“Well, well, well,” said a voice behind me.
I had been pacing back and forth across the cross section of 23rd Street and 8th Avenue, in front of GAP, wondering if DJ was trying to set me up to be stood up. It’s something I would do, so I figured anyone was capable of it. Fortunately, everyone isn’t as much of a bastard as I am, and I turned to find her walking up to me, donning a silky black camisole and blue jeans under one of her infamous black leather jackets. “You’re early,” I smirked after glancing at the clock on Chase Bank behind her. “You had another 4 seconds.”
“One thing I learned in college is that ‘To be early is to be on time,’” she smiled. “Look at you getting all dressed up for me.”
I suppose I should take that as sarcasm. I wasn’t dressed up at all “ just jeans, a red and gray shirt and a dark gray jacket. “Likewise,” I winked. “So where are we headed?”
“Well, I thought I’d let you pick, just to see what you’d come up with.”
“Typical. Ask me out and then make me do all the work. I bet you’re even gonna make me pay, aren’t you?”
“No, you cheap little bitch,” she laughed, heading into the direction of the Chelsea Hotel. “There’s just about a million restaurants over here that I’m sure are your speed, and the last thing I need is for you to be actin’ all crazy if we go somewhere that you don’t like. This way, if you don’t like it, you can only blame yourself.”
Smart. “Well I’ll still find some way to blame you for it.”
“Oh, I know you’d try,” she grinned, pointing to the numerous options at our disposal. “Pick a place “ anyplace.”
“Come on, don’t make me do all the work.”
“Just pick the first thing that catches your eye.”
I scanned the calm streets, not really seeing anything that seemed especially intriguing. The only place I recognized was BBQ’s, and that wasn’t really a date-type-thing atmosphere. “How about there?” I asked, pointing to a quaint little joint on the corner of 23rd and 7th Avenue.
She looked back and forth between me and the restaurant, seemingly titled Taboo. “There?”
“Yeah. Or is that not cool enough for you?”
“No, that’s perfect,” she replied.
She casually walked inside, not bothering to wait for me to join her. I think that’s one thing I like about her. She’s on her own agenda and she doesn’t wait for anyone else to follow it. Wait, did I just say I liked her? Following her lead and waiting at the host stand with her, I decided that I don’t. But I do.
“What kind of food do you think they serve here?” she asked casually.
“Probably the average American grill shit,” I absently answered, scanning the big chalkboard menu in front of us. “Good Lord, this place is pricey.”
“Well then you better eat light, ‘cause I’m not paying for your shit if it’s over fifty bucks.”
I bet this is a cruel joke. I just bet she’s only gonna pay for her half of the meal and then try to leave me here washing fuckin’ dishes. “I got you,” I smirked. “Now if only we could get some fuckin’ seats,” I added loudly. Satisfaction came over me when a few stares were directed at us.
“I’m sorry, sir,” a hot little blonde dressed in black interrupted. “We can seat you now.”
“Thank you,” DJ injected politely.
“Smoking or non-smoking?”
“Whatever is less crowded,” I answered. “I came to eat dinner with her “ not a bunch of strangers.”
“Yes sir,” the blonde said timidly. “Right this way.”
She led us through a bevy of occupied tables before we were seated towards the back of the restaurant where the bustle of the kitchen was sure to interrupt whatever conversation we might choose to have. “Oh, this is just perfect,” I said sarcastically.
“We’re just gonna eat,” DJ smiled. “We’re not living here.”
Fuck, she’s right again. “Eh,” I mumbled, kicking her chair out for her, just before taking my own seat. We scanned the menu for what seemed like hours before finally ordering anything that made sense. She chose crab cakes and I ordered the seafood chowder. “This is why you pick a place when you ask someone out.”
“Quit complaining. It’s not like this is a formal date. If you don’t like it, we’ll go.”
“Well I’ll be damned,” I chuckled.
“Your attitude certainly has changed from this morning,” she commented.
“Well so has yours.”
“No, not really. I’m always cool.”
“That wasn’t the case last night.”
“Yeah, well when you pull your Jekyll and Hyde act, then I have permission to do the same.”
