my Quicksilver? She’s never seen tail lights EVER!
J: I have heard that phrase so many times tonight, it’s unbelieveable. Is there any other way of saying you are better than she is?
(They all look at him. He shrugs.)
V: Quicksilver huh? Well. Say goodbye to her because I’m taking her away from you. Let’s do this.
John Hopper: I’m in.
Deuce: Count me in. Winner take all?
(they all agree and all go to their cars to start them up. James rides shotgun again but Jayce stays back dancing with a few hotties. All three start up, get into position and a man with a flag stands in front of their cars. The rest of the crowd lines up to watch them.)
Man: This is the main event of the evening. You all know how this works. No cutting corners either. And this is all for the marbles so when there is a winner, winner goes home with a few more cars. ARE YOU READY?
(All four cars rev their engines. The man stands in the middle, raises the flag up high. Then quickly drops it and runs forward as the four cars peel out and go off down street. They drift into the corner and around the building and Vespertine cuts off Hopper and gets into pole position.)
(This is a rather long race, going through the streets and alleyways of Oakland. Vespertine stays in the front and she and John Hopper go back and forth for first. At a couple of times in the race, Ava marie cuts in front of both of them. But then she loses the position. They get on 680 and race around and between cars then get off a few exits later.)
(At the finish line at the entrance to Jack London Square, the race has finished and the next heat begins. But the announcer is currently announcing the winner.)
Announcer: In this winner takes all match, the winner of this heat is….. VESPERTINEEEEEEE!!!! She has her choice of opponent cars to pick from. Vespertine, which would you like?
Time: 11AM
Date: Saturday, June 26th, 2022
Outfit:
“Scene 1: Getting the call and calling”
(Vespertine sits on the window seat ledge by the huge Bay window in her living room. The view is of down the street to Pier 39, the Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge to the left and Tiburon, the small town that is across the Bay. As she sits, she has in her hand a crumpled up piece of paper and is currently on her Droid Nextgen talking to someone on the other end.)
V: I don’t know. I agree it’s short notice. But it gives me a chance to prove that I still got it. Jayce, you don’t mind if I bring James do you? He’s my boyfriend?
(silence as the person on the other end of the talks to her)
V: Cool. I don’t think he has done this before so he’ll be sitting it out if he wants. I need my car pumped and primed for this so, can we meet there and while I look around for people, you be getting it ready?
(silence again)
V: Come on. What else do you have to do after midnight on a Saturday morning in the wee hours?
(silence)
V: I think they are holding it in Oakland this time. Wait! Before you interject. I know what you think about that crowd over there but I tell you, they are the big time over there. Come on, Jayce. We have to do this my sweet.
(silence and then a smile grows)
(She pushes a button on the Droid. She then scrolls over on it, pushes another button, pushes speaker and it starts ringing. Then, James voice can be heard.)
James: Oi! Buenos tardes mi amor. Que pasa?
V: (in a coyish voice) Nada! Y tuuuuu?
James: Uh oh. I know that voice. What’s on your mind? Dime.
V: Well…. I’m not sure if you have done something like this but I got a flyer in front of me, right now. Tonight, starting at 11PM, over at Jack London Square, there is going to a “car show”, then a Sideshow. Then a winner take all match. Jayce is going to meet me there and get my car pumped up.
J: Wait! What? Wait wait wait. Are you talking about street racing? Is this legal or illegal?
V: James! What street racing is ever legal?
J: You street race? So wait… why are you telling me this?
V: I wanted to see if you wanted to come watch and cheer me on. If you aren’t scared, maybe ride with me.
(There is a long silence before….)
J: How long have you been doing this?
V: Long enough to know that a question like that can hurt me. Let’s just say that one year I was Winner Take All Winner. (pause) So are you in or are you out? I know I’m going. Deuce 40 is in town. I love a new ride and I think can take him this time.
J: You never cease to amaze me with what you do and what you know. (pause) I’m in. Do you want me to meet you there?
