Brooklyn
“I’m just crossing Times Square now.” I spoke shifting the phone to my other hand trying to wiggle my way through the mass of people.
“Okay, I’m at the hairdresser’s but I was thinking we should go for a mani-pedi sometime this week. What do you say?” Natasha’s high-pitched voice answered. I could hear the rustling of aluminum foil and blow dryers in the background.
“Sure. Are you getting highlights by the way?” I asked knitting my eyebrows. Natasha’s never changed the color of her hair. It was naturally almost black and she loved it.
“Yes, I just wanted a change, you know? I was tired of the darkness. I’m also getting a new haircut.” I could picture her smiling at her reflection in the mirrorlike she always does. It doesn’t matter where we are or if there’s not a mirror, she’s always looking for a reflective surface: a spoon, a car, a window…to contemplate herself.
“Can’t wait to see it.” I faked excitement because deep inside I was dreading how she could turn out to look. I only hope she doesn’t go blonde or something.
She giggled. “So where are you going now?”
“Just home, I went to see my mother again. She’s working like crazy in the new designs and wanted my help.” I made a pause upon noticing a big circle of people in the middle of the street. “I’ll call you later Nat, I have to go.”
I didn’t give her time to reply with her goodbye and just hung up and stuffed my phone in my purse. Curiosity got the best of me, as always, and I found myself walking to the group of people gathering around something. I peeked through the holes between people heads but I couldn’t see anything. Then my ears registered a voice coming from the center of the circle.
“You mean to me what I mean to you and together baby, there is nothing we won't do.”
I recognized the song to be With You by Chris Brown. Actually, the boy singing was good, he hit all the notes flawlessly and to add to the perfection of his voice, he was also playing the guitar. His voice sounded somewhat familiar but I couldn’t put my finger on who it belonged to.
I took advantage of a couple that was walking away to sneak into the circle and make my way closer to the boy singing. After a few excuse me’s I was in the front row and my mouth fell open at the sight. The boy was looking down at his guitar, probably because there were about 30 people surrounding him and that must be embarrassing but I knew who that dirty blonde hair belonged to. This time it wasn’t spiked up like usual, it was falling messily on his forehead.
“Oh girl! I don't want nobody else. Without you there's no one left then, you're like Jordans on Saturday. I gotta have you and I cannot wait now. Hey, little shawty, say you care for me. You know I care for you. You know...that I'll be true. You know that I won't lie. You know that I will try, to be your everything.”
I listened to the beautiful voice and I found myself smiling at the fact that he was such a good singer. At his feet was a guitar case and judging by all the coins and even bills in it, he was doing a good job.
“With you, with you, with you, with you, with you, girl. With you, with you, with you, with you, with you.” He finished the song sliding his fingers across the strings one last time and everyone began cheering and clapping.
Some people left more money in the case earning a thankful smile from him. Who knew he would do busking for a living?
When everyone was dispersing I approached him with a couple of coins I had left and let them fall to join the others. He lifted his gaze mumbling a nice ‘Thanks’ but when he saw me his expression changed to one of complete astonishment.