“What are you talking”“
“And what was up with you last night, anyway?” she interrupted. “Using that tired ass ‘Hey baby, why don’t I go home with you?’ she scoffed after trying to imitate me “ emphasis on try.
“Very funny. What about you and your crazy ass outburst in the middle of the goddamn street? You were on the verge of waking up every motherfucker in Brooklyn!”
“You really ought to make it out to Brooklyn more often. We’re not as tame as we look.”
“Well you were still too damn loud.”
“Like you always are?” she laughed, slightly kicking at my shoe.
“Hey, keep those big ass feet off of me.”
“Oh, sorry. I know that qualifies as touching you,” she replied, kicking me again. “And my feet are not big, motherfucker.”
“They’re too big to be kicking me, Dawn. Grow up.”
“My name is DJ,” she whined, sticking out her tongue at me.
“Do you ever act like the 30-year-old that you are?” She tried to kick me again, but I knew it was coming so I moved my foot to allow her to kick the table.
“You little bitch! I’m twenty-eight. Don’t be tryin’ to make me old.”
“If the shoe fits…”
“You’re such an ass,” she giggled
“And yet, you’re still here.”
“Well I guess I just have an affinity for assholes that treat me like shit,” she said, playfully rolling her eyes “ at least, I think it was playful.
“Damn, I’m not the first?”
“Oh, I have a long, storied history with your kind.”
“Is that so?”
“That is so.” Her eyes darted around the small, dimly lit, but crowded restaurant. “But that’s not important. Anyway”“
“Anyway, what?”
“Anyway, I gotta “ uh “ man, I gotta pee,” she said, rushing out of her seat.
“Well find some class while you’re in there,” I called back to her. Damn, it’s called using the restroom. While she took her precious time to relieve herself, our respective orders finally arrived, bearing portions similar to that of a child’s meal. “What is this?” I asked before the waiter could escape.
“Did you not order the chowder?” he asked.
“Yeah, but I believe the menu price for it was $22.95, so you’re missing about half a bowl.”
“Well I’m sorry sir, but this is the standard portion.”
“Yeah, you are sorry,” I told him.
At that point, DJ came back to the table in her usual manner of wanting to fix everything. “What’s your problem, Justin?”
“The problem is that I ordered twenty-five bucks worth of seafood chowder and they gave me about twelve.”
“It’s okay, I’ll handle it,” she said to the big lanky waiter. Sitting back in her seat, she glared at me. “Why do you make everything so difficult?”
“Look at this!” I said, pointing to the bowl. “I’m not paying to get half a bowl of soup!”
“Justin, you’re not paying at all! So calm the fuck down.”
“It’s the principle of it all.”
“Yo, what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?”
“In terms of what?”
“In terms of anything.”
“I dunno.”
An evil grin spread across her little round face and her eyes cut between her left and right. “Are you up for a little bit of fun?”
“I don’t think so,” I answered nervously. What is she up to?
“Come on.”
“What are you thinking, Dawn?”
“Well you don’t like your food, and to be totally honest, I’m not too much feeling this place”“
“And?”
“And so, let’s bounce.”
“Okay,” I said, raising my hand to signal the waiter.
“No,” she hissed, slapping my hand back to the table. “Let’s bounce. And that’s it.”
“DJ, we have to pay for our food.”
“No we don’t. We didn’t eat it.”
“That’s illegal.”
“Oh come on, man. You’d rather sit here all night and yell at the staff? Be spontaneous! Let’s just go.”
I looked around at all the other seemingly satisfied customers, minding their legal business. “DJ, this is insane.”
“Well, we can stay if you want “ I’ll pay for it, but I’m not taking you to McDonald’s afterwards if you don’t eat now.”
“Are you gonna eat?”
“Justin, you’re making this too difficult. I’m gonna go to the bathroom again, and then I want you to walk out and wait for me at the Starbucks on the corner.”
“You’re trying to get me arrested, aren’t you?”
“Stop being stupid. When I go to the bathroom, I want you to leave, all right?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
She winked before rising from her seat and heading briskly to the restroom. I did as instructed and moved towards the door, trying my best to remain incognito. Casually, I walked down the narrow sidewalk, headed for the place that started this all “ Starbucks, of course. It was a different location, but they all had the same galvanizing effect. Oddly enough, I don’t even think it’s the caffeine that does it. The place just has that hustle-and-bustle atmosphere.
