Nathaniel #3
I grinned cause that shit was fun pretending to be a caped crusader and shit.
Being single and mixing with a multitude of people allowed me to pick up information that most people would normally ignore.
Folks liked to talk, especially when they were lame and wanted clout.
They admitted the strangest shit to me thinking it would get them in my good graces.
And for some reason they always thought pay-for-pump pussy was going to be their way into my good graces.
Terrence had the same talent since he was a barber.
Folks would confess some of their deepest sins to him and he kept their confidences.
Unless, of course, it was information that we needed. Then they were up shit’s creek.
They do call your ass the Rodeo Romeo.
Still didn’t see how that translated into me being a trick. Or a fucking John.
“You want me to get you straight while you over here thinking of taking over the world?” He was looking at my hairline like the natural growth of it offended his eyes.
“Does that make you the Pinky to my Brain?”
Terrence placed a comforting hand on my shoulder before he said, “I’m glad you recognize you’re the short, ugly, big-headed one, Buck. It was about time that happened.”
“Don’t push my shit back either. I can’t go into the season looking like the poster child for male pattern baldness.”
“Ain’t nobody gone fuck your shit up, bruh.”
“You say that. But you were the one out here scalping my damn brother not too long ago. Don’t think my ass forgot. I’m just letting you slide on that shit since he got his happy ending.”
I was unnaturally angry hearing that Terrence had actually cut my brother’s hair.
Sampson was a grown ass man who could make his own decisions but I felt like T should’ve sent out a warning or something.
Samp told me I had issues but it was weird seeing his scalp and shit in the back.
I had known my brother all my life and had no clue what the back of his head looked like until last year.
Shit was traumatizing as fuck.
“How you gone get mad at me because of what that man decided? He grown as hell, what the fuck was I supposed to do? I tried to talk his ass out of it. Got biblical and everything but he didn’t listen.
” Terrence’s people were in the ministry in addition to their farm.
He never wanted to be a part of either and I was thankful he had enough siblings who wanted to carry on the family legacy. It left him free to pursue his passion.
“That’s still a you problem cause you could’ve tied Sampson’s ass up ’til we got there. Had him down bad. He lucky that shit growing back. Thought we were gonna have to kick him out of the family and shit.”
Terrence paused and stepped back looking confused at my righteous indignation. “There really might be something wrong with you, nigga.”
I stared back ‘cause he was acting like this was new information. “We been friends for a damn quarter century and you just now figuring that out?”
“Anyway, you going out there to check the place out?”
“Yeah, it ain’t too far from the new place. My sister-in-law and her friend had been there and when they went back not too long ago they said something ain’t seem right.”
Terrence laughed as he finished cleaning up my sides before he cut off his clippers. “It’s still standing so clearly nobody tried anything with Yzzy.”
“Nah, they weren’t that crazy but you know Black women’s intuition is unmatched. She was just casually mentioning it.”
“It’s crazy how it wasn’t advertised but I found out it was recently sold. So whoever owns it now is different than before. I checked it out and they get a lot of revolving traffic that isn’t normal for the type of place it is.”
“How is that?”
“Like people only staying for about an hour and the majority of the patrons being men.”
My brows dented cause they weren’t even trying to hide what they had going on. “Unusual for a bar.”
“Exactly. If it were a titty bar they’d be hanging around longer.
If it was a regular bar the balance would be there.
But men in and out but business not decreasing?
It’s either drugs or ass.” Terrence removed the cape from around my neck and shook out the few hairs that had been clipped onto the floor.
“Hell in this economy it might be both.” I grabbed the broom to sweep up my hair not wanting to make more work for him.
“You right. But let me know what you see when you’re out there. I don’t want to be suspicious of every new person in the Valley, but right now, we gotta be.”
I put the broom back in the closet compartment after I dumped the hair into the trash.
“That only makes sense. The Valley doesn’t need any new residents. Everyone that crosses the limits gotta be vetted. We can’t let this place go to hell by not being vigilant.”
“Bet. Let me know what you find if anything.” His hand was out to dap me up and we leaned over to embrace one another.
“I will. Hopefully, these niggas don’t have me acting an ass. I got too much going on to have to shoot somebody tonight.”