“I’ll see how it goes before we take this further.”
“Alright. One eighty for two ounces.”
Owen crosses his arms, feeling in character. “Sounds like you’re trying to take me for a ride, Small-Town Joe. Do I look rich to you?”
“Fuck yeah.”
“Well, I’m not. One fifty.”
Joe sighs. “You city boys drive a hard bargain, but I’ll roll with you this time. Wait here. I’ll give you a taste soyou don’t think I’m selling you grass.”
Owen frowns as Joe walks inside.A taste?He doesn’t want to smoke whatever he’s buying. He’s supposed to be clean. Even though he’s hours away from seeing his aunt again, he worries she’ll find out.
Joe returns holding a rolled joint.
“I wasn’t planning on smoking now. I need to get to work after this, and—”
“Don’t ever buy something you don’t know the quality of. Some people here will sell you shit. You’re lucky you came to me.” Joe hands the joint to Owen, who takes it with a shaky hand. Before he can decide what to do, Joe pulls out a lighter.
Owen reminds himself that he’s here to help people, and for that he has to play along. He sighs and puts the joint between his dry lips. Joe smiles as he lights the joint.
“What do you think?”
“It’s okay, but I had better.”
“I have stronger things.”
“I’m sure, but this is fine.” He should just ask for the two ounces and finish this deal, but he likes the feel of the joint between his fingers and the smoke inside his lungs. There’s a nice breeze that makes the tip of his hair dance. He takes another puff and exhales a perfect circle of smoke.
“Look at that! He can do party tricks.”
Owen chuckles. “I can’t believe I’m smoking this onthe street.”
“Yeah, believe it. If anyone around here sees you, they’ll just ask you for some.”
“Do you want some?”
“Damn right I do.” Joe takes the joint and inhales. He tries to create a circle of smoke, but it comes out like a smudge, making him and Owen laugh. “You have to teach me the trick, man! My girlfriends would love it.”
“Girlfriends? How many do you have?”
“Not enough and way too many.”
Owen tries to teach Joe the trick, and before he realizes, they’ve smoked most of the joint. Although this stuff is not strong, there’s enough of it in Owen’s system to make his brain floaty. He almost forgets that Nate is waiting for him.
“I got it!” Joe calls. It’s not a perfect circle, but it’s an improvement.
“You’re a natural.”
Joe beams and pulls out a small bag. “Two ounces for one hundred bucks.”
“We said—”
“Yeah, but now I like you, Big-City Owen.”
“Thanks.” They exchange the money for the bag.
“How are you getting back to Van Buren?”