And speaking of hustling, after absentmindedly hearing the approach of heels pounding the sidewalk, I found myself being whisked from the entrance to the coffee shop, and instead, thrown into the chaos of a crosswalk.
Just when I thought I’d been picked up by the police, Dawn’s tall, slim frame appeared at my side. “What the fuck are you doing?” I asked, almost jogging to keep up with her frantic pace.
“I’m getting us out of sight,” she replied, jaw clenched. “Damn, why don’t you just walk slower?”
More sarcasm. “May I ask why we’re running across the street?”
“Didn’t you hear me the first time? Or do you wanna get caught?”
“Well sorry, but I’ve never committed a fucking crime before. Forgive me if I’m not aware of how all this shit is supposed to operate.”
“Stick with me and I’ll have you a bona fide criminal in no time,” she laughed, finally slowing down. “Man, my feet are killin’ me.”
“Heh, that’s what you get for tryin’ to be cute.”
“Fuck you. I don’t have to try.”
“Yeah, you’re right. There’s no use for you, sweetheart.”
“Yo, you’re breakin’ my haht, here,” she mocked me, smiling wildly. “So it’s,” she paused to check my watch, “9:44, and we still haven’t eaten. What do you wanna do?”
Something tells me that this is another one of those nights that I won’t be getting home until 3AM. “We could try another restaurant “ maybe uptown.”
“Eh.”
“Eh?” I asked. “Well what does Queen Dawn want?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, exaggeratedly rubbing at her stomach. “But at this point, I’m about ready to go for that Mickey Dees deal.”
“Some date you turned out to be.”
“I’ve got it!
“Got what?”
“When’s the last time you were in Harlem?”
Harlem? Are white people even allowed on 125th Street? Last time I checked, my name wasn’t Bill Clinton. “Never. Are you kidding me?”
“Well then we’re both in for a treat.” She grabbed my arm, against my will, and directed me into the train station that would eventually lead me to a realm that I never gave consideration to existing, much less being a part of.
+++++
You’re here, I’m pleased
I really dig your company
Sylvia’s was a popular soul food joint located in the center of Harlem, and apparently, DJ thought that I needed to pay her a visit. I have to admit that I was skeptical at first. The only fried chicken I’ve eaten is ‘Kitchen Fresh,’ and collard greens and cornbread were only known to me in movies like ‘The Color Purple.’ Not only that, but hot sauce has never been my condiment of choice “ until now. After DJ proceeded to sprinkle it on every food item on my plate, and force me to taste it, I was hooked. I know why they call it soul food “ that shit gives your soul a makeover. I’m officially coming to this restaurant every fuckin’ week.
“I take it you enjoyed your meal?” DJ asked, devouring a slice of sweet potato pie.
I leaned back to loosen my belt a little. “Thoroughly.”
“See? All you have to do is trust me “ I’ll never lead you wrong.”
Your style, your smile, your peace mentality
Lord, have mercy on me
“Yeah, I guess you’re right again.”
“I always am,” she grinned.
“And that’s gonna be why I’ll never love you.” This time, it was my turn to stick my tongue out at her.
“No, you’ll never love me because you’re scared to.”
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me? What is there to be scared of about you?”
“I didn’t say you were scared of me,” she smiled. “I said you were scared to love me.”
“That’s ri”“
“It’s not ridiculous. You’re scared to love me because you don’t want to find out that you have a heart somewhere in there “ that can be broken. You wanna be invincible - scared to even be vulnerable. You’re scared to find out that you’re not as much of an asshole as you’ve led yourself to believe all this time.”
“Thanks for the psychoanalysis, Dr. Phil. But none of that is true because I’m not scared. I have no reason to be.”
“It’s okay to have a flaw, you know. If I were to be totally honest, I’d say that you’re my weakness, too.”
“Dawn, what are you talking about?”
“Your mother left you and it hurt. Pain isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Justin.”
“All right, Dawn, it’s now time for you to officially shut the fuck up.”
