“What were you like at Kc?” I tilt my head and he looks at me briefly.
“Hmmm,” he hums, tugging at his beard. I turn a little in the seat, observinghim. I’m curious. Was he like Jordane? Like Mark? Or Jahmeel?
“I was bad, still bad,” he retorts.
“Oh yeah?” I smile. “Mi know you bad now but mi cya help it but wonder if it’s a case where you changed.”
He shakes his head no before he says, “Nickoi always was a nuisance.” I laugh along with him.
“Break it down to me, build an image and let me imagine,” I flutter my eyes shut and press my head against the headrest.
“Wah bout a picture?” he suggests.
“Just do what I say,” I press with my eyes close. Hey bwoy listen to Mami enuh! That crazy girl in my head exclaims. I’m happy he can’t hear her because she’s too embarrassing.
“Ah,” he says then the car comes to a stop. With my eyes still close, I focus on my breathing, getting myself ready for this brain exercise. Or may I say, getting ready to see through my mind’s eye?
“Ready?” he asks and I nod firmly.
“Ready,” I retort and feel the car accelerate on the paved road.
“So young Nickoi… mi nuh really look different now as in my physique. Mi did a rub, so mi did well white. Low cut, sharp fade. Regula school youth mi just never fit in KC uniform with such character and mi nah be negative a just the truth.”
I understand and I’m already picturing someone. I’m sure most people have at least one of these classmates. At least once in their life.
“What was your go to shoes?” I already have an idea of his answer.
“Clarks,” he answers, just as I expected. Desert to be exact.
“Desert?” I question and I can already hear the yes. I don’t know why rude pitney always love desert Clarks.
“Yeah, mi did have bank robber, Wallabee and Reebok, the Desert was always Monday.”
Imagine you own four school shoe in a school year. Due to how a one me did have for each school year. So I had to care it, regardless of my mother living in foreign.
“Oh so you was a hype bwoy? The one dem weh mi never like,” I say honestly. I couldn’t stand them, especially when them show off.
He laughs. “Mi nuh think you did like nobody.”
I smile. “I wasn’t that bad, I liked some people but based on your description you seem like Jordane. Or he’s like you. That’s the way he was at school.”
He chuckles.
“Always JanSport too though?” I assume and hear his laughter.
“But you know the things dem mon or yuh did know me, which one?”
“That night in the taxi was the first time I really saw you, the day at school I only saw your figure so that nuh really count,” I say answering his question.
“Ohh, first time me see you a yuh first day at the school, mi see you good,”his voice rough in all the right places.
“Yeah and you did a watch me,” I say before I get back to the first conversation.
“Wah bout yuh attitude, how was it?”
“Big ooman thing… a never the best,” he admits. He’s hesitating a bit, maybe worried I might judge him?
Lawd mi change now. Mi nuh so judgemental like one time.
