Black Buck(94)

“Tha’s the truth!” an older heavyset man said from behind me. “This ain’ no barbershop. Cut the talkin’ and get to walkin! I’m hungry as a motherfucka and got diabetes.”

“Then why are you at McDonald’s?” I asked, silencing him. “Anyway, what I got will beat eight whatever an hour and help you get your moms out the projects faster than this. If you’re down, meet me at my place on Vernon in two hours. Soraya will be there.”

“Get to steppin’,” the heavyset man shouted, muttering about kids these days, no respect, and blood sugar.

I jogged back to the corner and leaned on Wally Cat, catching my breath. “One down,” I said, plastered in sweat. “One to go.”

“Damn, nigga!” Wally Cat shouted. “You wetter than a drug mule in front of TSA. Wipe yourself off and go do the damn thing ’fore you freeze up.”

I wiped my face, straightened my clothes, and set off for the bodega.

The bells clanged as I opened the door. Soraya was behind the candy-and-cigarette-filled display, but she didn’t see me. She was leaning over the counter, smiling as she twirled this tall, fair-skinned, almost-white-but-not-quite guy’s beard. Not knowing how else to interrupt whatever the fuck was going on, I walked out, then back in, pushing the door open harder so the bells clanged louder.

“D?” Soraya said, eyes wide as she yanked her finger out of the guy’s beard. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, hey,” I said, walking closer. She was wearing a mustard-colored sweater with the initials ZNH written in white cursive on it.

“What’s up?” the guy asked, cutting his eyes at me before turning to Soraya.

“Jalal”—she peeled her eyes off me—“this is Darren, I mean Buck. An old friend. Buck, this is Jalal, my—”

“Boyfriend,” he said, and extended a beige hand. I grabbed it, then turned back to Soraya.

“What happened to nursin’ school?”

“I dunno.” She rubbed the back of her head. “I don’ think it was for me. I probably couldn’ be a real nurse.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have responsibilities, like the stores and . . . other stuff. I also gotta firsthand look at what achievin’ your dreams can do to a person.”

A chill ran down my spine, and it took everything inside me to hold her stare, that piercing gaze that turned me from flesh and bone straight into glass.

“She’s always busy,” Jalal interjected. “Busy, busy, busy. It’s why I love her, but I still don’t know why she loves me.”

His words sounded like a threat.

“Can you come over to my spot? In two hours? Jason will be there, and I wanna show you somethin’. Jus’ as friends,” I said, a little louder so Jalal would back off.

“Who said we’re friends?” she asked, her face turning into stone.

I swallowed hard. “Nah, I’m jus’ sayin’—”

“Jus’ sayin’ what? Why’re you even here?”

“Yeah,” Jalal said, stepping between me and the counter. “I think you gotta leave.”

I looked him up and down, and laughed. “I think you don’ know who you’re talkin’ to, halal. Now back the fuck up before I show you.”

He stared at me for a second before turning to Soraya.

“Jus’ step outside for a second, babe,” she said, rubbing his arm. “He’s harmless, I promise.”

“Whatever.” He bumped my shoulder as he pushed past me, bells clanging on his way out.

She rounded the display and stood in front of me, level with my shoulders but grilling me as if she were seven feet tall. “Now what the fuck was that, huh?” she said. “You think you can come here, outta nowhere, and act like you run the place?”

“Nah, I—”

“Nah is right, Darren, Buck, or whoever the hell you wanna be today. You got ten seconds before I grab my broom and clean the floor with you. Speak.”

I took a breath, realizing that this would be harder than I thought. “Listen, I’m jus’ tryna make things right, Soraya. I know I did a lot of fucked-up shit, and I’m not comin’ here tryna start any trouble, but jus’ come through so I can show you what I’m doin’. If you’re not about it and still hate me, I’ll never speak to you again. But I’m the same person you used to know.”

She turned away from me and went back around the counter. “No, I don’ think so.”

“Please, Soraya. Jus’ gimme ten minutes. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

She clenched her jaw and fixed her eyes on mine as if she were trying to find a piece of the old me. Then she closed her eyes and shook her head. “I don’ think it’s a good idea, but you said Jason’s goin’?”

“Yeah, he’ll be there,” I replied, unsure if he was actually going to show.

“Fine. If he’s goin’, then maybe I’ll join him. But if you try to pull any slick shit, I’m out and we’re never talkin’ again. Got it?”

I sighed with relief. “I got it.”



* * *





Two hours later, the house wasn’t spotless, but it did have new tables, chairs, dry-erase boards, a few telephones, and even a couch.