"You are such a liar."
"I speak the truth, you just can't handle it."
The sun is setting, the streets are silent for a split second and then "I got to get up early in the morning," by the Gap Band blasts from the speakers that are taller than some of the children in the backyard.
"You started the grill kind of late today Maurice," Tia says.
"Well some people do have to work during the day," Maurice responds.
Every Friday or so Maurice and his fam and friends celebrate the end of the workweek with a get together that can not be done right without the music, kids running 'rond, dominoes, beer, cards and some barbeque.
"Hey, when them hot dogs gon' be ready," Uncle Al asks.
"You missed out, the kids killed them hot dogs like a half an hour ago.
" You should have came a little earlier," Maurice says.
"You telling me there ani't no more dogs?!"
"Sure am."
"Hey Billy, Billy boy you wanna do ole uncle Al a favor? Go to the..."
"Domino!" shots someone at the adult table in the back.
"Uno!" exclaims a young one on the front porch where red Kool Aid is abundant.
"Sam, come hold down the grill for me; about to whoop Tia in some Spades."
"Aight, man. I heard her talking mad smack bout how she'll murder the champ," Sam responds.
"You know how I do, I let 'em talk. They ani't putting up no bread so I just let 'em talk, you heard."
"Fa sho man. I hear ya."
"Oh, Oh, Oh; you want to make a bet out of this. Boy didn't I tell you that you have a better chance making the three blind mice see rather than beating me. Put up 5!"
Tia says with one hand on hip and another a fresh five dollar bill on the folding table.
"Put up 10!" Maurice rebuttals.
"Get your partner, my girl Keisha already know what's good." Tia says.
"Ay yo, Devin you ready to smash some folk," Maurice calls out to Devin who is dancing with his brew in hand.
"Hold on let me finish my groove... 52 divided by 4 is what," Devin asks.
"1, bring down the 3, umm... sounds like a win to me!"
The cards are shuffled, "I rock the party that rocks the body, you rock the party that rocks the body," comes from the stereo. Sam turns over the hamburgers on the grill.
"NO TRICK DEAL! You know how you be cheatin'." Maurice says.
Smiling as she passes out the cards, Tia says, "I never cheat. You always crying, saying somebody ani't playing fair when you lose. Just brace yourself and take this butt whooping like a man."
"Whatever."
"Give me a good hand girl!"
...
"Six books all we need is one mo'," Devin says.
"You better do something Keisha, you know T took that 10 out of her rent money," Maurice says.
"Shut up!" Keisha and Tia reply in unison.
"Hmm...I wonder who got that big. You got me Devin?" Maurice asks.
"Man I ani't got nothing." Devin responds.
"Stop talking 'cross the table," Keisha says." "I'm a dock books next time."
Maurice throws out the Jack of Hearts. Keisha throws out the 9, Devin throws out the 2, Tia cuts em up with the 5 of spades. Tia, now in control, throws out the 10 of clubs.
"Cut em up! You actually thought you was going to get away with taking my Jack? Be serious!"
Maurice cuts with the 7 of spades, Keisha comes from nowhere cutting up the 7 with the spade Queen and Devin throws in his 6 of clubs.
"That was weak." Maurice says.
"Weak like when Tia cut you out... for Tim." Keisha says.
"Girrl be quiet."
"What! You don't know nothing. You just gotta gossip. We had a mutual understanding."
"Girrl be quiet." Tia says again.
"Hold, hold. Who's Tim?" Maurice asks.
"Man I don't want to be involved in this. I'm about to go and get another bee..." Devin says attempting to get up from the table.
"Let's just finish the game Momo," Tia says.
"Yeah, let's just finish the game," Keisha says.
"We only need one book. Throw out a card you drama queen." Maurice says.
"Well I know I have one book, it's 6 to five and I trust my girl got my back, cuz she definitely doesn't have yours." Keisha says.
"Keisha, quit," Tia says.
"What are you talking about," Maurice asks.
Keisha throws out the Ace of spades, "Jump!" She says.
"It has been almost two months anyway, why do you see the need to bring this up Keisha. Your mouth is filled with so much trash, its gon' get you in trouble one day. Plus, you bout to lose." Maurice says.
"Mutual, huh. Yeah, one of ya'll wanted to see other people. That's a great understanding." Keisha says.
"Devin put her out her misery with the little joker," Maurice says.
"Man I told you I ani't got nothing," Devin responds.
Tia's mouth is sealed like an envelope, she quietly plays the 3 of spades. Al Green is playing from the stereo: "Something's going wrong; someone's on the phone at three o'clock in the morning...yeah." Uncle Al is begging Sam to put the hot dogs on the grill. Sam gives him an ultimatum between ribs and hot dogs. Uncle Al calls for Billy again: "Can you take these back to the store..."
...
"You lie!" Maurice says.
"I speak the truth, you can't handle it," Keisha responds.
"She would have told me if she would have fainted at work. Tia what were you doing in the hospital a few months back?" Maurice asks.
"Keisha, just play your Joker so we can win and go eat," Tia says. "Damn, I told her to be quiet." Tia thinks to herself.
"Sounds... ultra... good to me," Keisha says as she plays her Little Joker.
Sam throws out the Queen of Diamonds, Tia plays the King of Spades and Maurice throws out the...
"Got that a**! You know how I do, I let em talk Sam, I let em talk." Maurice says.
"You're the king. Never gonna lose your throne, huh," Sam calls out from the grill.
"You were holding that card the whole time." Keisha says.
"You had me worried for a second there Mo. Should've known. I thought I was out of ten dollars fa sho," Devin says.
Tia tries to slip away from the table unnoticed, but as she is one step away from the table Keisha says: "Well I guess you won today, but we'll see who'll get the last the laugh in a few months."
"Keisha! Oh my goodness..."
