I'll Ride For You, Homie

t w e l v e

October 9, 1999

Smutt

"Pop, tan we go Untle Bubba houte?" My son asks me as we leave the barber shop.

"We gotta go home and bathe and shit, JuneBugg. I'on like havin' all this hair and shit on me." I tell him as I buckle him in. "It don't make you feel itchy?" I tickle him making him scream out a laugh.

"Ye'!" He yells through his laughter. "Otay 'top!" He yells for me to stop tickling him through his laughter. It takes him a second to calm down from his laughing fit. "We pen'a night wit' him?"

"I'on know, lil man. We gotta make sure mama straight and ask him if we can."

"Otay."

"Why you wanna go over there so bad huh?" I start my car amd let it run for a little while.

"Tuz Untle Bubba got a lotta tnat and movies. And he lemme play hi' indentendo." I bust out laughing.

"His what?" I ask him. I know he's saying Nintendo, but it's funny to hear him trying to say it.

"Hi' indentendo. He got Mario and he lemme play."

"Aight I'm finna call him nih and see." I let him know, pulling my phone out to call him. It rings once or twice before he answers.

"Wha'sup, daddy?"

"Bugg tryna kick it at yo' crib. Can he stay the night?" I couldn't help but smile through the phone.

"You know good and damn well he can. I'on een know why you wasted yo time askin' that."

"Calm down, lil daddy. You coulda had plans and I'on wanna ruin'em."

"Mhmm, you stayin' over too?" He asks me.

"I'on know." I turn around to face my junior. "You want me to stay the night wit'chall, Smuttie?"

"Nah, I want you to freep in'a tar." He straight faces me.

"Aight nih lil smart ass." I chuckle lightly at his sarcasm.

"Well you don't wamme be dumb right, pop? I taid WE pen'a night." He shrugs and looks out the window.

"See how y'all got my son speakin' to me, lil daddy?" I ask Arique laughing.

"Who is y'all?"

"You and his mammy."

"Bullshit. I'an got him like that." He laughs a little. "That's all y'all."

"Whatever lil nigga. We can stay the night or what?" 

"Duh muh fucka."

"Aight, don't start gettin' reckless by the mouth nih." I tell him sternly. 

"Been reckless down in Texas nigga. Yo' ass ain't gon' do nothin' to stop it either."

"Uh huh. You lucky my j.r. in the back so I can't talk to you how I want to."

"Naw nigga, YOU lucky he in the back so you can't talk to me how you want to." Oh he bold today huh?

"Wait til I get out the shower so I can get there lil nigga."

"Why'on chu jus' shower over here since you wanna check me so bad?"

"You ain't slick. I'll pack us up some clothes then. Make sure you still got that attitude too." I can hear his smile, which keeps me smiling through our whole fake argument.

"Don't I always?" He says smartly.

"Okay, I'm not finna keep talkin' in circles wit'chu knowin' I can't talk how I want. Bye, lil daddy."