Lost One

16

❝TAE❞

The Tuesday afternoon was sunny and windy that offered a cool breeze under the California heat. The doors of the GMC SIERRA HD truck opened to Cru and Ken hopping out in their attire for the football tryouts. Tae walked around the front of the truck, meeting up with his sons sporting a black T-shirt and JORDAN Pinnacle shorts and "Black Metallic" AIR JORDAN 5s. The curved brim of his TUFF CROWD embroidered cap helped block the beaming sun out his eyes.

Stretching out his tattooed arm, holding open the passenger door while Ken pulled out his backpack. "Y'all got everything y'all need? Water, cleats?"

"Yup!" Both middle schoolers chimed in unison.

"Aight, y'all go show em what y'all made of."

Ken and Cru took off running down the short hill to the other boys that would be trying out to join the school's flag football team. Tae waited on the sidelines, watching his boys from a distance. The tryouts was going on for a good ten minutes when the tall, butter-scotch male was swaggering down the small grassy hill, moisturizing his thick lips with his tongue. Blocking the bright sun with his hand he spotted the Long Beach native and approached him.

"I'm goin goin, back back, to Cali Cali!" He cupped his hands on each side of his mouth as he rapped the Notorious B.I.G. loud enough the native heard, turning his way as he approached. "Whaddup doe, Cali?"

Tae exchanged a hand fold, pulling in for a short hug and pat on the back with Dave. "Sup, man? I'm glad you came thru. I kinda had a feeling Cru wasn't gone talk to you bout it."

"Na, he didn't. But, I 'preciate you hittin' me about it." Staring out to the football field, he found his son quickly. "Tryouts during school hours. That's some private school ass shit."

The two chuckled simultaneously. "Tell me about it. Public school would never in life. They out there doing they shit tho. My homie was training em yesterday and a little bit Sunday night and they learn quick."

"Yeah I see Kendrick out there, bodying li'l youngins with his li'l brotha." Dave watched Ken throw a crisp pass to Cru that he caught and ran all the way to the end zone. He immediately clapped along with Tae. "There we go!"

The shout was familiar and turned the head of the eleven-year-old and lay eyes on his father. A wide smile graced his lips before pointing to his father, excited that he showed up; although the visit was a surprise. Ken raced over to Cru and roared to him playfully in celebratory. The two went back to joining the other boys and continued to do the tryouts.

Afterwards, the two brothers approached their fathers with not-so-excited expressions. "Why y'all not walking up wit more excitement?"

"Cause we didn't make it to D1." Ken stated as Tae accepted the backpack from him.

"That's aight; y'all don't feel fuck up bout that." Dave encouraged as Cru went up to him and leaned into him. "Y'all just keep on training and y'all will move up the ladder. Be the baddest division two players and show the coach why y'all need to be D1. Aight?"