Hollywood. Murder. Dinner.

It was just after midnight. I still had some food stamps. Across Sunset I walked around the wholesale food warehouse and bought some chicken Alfredo and some fries. I had the groceries in my hand, walking toward two Mexicans out in the parking lot. They were standing in front of a long green car arguing in Spanish. I walked toward the gate. They were getting loud with each other. I watched them as I walked. One started chasing the other around the car and they both stopped on either side of the hood, throwing their hands up and screaming. Then one pulled out a gun and shot the other in the stomach. He fell straight over the hood without a sound and died. The other guy looked around. No cars stopped. A few women screamed in the distance behind me. No one came out of the warehouse. He pushed the body off the car and jumped in. He was coming up behind me. I walked a straight line. I wouldn’t look at him. He went around me full speed and jumped perfectly into the flow of traffic on Western. He had the light and he shot through. I still remember the number on his plates.

I waited to cross Sunset. Over in the parking lot people were gathering around the body. I got the light and walked. A group of tenants were at the corner looking across to the lot. They were talking fast. When I got close they nodded at me.

“What-happened, what-happened?”

“I don’t know.”

I rounded my corner, and the sirens were coming up Sunset. Back at the apartment I threw the chicken and fries in the oven and uncorked the bottle of wine with an inch left in the bottom. I downed it and sat in the living room. It had been horrible. What could be so important that a man had to die? Then I thought about it. Plenty. That guy could have raped the shooter’s daughter or fucked his wife or even killed someone he knew. Most likely the gunman was burned over drugs. And the neighborhood had something to talk about again. They wouldn’t give each other the time, otherwise. I grew bitter waiting for my food. Nature breaks down animals in the food chain and nature gave humans murder for their own eradication. I had a nice dinner.