PARADOX

PDX25

December 24th 2022
Manhattan, New York
9:08 am

"Are we gonna get on the subway?" Amina questioned as she sprayed her travel sized YSL Libre on her body, a favorite that she always had to have in her collection. Without getting an adequate amount of sleep, she was up and ready to go. Where? She didn't know, but since Rashad was a native, she knew she was in good hands.

"Fuck no, I haven't been on the train since I was in school." Rashad replied, he was busy putting his locs into a low ponytail. Amina assumed he chose a low ponytail so he could wear the Mea Culpa beanie he had placed in arms reach. "I thought that's how y'all got around down here." Amina spoke, Rashad looked over at her and lightly chuckled.

"I thought that's how y'all got around down here." He mocked her, adding exaggeration on her southern drawl. Amina briefly chuckled before waving him off. "I'm taking you to Harlem—so I can show you around my city." Rashad explained as he sat the beanie on his head. Amina nodded her head in response. She didn't know if she was thinking too hard, but him wanting her too see where he came from almost felt like he wanted her understand him on more than a surface level.

"This the tourist part, everything mad expensive. The bacon, egg, and cheese be like $8." Rashad spoke, the duo left their hotel room and took the elevator down to the lobby before hopping in the all black Cadillac truck. Rashad voiced that he didn't want to deal with getting Ubers during the Christmas Eve rush, so he opted for a chauffeur.

"GoodMorning." Amina greeted, which surprised the driver.

"You're not from here are you?" He questioned as he looked into the rear view mirror. He was an older man, Amina guesstimated that he was in his late 40s. "Nah—she from the south." Rashad answered for her. The driver lightly chuckled as he nodded his head.

"I love the south—it's comfortable and stile." He replied, Amina nodded her head as a small cordial smile dressed her face.  She looked out the window, taking in the city around her. She could agree that the city lived up to its busy reputation. And Christmas being 24 hours away didn't make it any better. Amina couldn't help but notice the influx of homeless people, she always wondered what their stories were and how they ended up in that position. She would never forget the one week she was homeless before going to Travis'.

Amina dug into her purse and retrieved two loose twenty dollar bills, she used her knuckle to roll the window down. "Excuse me sir, merry Christmas." She called out to catch his attention, the man looked up with a look of relief on his face.

"I was just wondering where my next meal would come from, thank you so much—God bless you Merry Christmas." He spoke with tears forming in his eyes, Amina shot him a smile as tears formed in hers as well. Before she could say something else the driver hit the gas once the light turned green. She rolled the window up and wiped away her fallen tears.

"That's dangerous, them niggas don't be having nothing to lose. New York different, he coulda tried some funny shit." Rashad spoke.

"I know, but he seemed so nice." Amina replied, "I was out there before and it ain't sweet, people treat you like shit without knowing your situation." She added, reflecting on all she endured that week. She recalled sleeping wherever there wasn't a lot of people or traffic, she'd wake up in the morning and freshen up at a local gas station and go to school as if nothing ever happened.

"You can't be too nice, especially up here." Rashad spoke, Amina slightly sighed. "It seem like good people live bad lives and bad people live good lives." Amina voiced.

"You don't even know that man Mi." Rashad lightly chuckled for a second, "I don't, but still—when I was in that position I definitely didn't deserve it." Amina replied.