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I met Bonnie through my buddy Clarence Claymore. I was just droppin’ by a friend’s place over on 105 Herbert Street—ain’t no need to say where. I was twenty, January fifth, cold air bitin’ hard outside. Felt real nice to be let in that night.
Didn’t take long till I laid eyes on her—strawberry blonde, sippin’ hot chocolate, which, hell, is my favorite. “Can I get a cup too?” I asked, kinda impressed. She made me one, and we talked dreams and all sorts. She kept plenty to herself, but I get why now. Sweet, funny, cute as a button… she stole my heart, plain and simple.
Soon enough, we were like two peas in a pod. A month later, I’m sleepin’ on the Parker family couch, mindin’ my own business, when there’s bangin' at the door. Cops burst in, no knockin’ or nothin’. Bonnie had no idea I was a wanted man.
She started hollerin’ as they hauled me off for car theft. Can’t blame her—seein' the guy you’re sweet on gettin’ dragged away. Guess we both held onto a few secrets at the start.
I remember the worry on her face, clear as day. Made me wonder what all she’d been through, but that thought went quick. They cuffed me and tossed me in the back of the car. Last thing I saw was her mama yellin’ about datin' a criminal, sayin’ somethin’ ’bout Bonnie bein’ married. Married? Ain't seen any husband around. What was Mrs. Parker goin' on about? I barely had time to think it before they took me away from her.
Court stuff’s a snooze, so I’ll skip it. Been there before. My first arrest was at seventeen, but I’ve been dealin’ with the law since I was eight. Jail’s rough and dull, sittin’ in a cage all day.
So, I started writin’ Bonnie letters, and she wrote back—sappy love stuff. I called myself “Daddy,” she was “Baby.” Told her to sit tight and wait, and quit talkin’ about killin' herself. Maybe I looked foolish, but who gives a damn? I loved her.
Every night, I dreamed about her. Then one day, she shows up, sayin’ she’s fixin’ to bust me out. My own guardian angel, heels clickin’ on the floor like she’s heaven-sent, and with a gun tucked under her dress, thanks to her little sis, Billie. Only Bonnie could pull her little sister through hell and back
Hold on, I’m rushin' into this. Truth is, Bonnie wasn’t exactly a little angel, not like the papers would have you believe. And what we had, well, it ain’t some Hollywood romance in those picture shows or a musical they put on Broadway. Nah, we didn’t have the rose-colored glasses and happy endings. What we had was somethin' rough, messy, and more real than anythin' you’d see on a screen.
Bonnie was sweet, don’t get me wrong, but she was also somethin’ fierce. She had grit that went beyond the usual. If you think she just up and decided to be my angel savior outta the kindness of her heart, you’d be missin' the story. It was a little more complicated than that.
See, while I was sittin' behind bars, I got to know a fella who knew his way around a plan or two. You spend enough time in jail, you get to talkin’, and ideas start circulatin’. A couple prison buddies and I worked out this little scheme. Nothin’ fancy, but just enough to get me back in the world. Bonnie didn’t dream this whole thing up herself; she had a bit of help from us inside.
After a few quiet arrangements were made, Bonnie pulled through on her end. She snuck in what I needed, and a few days later, I was walkin’ free. Ain’t gonna lie, the whole thing felt like a miracle. But it wasn’t. It was hard work, takin’ risks, and gettin' lucky all in one go.
Soon enough, me and the boys were back at it—spinnin’ tires, tearing up the back roads, and pullin’ all sorts of stunts. Felt like those jail bars hadn’t even touched me. We were laughin' like we owned the world, like there wasn’t anythin' ahead but the open road.
Then there was that trip with Raymond Hamilton—same ol’ trouble: fast rides, quick stops, never stayin' anywhere too long. We had some good runs, thinkin' we were untouchable, like the law couldn't catch up.
But then came Ohio. Everything caught up with us there, fast as lightning. They were on us hard, and let me tell ya, we weren't laughin' much after that.