“Typical,” she mumbled. “You ready to go?”
“Look, I don’t want to skip out on anymore checks, all right? If you don’t want to, then I’ll pay for it.”
She looked at me in bafflement at first, finally catching my drift. “Shut up. I was planning on paying this time.”
We laughed in unison at our antics before she began to stare at me curiously. “What?” I asked.
“Nothing. I just “ I know I said it before, but you have an amazing smile.”
I continued to grin at her, not even knowing why. She just makes me want to smile, I guess. “Thanks.”
I was blind, now I can see
What a queen’s supposed to be
“So are you taking me home again, or was that a one time deal?”
“As far as I’m concerned, that’s an every time deal. I can’t let you walk home in the dark by yourself.”
“Well aren’t you”“
“Even if you are ugly enough to scare off any potential danger.”
Before gathering her jacket and wallet as she rose from the table, she punched me in the arm for my comment and laughed. “You’re not funny, Justin.”
“Which is why you’re standing there laughing, right?”
“Right.”
Baby, I feel free, come on and go with me
+++++++++++++++
It was nearing midnight when the two of us reached Brooklyn. Instead of walking straight to her apartment, we took a detour through Prospect Park. The night was cool, but the breeze was calm, swirling the fallen leaves at our feet. I admired the colorful reds and yellows as Dawn animatedly debated why Britney Spears is twenty times better than Christina Aguilera.
“Well so what if Christina can’t sing,” I protested. “She can”“
“Not only can’t she sing,” she interjected, “but she lip synchs! How dare you get paid to sing and then get on stage and be an actress?”
“But the girl can dance her ass off.”
“She can follow the directions of a choreographer. Big whoop.”
“Why do you hate her so much? What did she ever do to you?”
“Nothing. I just don’t think Britney gets the attention she deserves when her voice is so much better than ‘Xtina,’” she scoffed, using the typical quote fingers.
“If Britney were so great, she’d have the attention she deserves.”
“No, it’s all because Christina came first. Britney even had to dye her hair black to step out of the girl’s shadow.”
“Oh, God forbid.”
“Don’t make fun of me,” she laughed, playfully shoving me to a park bench. “I don’t understand how you can think that that’s okay.”
“I don’t understand why you care,” I chuckled, taking a seat on the green, wooden and concrete seat.
“Well. I don’t “ really. I’m just making conversation.”
Let’s take a long walk around the park after dark
Find a spot for us to spark
Conversation, verbal elation, stimulation
“You’re funny.”
“You’re funny-lookin’.”
“Yeah, that’s mature.”
“Oh, so was that crack about me bein’ ugly enough to scare off any potential danger.”
I smiled, thinking of how funny that was. “I never thought I’d say this, but I’m startin’ to like you.”
“Oh please, you’ve liked me since I cursed you out at Starbucks last week.”
There she goes again with all her fuckin’ assumptions that seem to never fail to be right. “In your dreams, bitch.”
“In reality, bitch.”
Share our situations, temptations, education, relaxations
Elevations, maybe we can talk about Revelations 31:18
“Well… maybe.”
“I knew it!” she shrieked, scooting closer to me “ not so much that we were touching, but enough so that we could feel each other’s warmth. “So why have you been acting the part of an asshole all week?”
“Oh, I wasn’t acting. Just because I’ve admitted that you’re cool doesn’t mean I’m gonna be.”
“You’re pitiful,” she smirked. “It’s all right, Justin. I have nothing but time.”
“What’s with you? You think that if you wait long enough, I’ll just let go?”
“Justin, I told you, I have plenty of experience with bitches like you. I bet if we sit here long enough, you’ll be able to tell me something you’ve never told anyone before.”
Your background, it ain’t squeaky clean shit
Sometimes we all got to swim upstream
“You can sit here all night waiting for that moment if you want, but I’m not saying shit.”
“That’s cool. I’ll just sit and wait.” She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled at the dark scenery. “Nothing but time, baby.”
I watched her ignore my obstinacy. We sat in silence for minutes, despite the stiff coldness of the air surrounding us. I took a deep breath and leaned forward to my knees so that we were side-by-side. “I don’t want to hate her, you know.” I paused when she looked back at me with a comforting stare. “I’ve tried so hard not to, but every time I think of how fucking selfish she was “ still is “ I get pissed all over again..”
