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Chapter 5

"Peter, I thought you said you wanted something to eat." Tim's voice interrupted Peter's thoughts.

"Huh?" Peter seemed to be dazed. He looked at Tim stupidly.

"I thought you said you wanted some food. You going in or what?" Tim said. Peter looked up. They stood in front of Geech's Bar- B-Q.

"I do," he said dumbly.

"Then stop blocking the door and let's go in." Xavier pushed him aside and entered. The rest of them followed.

"What will it be?" the man behind the counter asked. Xavier turned away abruptly with a disgusted looked on his face. "Y'all go ahead and order. I lost my appetite," he said.

"What's wrong, X?" Tim asked.

"I just don't want nothing." He went back outside.

"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked.

Tim went up to the counter and just like Xavier, he backed away.

"What's up?" Peter wanted to know.

"Oh, hell no," Tim said. "I don't want to order nothing from no fag. He might be digging in his ass."

The Mean Kid burst out laughing. The guy behind the glass window curled his lips, rolled his eyes, and placed his hands on his hips.

"Why y'all tripping? I'll order, shit." Peter approached the side window and ordered. He got some ribs, coleslaw, two cheeseburgers, mash potatoes and gravy and half a sweet potato pie."

"You enjoy yaself and have a nice day," the man said and winked. Peter grabbed his order and hurried for the door.

Outside, he searched for the others.

"Over here Chunky," Tim called. He headed across the lot. They sat on a bench at a bus stop. Peter hurried over.

"What took you so long? You and that faggot must have worked something," Xavier joked.

"Man, get off me with that shit. I ain't even got to go for the gays. I'm one hundred percent male," Peter bragged. "I can get me a female any time I want."

"Yeah, right. What kid of female, a chickenhead?" Xavier asked.

"I gets mine," Peter insisted.

"You get yours alright- on a plate with biscuits and gravy." They all cracked up from the playing jigging. Peter just shrugged them off, sat down and opened his bag. Delicious smells floated out to temp them. They drew closer and Peter squinted.

"Y'all eyes may shine, y'all teeth may grit, but these barbeque ribs y'all ain't gone get."

"What all you got in there, bru? Look like you went to Mr. C's Warehouse and racketed up," Tim said.

"A lil something to whet my appetite," Peter replied. He pulled the food out the bag.

"You got to give me one of those burgers man," Xavier ordered.

"This coleslaw is as good as mine," Tim said.

"Ribs," The Mean Kid indicated. Peter frowned but handed over half a slab. He had two left. They all ate like they were starved."

"Go back in there and get something to drink," Xavier said after awhile.

"Nah, bru. That queer winked at me," Peter declined. "You just have to choke it down with ya spit." Tim and Donnell laughed.

"We'll get some sodas at the store on the corner. That faggot might be selling booty juice or something." They exploded in laughter. Once they finished eating, they left the bus stop and headed for the store.