Pretty Boys Part 2

 

Smart people in the world know that to whom much is given a great deal is expected. In today’s society the sentiment would be translated as, “Nothing in life is free, there is always a price to be paid….”

I previously wrote about my two male cousins who were besieged by male admires offering them all sorts of gifts and trinkets just because they were enamored with them.

Initially when the shenanigans were revealed everyone in the family was left with the perception that they were randomly being harassed by lascivious characters who harbored lewd conduct in their minds.

However, as the tale unraveled it was soon exposed that my cousins were accepting exorbitant gifts from male admirers because they misrepresented themselves as generous friends just wanting to be helpful with no strings attached.

Many moons ago, I thought something was a bit strange because one day one of my cousins offered me to go shopping; when I asked where he was going shopping he told me Madison Avenue for jeans.

I like a good, expensive shopping spree like anyone else but the fact of the matter was even though I had two very good, well paying jobs, I could not fathom paying $250 and upwards for jeans that looked like they had experienced World War III.

I wondered how he could have afforded such pricey jeans since he had just finished school and had been job hunting. I shrugged it off thinking that my adoptive grandfather had given him a windfall since he did have a special place for him in his heart.

But, as time progressed, the family soon found out the expensive shopping sprees of Rolex watches, upscale designer clothing and top of the line cars, and expensive jewelry were all compliments of ardent male admirers.

Things became unmanageable when the motive behind their generosity was unveiled. You see, these individuals were being generous in the hopes that my cousins would eventually fall for them throwing caution to the wind.

When that did not happen, the clandestine agendas were slowly revealed and it turned into hells bells and bacchanal. My cousins love women and when they took the gifts and resumed their normal lives with their girlfriends, their admirers were not very happy.

They felt, if they were not going to bat for their team on their own accord then they would have to take matters in their own hands and that is precisely what they did. One admirer in particular joined forces with the others and set one of my cousins up for an ordeal he would not forget.

One night while he was working late, a person entered his building posing as an electrician. At first, he really did not think anything of it, until when he looked up from his desk, he saw eight burly men enter the front office in the direction of his work space.

Before he could respond or take action, they gagged him, covered his head, bound his legs and put him in a van which was waiting outside. From there they took him to an undisclosed location where they each had their way with him…Currently, he is still missing.

The whole ordeal has been kept quiet because my family is very private and they know that if they go public, there will be many crackpots coming out of the woodwork for monetary reasons.

Due to my spiritual nature, I have been able to put two and two together, figuring out the reasons for my family’s somber mood since I returned from Florida. My cousin has been missing for quite a while and everyone pretends not to know anything because it is all part of a big cover-up.

Many critics will say that it all boils down to chasing glitter thinking it is gold or knowing when to say, “Thanks, but no thanks”, especially if the circumstances seem too good to be true.

Yet, I recalled a time in my young teenage years when I became the obsession of a suitor and I almost had a harrowing tale to tell.

I was barely fourteen, and it was my first summer living on Long Island. During the days when my parents went to work I was left with my granny in the house. On most days my best friend at the time would come over and we would plan activities to engage in.

On one particular day when we had gone to a pool party I met this boy who was about five years older than I was. From the inception, he was taken with me and refused to take no for an answer.

It turned out that he only lived blocks away from me, and he made it a point to let me know he was very minted. From the day I met him, he followed me everywhere. There was no place that my friend and I could go to that he would not show up.

My instincts told me he was creepy but my friend kept saying, “Oh, he is harmless, give him a chance…”

I knew my situation better than anyone else. My adoptive parents were not on board with me having boy friends because they felt books and romance do not mix. They much preferred I waited until I was in my thirties to date.

Despite my better judgment I gave him a chance and we began hanging out as a group. Then he started with the presents. He had given me a gold necklace of which I took home and showed to my adoptive mother and she quickly alerted my adoptive father.

My adoptive father then told me, “Do not take gifts from men because they are always going to want something in return and you may not be willing to pay their price!!!” At which point he commanded me to call the boy, inviting him to the house.

Once he was there I had to give him back the gifts and he was told never to present himself to me or their doorway again. At that age I thought my adoptive father was being rather harsh and cruel but I soon found out he was on point.

The young lad who had been running around in Ferraris and Lamborghinis turned out to be the son of a Colombian drug lord. Perhaps if I had continued associating with him who knows what would have happened to me.

The lesson I learned did not only serve me well in that particular situation but throughout my life. Therefore, when I meet people, especially men and they are overtly generous I let them know from the beginning that if they want to be kind that is fine, but they are doing so on their own accord.

I also inform them that what ever level of friendship we are cultivating that is all I am capable of. I do my best to refuse their gifts and even when they are insistent I am blunt about what they can expect from me in return and that usually is NOTHING.  Especially if they are being kind hoping to get to Base 1, 2 and 3.

Don’t get me wrong…If I am friends with a male and he gives me gifts for an occasion, I reciprocate by giving back a nice gift. But, if it is a strange male figure who is trying to get acquainted and he is inundating me with gifts without even knowing me then my creep radar is activated and I immediately put him on notice letting him know whatever he is selling I am not buying.

My adoptive father taught me many years ago if you take something for nothing don’t be surprised when the Cucci Mafia comes knocking down your door looking for payback for all the goodies given to you.

The situation which occurred with my cousin was tragic and should not have happened regardless of his lack of proper judgment. There are some people who are natural born predators and they will suck you in with their honey coated kindness and thoughtfulness only to set you up for a devastating downfall.

If you are naïve like I am at times you will fall into their horrific web of lies and diabolic clutches. Before you know it, you are beholden to them due to no fault of your own except the fact that you should have just said NO to all the kindness and gift giving.

My adoptive parents taught me to be the girl who was different. The girl who did not get excited when every Tom, Dick or Harry dangled a carrot. For my peers that translated as being weird. For me, it meant living above impropriety.

Many of my critics laugh at me because they felt my life culminates to me being Mona Lisa where many offers were brought to my doorstep and I spurned them all. The thing is, the opulent offers I received were all riddled with terms and conditions I could not adhere to.

One thing I know for sure in life is this…. When people have invested greatly in you and they do not receive the dividends they expect, what do you suppose they will do…?

Let’s just say, there are some who will kill, maim and harass to get their points across.

Cucci/Coochie Mafia- Nethers or bits seekers