The Ballad of Joey Coco

Verse II

Tuesday/March 30, 1976

|Minneapolis, MN|

Dismissal bells chimed throughout Central High, signaling all the antsy teens to fleet before Mrs. Robinson could squeeze out a last minute homework assignment. She tried. But it was useless to Becca who was already halfway down the hall before she could get the textbook page numbers.

"Happy birthday, Becca!" The birthday wishes were flying left and right, and all she could give was a quick thanks on her hurried way out of the school. She hopped on her bike and was on her way to Russell Avenue. There was a boy there waiting to see her.

But Becca didn't know the things that kept her boyfriend occupied while waiting.

Lounging back on his bed, Stevie Wonder's I Was Made To Love Her on play, Prince had a phone stuck to his ear. "That science guy is such a drag," he said. "I told him I needed to leave class early today but he kept me hostage. And for what? I don't remember half the things he's said all year."

"Well, be lucky you're almost outta there." It was Camille on the other end, his favorite girlfriend going on two years now. "I'm so ready for the summer. And I need my senior year to fly by too so I can get it over with."

"How about tomorrow we ditch and talk shit all day."

"That's what I wanted to do today. I still feel like crap."

"Didn't want you missing your test. Which I know you aced. Right?" But she didn't say anything. Just sucked her teeth. "Come on, I can't date a stupid girl."

"I got a B!"

"B stands for boooo."

"B stands for boyfriend! You kept me up 'til four in the morning. What you expect?"

"No excuses."

"Whatever, Joey."

"Oh shut up. I'm just kidding."

She sighed loudly in his ear and when he didn't react, she did it again louder.

"What?"

"After you graduate, you're for sure coming to see me, right?"

     "I'm gonna try."

"Try? Well while you sit around and try can I at least get a damn picture of the boy I touch myself for?"

Prince knew she wasn't trying to be cute but happy had him growing stiff. Thinking of her on the beach in a two-piece, he adjusted the log in his jeans. The photo of Camille in the berry-blue bathing suit was burned in his memory but he pulled it out from underneath his pillow anyway.

"Get your hand outta your pants and answer me."

"I don't have the money yet." Frustrated, Prince lied down as Billy Ocean spoke his mind.

But I can't stop the pain inside me, baby, love really hurts without you

"I'm still saving up."

"I can send you money."

"No." Prince was too proud to take money from his girl or whatever adult she would steal it from. "Look, next year we won't have to worry about stuff like this. I promise." This was something he said to her a lot. "While I'm out in California, I'm gonna send you money every week."