Passin' Me By

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-Zahur Dumisani

My best friend Kato, his girlfriend Anaye, and I stood in front of my cousin Eazy's corner store passing a blunt back and forth. We come here everyday after school to kick it, before going on with our night activities.

Today my head wasn't in the game, my mind wandered to this girl from school. See she's my type of hype, but she keeps on passin' me by. And I can't stand when brothers tell me, that I should quit chasin' and look for something better, but the smile that she shows makes me a go-getter. I haven't gone as far as asking if I could get with her, I just play it by ear and hope she gets the picture. I'm shootin for her heart, got my finger on the trigger. She could be my broad and I could be her nigga, but all I can do is stare.

I heard the sweet sultry voice of Chanya Samukelisiwe. Now there she goes again, the dopest Ethiopian. And now the world around me to gets movin' in slow motion, whenever she happens to walk by. Why does the apple of my eye overlook and disregard my feelings no matter how much I try?

I think it's about time for me to voice my opinion of not even pretendin' she didn't have me.

Chanya looked good, down side: she had a man. Some Mexican from her side of town, by the name of Navarro Rafael. He's a rooty-toot , a stuck up nincompoop, mark ass bitch. Navarro drove a Z, he'd pick her up from school promptly at three o'clock.

I was on her jock, yes indeedy, I wrote poetry in my book. First I'd write her name then carve a plus with my name last, on the looking glass. I seen her yesterday but still I had to let her pass. Chanya was a flake like corn, and I was born not to understand. By lettin her pass, I had proved to be a better man.

I looked on as she and her older brother Husani walked to the bus stop. They lived in some lavish mansion along Fifth Avenue, facing Central Park. Chanya and her family have money, so I never understood why she and Husani went to charter schools in East Harlem and took the bus to and from school.

From a distance I desired and secretly admired her, I was so low-key she was unaware of my existence.

Kato stopped talking to Anaye and pointed at Chanya,"When are you going to talk to ole girl and stop watching her."

Anaye laughed,"Zahur don't waste your time. Chanya is a good girl, her parents made it out of the hood. Her daddy wouldn't let any nigga from our parts talk to her. And don't get me started on Husani, he's so protective of her."

"Anaye don't start with me." I looked at the couple,"Kato control ya girl."

He shook his head,"Man whatever, Naye's right though. Mr. Samukelisiwe enlisted Husani to watch over her. He and his boys keep that girl so isolated nobody can get to her."

Naye gasped,"Poor Chanya, no wonder she has no friends."

A light bulb went off in my head, causing me to rub my hands together.

"Anaye since you know so much about the situation, you should be Chanya's first real friend." I say, pushing her towards Husani and Chanya.

I watched Anaye talk to the brother and sister. It wasn't hard to miss that Chanya was uncomfortable, but she was being polite. Husani on the other hand seemed wary, before letting Naye talk to his baby sister.

Kato laughed,"Man you crazy, you not 'bout to get at ole girl like that."

"You're right, I am crazy, but you know what else? I don't give a fuck, Chanya will be mine."