Three's Company

68

Jess

Me: Bitch, you hit me! The fuck do you mean?! Where's your fucking insurance?

I looked at the damage to my driver's side and then back at her front end. I was infuriated.

"Girl, fuck you!" This middle aged white woman was completely out of pocket.

Me: Who the fuck you calling girl? I got your girl?

You know what. Fuck this. I pulled out my phone to dial 911. "911, what is your emergency?"

Me: I am at the corner of Lassiter and Washington and a woman just ran a red light and t-boned me. Her license plate is KJ3-T47. She is extremely rude, won't produce her insurance card and I need to police out here now.
Operator: We will get units out as soon as possible. Are there any injuries? Do we need to dispatch an ambulance or tow truck?
Me: Ima put it like this. If she keeps acting crazy, ima lay her ass out in this street and the only person who will need an ambulance is her.
Operator: O-okay ma'am, stay calm. Units are already in route. If you can, just get back in your car until they arrive.

"This is why they shouldn't have ever freed you niggers. You behave like animals."

Me: Oh hell no! Ma'am, get those officers here and go ahead and send an ambulance cuz she gon need it!

I toss my phone through the window of my car and dashed towards her. Her eyes got big as hell and she took off towards her car. "Nah don't be scared now! Racist ass bitch! You no leg washing, dry hair having ass bitch! You gon get this ass whoopin'!

She ran on the back side of her car, dodging me from whatever direction I went. I felt hands on each of my arms. "Let me go!" The person jerked me backwards. "Let me the fuck go!" I turned around to see who it was. I hadn't heard a police sirens but maybe I blacked out.

It was Garrett. "Jess, baby. She's not worth it. Let the police handle it." I tried to pull free, as she started to come back on the side of her. "What are you doing here, Garrett? Let me go!" He bear hugged me. "I saw your car and I didn't know if you was you at first. I was headed to meet a client. Where is Morgan?" I pushed his arms still trying to get free. "She's at a friend from school's house. Let me go!"

"Look, I'm not letting you go to jail about some old, racist bitch. Come on." He picked me up from behind dragging me backwards a bit, me kicking and screaming trying to get loose.

"That's right! Cage that animal!" I tried to break free even harder. He was so strong. I couldn't even free myself a little bit. "Shut the fuck up!Jess, calm down. Please. I'll let you go if you chill." I gave up. "Okay. Please just let me go. I'm okay." He set me back on the ground still holding me. "Are you sure?"

Me: LET ME GOOOO! I won't do anything! Fuck!

He slowly loosened his arm grip from around me. I stood there for a second, wiping several angry ass tears from my face. And then I took off. "I gotcho nigga!" In two and a half seconds, I had a fist full of the old white bitch's hair, slung her to the ground and got two licks in before Garrett was carrying me back across the intersection. "Am I still a nigger, bitch?! He saved you! Cuz I was about to send your old ass to see your maker!"

The lady laid on the ground holding her jaw where I'd hit her, checking for blood and bawling her eyes out. "Next time you in the wrong, I bet you watch ya fucking mouth!" Garrett took me all the way back to his car. "Jessica, you need to calm down." He opened the backseat door of his car. "Look at my car, Garrett!" He gestured me to get in, while also forcing my body in. "Insurance will take care of it. Do you want to go to jail?! What if she files assault charges?"

I used the ponytail holder on my wrist to put my hair up in a ponytail. "Garrett, do you think I give a fuck about jail?! I got bail money! What she won't get to do is call me a nigger and a wild animal and not get her ass handed to her! That's where she got me fucked up."

Garrett: We have a daughter. You can't mother her from jail.
Me: Fuck outta here, Garrett.
Garrett: Look. Calm down. I'll be back.

He slammed the door and walked away. I tried to open it but the child lock was engaged and I was stuck. I beat on the window. I watched him walk over and help the old woman up and escort her back to her car. "This muthafucka..." She went inside her car and pulled out her purse and handed him a card. I saw him take a picture of the front and back and hand it back to her. He was gesturing something to her, almost like he was pleading.

The police sirens were now audible and I just wanted out of Garrett's car. I felt like a criminal. I beat on the window and he looked back and motioned for me to hold on.

When the police pulled up, they got out of their cars and walked straight to Garrett and the old woman and shook his head no and pointed back to me. A few seconds later, him and the tall chocolate officer were walking my way. He opened the car door and let me out.

Officer: Ma'am, are you okay?

Garrett motioned for me to calm down and not to say anything.

Me: I'm good.
Officer: Your husband was telling me he got the license and insurance information from Ms. Howell. We're going dispatch a tow truck for her but we wanted to make sure we got all of your information for the police report so you'll have everything you need for insurance.
Me: That's fine.

He asked me a few questions about what happened and then filled out his notepad. "You can request a police report from the station anytime after midnight tonight, once today's reports are processed." He handed me a written slip with the website and phone number, report number, and his name and badge number and the basic information about the accident. "Thank you," I said. "If your car is driveable, you're free to go. If not, let us know. We can get a tow truck out here." He walked back to the old woman and said something on his walk or talkie.

Garrett: She's not going to press charges.
Jess: And if she did, I don't give a fuck.
Garrett: Okay. Well I do. You are a Black woman. They will throw the book at you and you know that. Look at that old ass lady. That privilege would eat you up in court, racial slur or not. I'm not letting that happen. So chill. Okay? Let's take this win. Insurance will fix your car and everything will be fine.
Jess: Whatever.

He pulled me close. "Hey...come here. I know you're mad as hell. And I can say I get it, all day long. But I'm not Black so while I know it's fucked up, I can't imagine what you're feeling. I'm not gonna let you go out like this though. You're the mother of my child. And I love you too much. Okay?"

He kissed my forehead. "Okay but why you let that man think you were my husband?" I said jokingly trying to release my anger. He laughed. "Listen, I was just tryna use my white privilege for good. You know I got you."

Me: You get on my nerves.
Garrett: I love you too. Come on. Let's see if your car is alright. I can take you home if we need to get you a tow.

Cars were slowly driving by rubber necking and being nosy.

Garrett: That was a different side of you today.
Me: You can take the girl out the hood but you can't take the hood out the girl. That old bitch hopped out talking fly and she had me fucked up. It's as simple as that. What did you tell her anyway?
Garrett: About pressing charges?
Me: Yeah...
Garrett: I told her umm...

He hesitated.

Garrett: I told her that your psych medication was on back order and that you really need them to function and you've really been struggling and that we're gonna get you some help.
Me: No the fuck you didn't!
Garrett: It was either that or hush money.
Me: Garrett!
Garrett: I'm so serious!