DJ’s head dropped and she stared at the ground but rubbed my thigh when she spoke. “When’s the last time you talked to her?”
“I don’t know. It’s been years.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Last time I saw her, she was at my high school graduation and I told her to fuck off.”
“Justin! That’s your mother!”
“I don’t care. She wasn’t there for me. Why should I act like she’s the shit because she showed up in my life for a couple of hours?”
You ain’t no saint, we all are sinners
“I know. I just can’t imagine holding that much contempt for someone that gave you life.”
“Well that’s because your mother didn’t walk out on you and the man that loved her more than life itself.”
“So did she just go out for cigarettes and never come back?”
“No. But she cheated on him with some short fool named Paul, and then, after my dad found out, instead of trying to work through it, she left us. Just packed her shit and went.”
“Wow.”
“She claimed that she was ‘in love’ with him,” I scoffed. “What a load of bullshit.”
DJ chuckled nervously. “Well Justin, you can’t help who you fall in love with.”
“No, Dawn, fuck that! She wouldn’t have fallen in love with someone else if she weren’t fuckin’ him in the first goddamn place!”
“I know,” she said quietly. “I know.”
“She was wrong, so don’t even try to defend her.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not.”
But you put your good foot down and make your soul a winner
I respect that, man you’re so phat
And you’re all that, plus supreme
“Good.”
“I wish there was something I could do,” she added, rubbing my back.
“You can. You can stop touching me.” She punched me in the back of my neck when I laughed. “That, and don’t ever bring this up again “ not to me, or anybody.”
“Done.” She rose from the bench and began to stretch with a yawn. “I told you that you would talk to me. I should be a fuckin’ psychologist.”
“You’re doing better as just a psycho,” I retorted, hopping up from the bench.
“Well this psycho needs to get to bed, so let’s go, homeboy.”
Then you’re humble, man I’m numb
Yo, with feeling, I can feel everything that you bring
We continued our promenade through the park, continuing to discuss any random shit that our brains seemed to come up with. I even pretended to listen while she rambled about her old demons and past decisions. There’s something about the way she seems so passionate when she speaks. She just makes me want to know more, even though I probably don’t fucking care one way or the other.
We were approaching the same street as we had the night before when we slowed to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk. She intertwined her fingers in front of her and extended her arms so that they were centimeters from my chest. “Thank you for not being a total bitch tonight.”
“I should be thanking you,” I smiled.
She shook her head, staring at me. “God, where did you get such gorgeous teeth!”
“I guess that’s one thing I can thank my mother for,” I laughed.
“Well then you owe her a huge thank you, homie.”
“Heh, it’s the least she could do.”
“Well like I said, thanks for being cool.”
“May I ask why we’re standing here?”
“Because I’m trying to think of something cool to say before I scurry off into the night.”
“But why are you trying to be cool? I like you so much better when you’re yourself.”
“Ha. Ha,” she rolled her eyes, plucking my shoulder. “I’m trying to be cool so that you’ll have the yearn to do this again sometime.”
“Yeah, maybe next time you can pick the restaurant that we illegally evacuate.”
A smile spread across her face “ a huge, bright one that lit up Nevins Street more than any of those damn street lights could. “Or maybe you can just pick a place that at least one of us would want to eat at.”
Or maybe we can see a movie
Or maybe we can see a play on Saturday
Or maybe we can roll a tree and feel the breeze and listen to a symphony
Or maybe chill and just be, or maybe
Maybe we can take a cruise and listen to the Roots or maybe eat some passion fruit
Or maybe cry to the blues
Or maybe we could just be silent
I got the irresistible urge to kiss her again, but we actually did have a near-perfect night and for once in my life, I cared too much to fuck that up. “Good night, DJ.”
She grinned and nodded knowingly before harshly punching my arm for about the millionth-fucking-time tonight. “Good night, Justin.”
And for the millionth-fucking-time tonight, I smiled back.
Lyrics: "A Long Walk" - Jill Scott
Story Tags: Be the first to add a tag to this story
