Page 1 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

TRACK NO. 9: WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE — ACOUSTIC VERSION (BON JOVI)

CONFESSIONAL BOOTH

NO. 05: THE SICK FUCK

// FRANKIE; MARIANNA’S BROTHER - APRIL ’22 - BRINO’S BAR - UNION CITY, NJ //

“Yeah, I know Andrew Harding.

He found my sister, Marianna—sweetest soul in all of Union City.

Put his mouth on her, then dipped.

She ain’t pretty.

I get to say that, ‘cause I’m her brother.

Marianna’s got that face that makes people squint when lookin’ for a compliment—a round face with her chin meltin’ into her neck, flat-as-hell nose, hair always hangin’ depressed and limp. Hate to say ugly, so I’ll just say what it is: she’s no one’s type.

But she’s a sweetheart, and that’s her curse.

Thinks if she’s a good person, maybe some motherfucker’ll stay.

She buys mugs for her coworkers at the dentist’s office off Palisade that say you’re magic or brave is beautiful for no reason other than that’s how she is. Grabs you Starbucks on her way to see you—shit like that.

I warned her, too. Told her straight up, stay away from any guy givin’ you attention.

‘Cause they ain’t interested in Marianna. They’re interested in her kindness… money… a quick fuck if they’re desperate enough.

Then Andrew fuckin’ Harding strolls in. Next thing I know, she’s sittin’ in our kitchen, huggin’ a mug, starin’ at the wall, daydreamin’ about the kid comin’ back.

‘Frankie,’ she said, serious as hell, ‘he said I was sexy.’

Sexy. I choked on my pork roll—Taylor ham, if you’re one of those North-South Jersey debate types—spit half of it into the sink. ‘Sexy? Nah, Mare. You sure he wasn’t jokin’? He say that shit with a straight face?’

She goes, ‘He meant it.’

Dead serious, for an hour, she laid it all on me, talked nonstop, man. Kept sayin’ she’s gonna wait for him. Even if he don’t want her, she’s gonna try meetin’ people. Put herself out there ‘cause now she ain’t scared.

All I hear? More guys who’ll take and leave. More nights of her cryin’. More rejections. More of her gettin’ used.

That’s when I knew this guy seriously fucked with her head.

‘Cause once Marianna believes somethin’? She don’t let go. She’d make excuses for a hurricane if it said sorry. Could show her a video of a guy robbin’ a bodega and she’d be like, ‘But maybe he’s just tryin’ to feed his family.’

Her puttin’ herself out there? Shit’s dangerous for someone like her.

And this guy?

This legendary Andrew Harding?

Didn’t fuck her or ask for head.

Nah. Didn’t even try to get his dick wet.

Had to hear what happened through some girl from the block, ‘cause Mare sure as shit wasn’t tellin’ me. He went down on her for an hour, man. Some Make-A-Bitch-Come Foundation. An’ it ain’t only about him ghostin’ her or fillin’ her head with hope. It’s that part that don’t sit right with me. ‘Cause who in their right mind stays down there for an hour, then walks away?

You tellin’ me that’s normal? Nah.