(She continues talking as she explains what is going to go down and what will happen.)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Place: Jack London Square entrance roundabout, Oakland Ca
Time: 12:30AM
Date: Saturday June 26th, 2022
Outfit:
“Scene 2: Gathering”
(At the empty lot across the street from Jack London Square there are many people there, many cars in the lot and loud music blares over the loudspeakers. A DJ plays his tunes on the recording table up on the stage. A black Ferrari drives up which is followed by a Green Cadillac. They pull into the lot, find parking spots and stop. Immediately everyone crowds around the two cars. The door to the Ferrari opens up and out steps Vespertine. From the Green Caddy, steps a latino man with two tattoo sleeves up both arms and his hair is too his waste and tied in a ponytail. He is dressed in jeans, red sneakers and a white T shirt. He has a red rag in his back pocket. This is Jayce. Vespertine’s mechanic. He gets out and a guy his size comes up and daps him.)
Man1: Hey, you working it tonight? Could you do my car?
Jayce: Sorry amigo. I’ve been bought and sold already. None other than the She Lion herself, Vespertine.
(Vespertine comes to stand beside Jayce)
Man: Ah Vesey, I didn’t think you were going to be here tonight. Don’t you have a match a few days from now.
(He hugs her)
V: Diego. Always a pleasure. Yeah, I have to be on the plane tomorrow afternoon for my match. I thought I would get some guilty pleasure in tonight, blow some steam off, hopefully do some winning.
(James appears from out of the crowd and comes to stand behind her and puts his arms around her. He wears black dockers, black dress shoes, a white dress shirt unbuttoned and a T shirt under it.)
J: So is this man bothering you mi amor?
(She turns around in his arms and squeals with delight)
V: James! You made it! Welcome to my second life. Oh, this is Jayce, my mechanic and the man who’s arms you saw around me is Diego, a fellow racer. (All three men dap hands and she finally looks him up and down) Wow! Did you just come from a party?
J: Look around. I can hear this a few blocks away. I figured I would dress up for this. But damn! I never knew this scene and these women look so good.
Jayce: Amigo. You ain’t seen nothing yet. Hey V, I’mma gonna get to work. Go find your prize.
(Diego disappears back into the crowd and Vespertine takes James hand and they walk arm in arm in and amongst the cars until she spots a black ’78 Dodge Charger with the Flames Decal coming out of the back.)
V: Now see. I have no idea why he would bring a car like this to a show like this. This is more a muscle car than anything else. This thing can’t go fast. Even with all the 170 horse power he got atop that engine mount block.
J: The hell! Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?
(A huge black man steps out of the crowd wearing all black, with a black preachers hat and a preacher’s collar.)
Man: What you looking at girl? This right here has won every race I’ve been in. It has never seen tail lights… except for yours.
V: You’re damn right you saw mine. You’re lucky I wasn’t in the taking mood that night otherwise your black beauty here would’ve been mine. Hey Deuce! (They hug) Can I ask, what in all the blue hells of Buddha are you doing in a preacher’s get up? Halloween ain’t for another 5 months yet.
Deuce: Dark and mysterious. Machine gun preacher. (she nods in approval)
V: Oh Deuce. This is James, my boy toy. He writes for the Oakland Tribune and works for the Bay Area Wrestling Federation as a trainer and sometimes wrestler.
Deuce: Sup? You got quite a star racer in this little girl. She’s a keeper. Did you know she took home Winner cups at the Winner Take All two years ago, two years running, came in 2nd place last year.
J: I thought I knew everything about her. Honestly I don’t.
(Another man walks up, a white guy in sport jersey. He daps Deuce and looks Vespertine up and down.)
Man: If I didn’t know you were a racer from Frisco, I’d say you were more eye candy than anything else what with that get up tonight. You ready to lose?
V: James, meet my rival, Don. Thinks he is the fastest thing on wheels. Never comes in first. Always clutches in the last stretch. But always somehow seems to find me and want a rematch. I give it willingly and the result is always the same: I win, he loses. That Silver Beamer in my garage. Was his. Is mine. Don, this is my boyfriend, James Rodriguez.
D: So, you went from Korean flavored in Sinjin to Mexican. Have your tastes changed?
V: I’ll save you the embarrassment of losing to me and agree to do a sideshow with you. Up on the 580 interchange. Unless whatever you brought, can’t handle it.
D: Let’s do this.
Duece: I’m in!
(He turns to another guy who is admiring his car and tells him it’s Sideshow time.)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Time: After midnight
Date: Same
Outfit: (not her but what she is wearing)
(Deuce’s black charger is followed by Vespertine’s black Ferrari and both of these are followed by a Yellow Mustang Corvaire. A few other cars, tricked out Hyandai’s, join them. Since there isn’t a lot of traffic this time of night, they stop their cars in the middle of the freeway. Then they start cutting wheelies and donuts and burning rubber and peeling out. James sits in the front seat and Jayce is in the back as they continue to go around in free floating circles. The traffic coming that direction on the freeway comes to a standstill as the traffic going the other direction does to.)
