The Lion King In The Human World Part 3

Getting Out There.

RANI

I arrived at the college of my choice in Texas and went right to my dorm. My room mate was one of those super stressed people who spend their lives with their nose shoved in a book and worrying about everything. This was going to be fun.

I met Dick soon after getting sick of my room mate's talk of how she would handle the final exams. Classes haven't even started yet Chrissy. I was waiting around, going through my online Swahili lessons when someone tapped my shoulder. I looked up into the face of a handsome man of my race. "Hey honey," he said in a deep voice like Darth Vader's, "Why you out here all alone? Ain't no girl should be out by herself this time of night."

"Ain't?" I asked, "Dude, fix your grammar."

"You must be from New York," the guy said. I didn't know how he figured that out. He chuckled at me. "Only New Yorkers, Californians, and Tennesseans say dude these days. And with your attitude honey, you could only be a New Yorker. So the only question is, city or state?"

I had to be impressed by that. He knew where I was from by my voice, I couldn't have done that if I tried. "State, but I moved to Maine a few years ago," I said, "But you do know that New York City is in New York state, right?"

"Honey," he said, "Of course I know. I'd be gall dang dumb if I didn't. Name's Harrison, Dick Harrison. I'm descended from the president but I ain't getting involved with the stuff up in Washington. What's your name honey?"

"I'm Rani," I said, "Rani Queen."

Dick pushed my hand with my phone down. "Queen huh?" he asked, "Sure fits. Just look at your chocolate skin and eyes like a cow's pudding." Cow's pudding? Did he just say my eyes look like poop? Great pickup line. "Oh, I forgot." Dick said, "You ain't a Texan. Cow's pudding is a joke around these parts. Some guy tried to get hitched and used that in his marriage vows, his sweetheart dumped him on the spot and his mix-up has been a joke around these parts for few years now. I meant to make you laugh, sorry honey."

"Did someone really say that to his bride?" I asked, "he was asking to get dumped."

"They ended up getting hitched a year ago," Dick said, "Don't know what happened, but they's pretty happy."

It was only then that I noticed that Dick's arm was around my shoulder and he was taking me somewhere. Okay, a little creepy. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"I'm taking you around the campus," Dick said, "Nothing bad. Though if this goes well, I might take you to my dorm." Okay, that was creepy too. I just met this guy and he would take me to his dorm just like that? Part of me wanted to run, but another part of me said that there was nothing to be scared of. Southern hospitality, that's all this is. I'm in the south, I have to get used to things like this. Besides, he wouldn't be offended if I said no to him, would he?

I had promised myself I'd let Kion go. It's clear that we're not meant to be together. Maybe Dick could be the one for me, but I'll never find out if I keep chasing a guy who I'll never see again.

Dick showed me around and did end up taking me to his dorm. "I guess I should tell you why no girl should be out alone at night," he said, "See Rani, this college has had a few girl vanish over the years. They always show up later, but the college wants to stop those things. The board says that every girl should have at least one other friend with her after the sun starts setting. All the girls who went missing were alone when it happened, and most of them were Black."

I gasped. "Oh no. I didn't hear about that. Those poor girls."

"They're a-okay," Dick said, "They've all went and got found, but they've plum forgotten what in tarnation happened to them. I saw you walking alone and thought I'd best stick by you."

"Thank you," I said, "Do you have any idea what might have happened to the girls?"

Dick shrugged. "My buddy thinks that Black hater groups are behind it, but there was white girls who went missing along with them Black girls. He's just plum paranoid. The cops are looking into it, but they ain't got nothing yet."

I felt guilty about what I had thought about Dick during our walk. I had my doubts about his reasons when he just wanted to protect me. I sure wasn't going to go our alone at night now that I know about those girls. You would think the college would put that as a warning on their website.

"Dick," I said, "I'm sorry. I sorta thought you weren't a good guy before. I mean, the whole just randomly coming up to me in a strange place didn't sound good in my head."

Dick chuckled. "Ain't nothing to worry 'bout honey. Ain't nothing to worry 'bout at all. Just from now on, don't got out at night alone. Give me a call." He handed me a slip of paper with his number on it. "We can say we're dating if people ask. We ain't know who involve in the missing girls, though they ain't missing any more."

"Thank you so much," I said, "I guess it's true what they say about southern hospitality."

"What they say 'bout us southerners up in New York State?" Dick asked.

"Just that you all are kind and that your tea is really sweet," I said.

"Y'all don't have sugar with tea?" Dick asked, "What's wrong with New Yorkers brains? You want bitter, drink some vinegar."

"I'm more of a soda kind of girl," I said, "So I don't know much about tea."

Dick looked at me funny. "Soda, now that's a funny word. What it mean?"

"Soda," I said, "You know, Coke, Pepsi, Root Beer."

"Do y'all mean pop?" Dick asked. I had to shrug.

THE NEXT DAY 

Classes started and guess who I saw in my first one. None other than Kion. He came over and started talking to me. Than Dick came over and I said something I didn't even think about. "Meet my boyfriend."