Black Boy Joy

|| Chapter Two ||

         "Keith, you're late," my father's voice boomed as soon as I walked through the front door.

I paid him no mind as I entered in the four digit number that silenced the house alarm.

"What's got you out so late? I know you didn't have to work tonight," he continued as he sat slumped down in his favorite arm chair, watching the Channel 5 news as he did every night at ten.

I rolled my eyes as I made my way to the kitchen.

I opened the half empty fridge to pull out the left over spaghetti from last night that I had made.

I always had to be the one to cook or else I just might starve.

"Keith Tyree Powers...!"

I continued to block out his remarks while I shoved my dinner in the microwave.

My repeated failure to answer his questions caused him to finally get up and come confront me.

"I know damn well you hear me calling your name. Answer me when I'm talking to you," he cursed in a raspy tone of voice.

"I don't have to answer you " I scoffed,"I'm grown."

"You grown?" his eyebrows curved in.

He seemed intimidated by my sly remarks.

"That's what I said," I spoke with my head held up high and my chest puffed out.

Now was definitely not the time to be looking weak.

"You grown?" he repeated once more in a nonchalant tone, taking a small step in my direction.

My nostrils flared up instantly out of anger.

"How are you grown, but you don't pay no bills with that little lousy ass check you get from Walmart pushing buggies?" my father asked with a stern frown.

Ok.

Yes, I do work at Walmart as a way to earn more savings for my college fund, and to also pass the time.

I'd rather work than stay cooped up in the house with my biggest critic.

...but all in all, my duties there did not consist of gathering shopping carts.

If he even half cared to pay any proper attention to his only child, then maybe...just maybe...he would know that I was the assistant manager of my department.

The electronic department.

Since he doesn't, he assumed I was only wasting my poor time.

Poor hopeless me.

I glared at him as he stood waiting for an explanation.

"How could you possibly be so grown, and you're 19 still living at home not even working towards a college degree!? Yet you're grown?" he scoffed sarcastically," Please, excuse me if I'm wrong."

"You won't have to worry about me living here any longer after this summer," I retorted.

"What are you even talking about?"

"I'm leaving, that's what," I repeat.

"Leaving?" Dad crossed his arms.

I nodded,"...to California."

He laughed at first until he realized my level of seriousness.