J: How long do you do this for? Ironically I have read about these shows in the paper. I never thought I would be attending one.
Jayce: Usually we do this until we get tired or the cops come. You read about the one that happened a few months ago during rush hour up here at 9AM in the morning?
J: Yeah. That was stupid. They stopped traffic dead and rush hour is already at a stand still on this interstate. (suddenly it clicks. He looks at Vespertine) Oh was that you?
Jayce No! That was me! We were bored and cops was busy elsewhere so we figured we could get away with it. They still haven’t found us yet.
V: You were also all over the six o clock news that day. (They chuckle and dap hands)
James: We are just going around in circles. This is fun for you? I can see why this is illegal.
Jayce: This isn’t even the main attraction. That comes later.
(As one all the cars suddenly stop in the middle of the freeway and one by one they peel out and go back to Jack London Square.)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Time: 1:30AM
Date: Same
Background Music: Same
“Scene 4: Highlight of the night.”
(Vespertine and James and Deuce are leaning against the hood of his charger enjoying themselves with beers in hand as the music continues to pump from the loudspeakers and Deuce has a hot latina girl who is wearing a silver mini skirt and a silver bikini top with silver high heels, in his arm. James has his arms wrapped around Vespertine. The admirer to Deuce’s car comes up to him and whispers in his ear. Deuce looks taken aback.)
D: No shit! Really?
Man: Apparently, he figured this was the event of the season so he decided to make an appearance. Also, she’s here!
Deuce: Fuckin’ A! Are you serious? This shit is getting heavy!
V: What? Who’s here?
(Deuce scans the crowd and points to two people, the female is coming their direction.)
D: John Hopper, from Las Vegas, king of the Strip decided to make an appearance. He has won the last 4 years running. And the beauty coming up to us. Well she is Queen of Street Racing in her hometown of South Central. James, Vespertine, and my girl of course, allow me to introduce to you, Ava Maria.
(Ava Maria comes up wearing a tight one piece fly red mini skirt that barely covers anything and red high heels. Her and Deuce dap hands and he introduces Vespertine to her.)
Ava Maria: So this is Vespertine, the street champion of San Francisco. Meh, not much to look at.
(Deuce whistles and chuckles as does his partner. James raises an eyebrow. By this time, John Hopper sees them and comes over. Introductions are made again.)
V: Being from South Central, I see why I don’t seem much. But put your car up and that’s the last you’ll see of it.
Ava: Are you challenging me for my Quicksilver? She’s never seen tail lights EVER!
J: I have heard that phrase so many times tonight, it’s unbelieveable. Is there any other way of saying you are better than she is?
(They all look at him. He shrugs.)
V: Quicksilver huh? Well. Say goodbye to her because I’m taking her away from you. Let’s do this.
John Hopper: I’m in.
Deuce: Count me in. Winner take all?
(they all agree and all go to their cars to start them up. James rides shotgun again but Jayce stays back dancing with a few hotties. All three start up, get into position and a man with a flag stands in front of their cars. The rest of the crowd lines up to watch them.)
Man: This is the main event of the evening. You all know how this works. No cutting corners either. And this is all for the marbles so when there is a winner, winner goes home with a few more cars. ARE YOU READY?
(All four cars rev their engines. The man stands in the middle, raises the flag up high. Then quickly drops it and runs forward as the four cars peel out and go off down street. They drift into the corner and around the building and Vespertine cuts off Hopper and gets into pole position.)
(This is a rather long race, going through the streets and alleyways of Oakland. Vespertine stays in the front and she and John Hopper go back and forth for first. At a couple of times in the race, Ava marie cuts in front of both of them. But then she loses the position. They get on 680 and race around and between cars then get off a few exits later.)
(At the finish line at the entrance to Jack London Square, the race has finished and the next heat begins. But the announcer is currently announcing the winner.)
Announcer: In this winner takes all match, the winner of this heat is….. VESPERTINEEEEEEE!!!! She has her choice of opponent cars to pick from. Vespertine, which would you like?
V: Thank you Jean, I’ll take the….
(TBC...)