Happy had stayed out too long and Mummi had to buck back. He was grounded for 2 weeks, coming home straight from school at 4:30 and no meet-ups on weekends. It was in this state that Happy sat on the bed with Jimmy in his lap. He squirmed and Happy adjusted his lap to account for the shift to keep him from falling to the floor. He had his whole fist in his mouth while drool gushed out each side and splatted on Happy’s bare knees.
“I’m not used to seeing him awake. I feel like he just sleeps and shits,” Happy said, looking at Minder.
Minder raised a hand empty-threatening Happy with a slap. Happy didn’t flinch.
“You were the same way 5 years ago,” Minder said.
“No I wasn’t,” Happy said, knowing it was a lie.
“When I was a boy I used to get annoyed at your mom crying too. Now, when I hear him crying, I don’t,” Minder said.
“Why not?” Happy said, as Minder took Jimmy back into his own arms.
“Because I know he’s the future,” Minder said.
“Then why does it annoy me,” Happy said.
Minder looked at him.
“Because you’re the future too,” Minder said.
Happy continued look at Minder to consider the equation.
“You’re so chatty with me but with all the adults you get quiet,” Happy said.
“I’m not OK,” Minder said.
“I know the doctor said you have paranoid schizophrenia. Why can’t you speak for yourself. I always have to have your back. We all had to move apart because you can’t act right,” Happy said.
“God has cursed me. Your mom thinks I was dropped on the head or someone gave me the evil eye. I’m just grateful I have my son and you,” Minder said.
“You sound like someone who’s given up on life, or at least getting any better,” Happy said.
“Give me him,” Minder said with arms suddenly outstretched.
Happy obliged happily.
Minder raised a hand and slapped Happy’s bare inner thigh hard.
He screamed in pain and rubbed his leg. Minder was chuckling, it broke Happy’s anger and he started smiling too.
The front door opened and mum pushed her grocery cart in the door. Usually Happy would help her but he brushed past to get his room, telling her he had to do homework.
“Happy go do homework,” Mummi said.
Happy didn’t negotiate.
The computer was already logged into Messenger and Dilmit was online. He sent her a flower emoticon, and she sent one back. That was their collective signal that they were alone as Dilmit’s PC was in her living room.
“How’s my baby,” Happy typed.
“I’m lovely. How’s my lion?” Dilmit typed.1
“I can’t wait to see you,” Happy said.
But the truth was he’d seen her for weeks and couldn’t get the courage to talk to her in person. They looked long at each other but never approached. He’d told the gang they were going out from the beginning and they’d dapped him up. But he never spoke with her in person.
“Are you going to kiss me?” Dilmit said.
Happy stopped and looked at the words on the screen.
“Why would you ask that? You think I’m some pussy,” Happy typed.
“What hun? No, I just want everyone to know I’m yours,” Dilmit said.
Happy closed the window without giving her a read a receipt and looked at who else was online.
He picked up his conversation with Saad about the Nation of Islam. Saad was telling him about the evil scientist Yakub who had invented white people. Saad was convinced that all white people were the devil like Minister Louis Farrakhan spoke about.
“What about Mother Theresa?” Happy typed.
“Not all white people are smart, but they are evil by design. She’s nice because she doesn’t know how evil she is,” Saad said.
“But Malcolm left the nation, so he must’ve found this stuff wrong?” Happy said.
“Malcolm went against Elijah and got merked. Simple as that,” Saad said.
Saad commented on the sick poetry line that Happy had in his profile name.2 He asked if Happy had written it himself and when Happy confirmed he asked if Happy could write him a poem to give to Sweety.
Dilmit pinged him, saying “talk to me babe.”
Happy looked to see who else was online, he found Shera.
“What you saying?” Happy typed.w
“I’m watching that movie I told you about, Loose Change,” Shera said.
“Oh that’s the 9/11 one?” Happy said.
“Yeah, it’s wild. Jadakiss just wrapped that Bush knocked down the towers, so you know the CIA is gonna merk him soon. They say the building got melted by jet fuel but jet fuel can’t get hot enough to melt steel beams. And all the jews called in sick that day so you know they were part of it,” Shera typed.
Happy looked at Shera’s display pic, a candid of deceased rapper Eazy E.
Happy turned his attention to the binder on the far side of his desk. He puled it close and opened it to see Gobind’s civivc homework, Amit’s french homework and Saad’s math homework. The math was the hardest for him but he could figure it out with a little exertion. His own homework was done last so he could prioritize what was important for the gang. He could usually bang out their assignments in 5 minutes each as they were all in applied classes and he was in academic, for the most part. Ms Grant’s homeroom was the one place he rubbed shoulders with dumber kids like Saad and Odaine. He had to be careful. Saad wasn’t dumb, just street smart. He knew he was smarter than the rest of them but he couldn’t get too cocky about it openly otherwise he’d quickly get a punch to the chin.
Happy took a look at Dilmit’s display pic. She was chubbier than the girl he thought he’d date first. Then he went to Sweety’s pic. She was more like who he thought he’d end up with. He took a deep breath and went back to Dilmit’s window.
“Hi,” he typed.
“Hey sweet. Thanks for coming back. We can take it slow. I’m sorry. I love you,” Dilmit typed.
Happy felt compelled to say something to show he was interested.
“I love you too,” Happy typed.[^2]