Ghetto Girls Too

by Anthony Whyte

  “I missed ya, Coco,” Josephine said her voice cracking, exposing the passion she felt.

  Coco may have appeared to be overcome with the emotions caused by the presence of Josephine but she walked quickly past Deedee. She hugged Josephine with the abandon you have for someone special to you. Deedee smiled as she watched tears of joy roll down Josephine and Coco’s faces as they screamed each other’s name.

  There were no more words necessary. Nothing was said for a couple of minutes while the girls embraced. Deedee watched and was drawn into their closeness. She remembered first meeting Da Crew. Since Danielle’s death, Coco and Josephine had not seen each other because Josephine’s parents had relocated to North Carolina.

  This was spring break and Josephine’s parents were on the verge of a nasty divorce. Josephine had been daddy’s little girl. Now, she wasn’t sure who to trust anymore. Her mother brought her back to the city to win her daughter over. These girls were the reason Josephine wanted to be back. Although Danielle had been lost, she held one of her sisters again. Deedee joined the two in their emotional squeeze. She kissed Coco’s wet cheek.

  “I’m never gonna leave you guys again. I missed you so much, Coco. Oh my gosh! I can’t believe we’re here together again.” Josephine looked up to the sky, waved her arms, and shouted, “Thank you, Lord! You guys wouldn’t believe this but I’ve been praying this day would come for like a couple of weeks now.”

  “What’s good, girl? You’re turning into another drama queen like...” Coco’s voice trailed off as if she didn’t want to say it. Josephine wasn’t scared to so she did.

  “Like Danielle? Oh no, you’re not trying to compare me to her. She’s probably in heaven sitting in front of the mirror with her make-up yelling; ‘I didn’t bring the right color. God, can you make this shade a little lighter, pretty please? They ain’t got no make-up in heaven!” Josephine made a pleading face like Danielle would have and both Deedee and Coco broke into laughter. Josephine continued in jest to rag a friend who had been important to both Coco and herself. She may have been even more important to Josephine. “She would cause God to throw lightening bolts and thunders at her like, ‘Danielle, you don’t need no make-up in heaven. Maybe you belong on the other side’.” The three teenaged girls roared in laughter hugging and giving each other five, while standing on the street corner.

  They had finally met despite several earlier attempts that ended in failure. Coco had been calling and Josephine’s parents hadn’t allowed any messages. Now they were together again, the remaining members of the crew. They had competed together many times and had won just as many. Josephine began reliving their last performance and how happy she had been.

  “Yeah, girl, I was da shit running wit Da Crew. We had so much fun. Seems like so long ago, huh? But it was just yesterday,” Josephine said and danced around. She was in great shape and really looked fine. She was flying and her high spirits were contagious. Deedee laughed more than she had in the last couple days. It had been like living in hell but now she relaxed with Coco and welcomed the effervescent Josephine.

  “Let’s get sump’n to eat.”

  “I’m good yo,” Coco said immediately.

  “That may be you but I ain’t had nothing since earlier today.”

  “So what’re you saying, Josephine?” Deedee asked.

  “I’m saying, I’ll go with you but I want all of us to go together.”

  “Well, Coco?”

  “Why you gotta speak for me, yo? I said I don’t want nothing to eat. That’s what ‘I’m good’ means. Ghetto 101.”

  “Am I detecting a lil’ bitty attitude here?”

  “I don’t know what you talking ‘bout, bitch.”

  “Oooh, things getting hot round here.”

  “No, Josephine. I’m cool but come on, you can’t speak for nobody else.” Coco spoke directly to Josephine, all the time avoiding the look Deedee threw at her. Josephine knew there was real tension and moved to squash it.

  “Ahight, we ain’t seen each other in a minute. Am I gonna have to kick some ass right away to get y’all children to cooperate?”

  “Nah, I just don’t want anyone speaking on my behalf, that’s all. I know what I’m trying to say and I wanna say it.”

  “Ahight, ahight. Deedee, don’t speak on Coco’s behalf, you heard me?”

  “It ain’t that simple. Some people wanna act ostentatious like they down to earth,” Coco started to speak but Josephine wasn’t tolerating it.

  “Wait a minute. Back the fuck up, bitch. Say what? Ostentatious? When are the regents?” Josephine asked laughing.

  “Coco is right. I shouldn’t speak on her behalf. I’m sorry, Coco,” Deedee said.

  “Sounds like an apology, Coco. Can we kiss and make-up now? Damn!” Josephine said trying to make the situation light. Deedee had offended Coco and there was a grudge. Someone had to back down and Coco did.

  “Deedee, look. I probably still have a chip on my shoulder so I’m just gonna say I’ll be cool, yo,” Coco said and offered Deedee a handshake. The girl pulled Coco forward and gave her a hug.

  “Ah, alright, it’s settled. Let’s go eat,” Josephine said and all three walked a couple of blocks to the 62nd Street Café. “Y’all hold hands cuz I have some shit to tell y’all.”

  “Girl, you went down south for a minute and became a southern drama queen,” Coco said and Deedee broke into laughter.

  “Hold up. Don’t be laughing at her jokes. She was just your enemy a minute ago.”

  “No matter what, we’ll always be girls,” Deedee said.

  “May I take your order?” the waiter asked once they were seated.

  “What is the special for the day?” Josephine asked. The waiter answered with a smile.

  “Arugula salad with poached salmon,” he said. He paused and was about to add something but Josephine cut him off.

  “Sounds good. I’ll have that,” she said returning the smile.

  “And what will it be for you, ladies?”

  “I’ll have the soup and salad, please,” Deedee said. Coco said nothing.

  “And you, Miss?”

  “Nothing.”

  “She’d like a few more minutes before...”

  “Didn’t I just tell you a few minutes ago not to speak for me?”

  “I’ll give you a few minutes and you can order then. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go place these orders right now. Enjoy, ladies,” the waiter said and departed the table. Coco was still heated.

  “Damn, what part of it all don’t you understand, yo? I’ll be glad to clear it up for you,” Coco said to Deedee. She spoke loud enough for the waiter to turn and asked if everything was alright.

  “Yes, thanks,” Josephine immediately replied.

  “Perhaps some water?”

  “Yes, please,” Josephine answered. “Could you make it very cold? Thank you,” she said when she saw Coco’s nostrils flare. “What is it with y’all two? Must I break y’all both off sump’n?” Josephine asked. She looked at Deedee and then at Coco before adding, “Y’all better learn to get along before I don’t take y’all back out the hood. You heard me, the two of yous?”

  “Whatever, bitch. I just don’t need a spokesperson, that’s all.”

  “Both of you need to stop acting like y’all ain’t got no home training. Man, I miss Danielle. See, we’d be too concerned about her shit to be dwelling on this boring shit.”

  “Shaddup, bitch,” Coco yelled just when the busboy delivered ice cold water to the table. He appeared to be startled by the ruckus.

  “I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to scare you, sir,” Deedee said.

  “Oh, now you’re gonna be speaking on behalf of the whole table? I don’t need anyone speaking...” Josephine started with a wink but Coco was not having a drop more of it.

  “You better put that shit to rest, yo,” Coco said and when she saw that the other girls were chuckling, she joined in. “Y’all are some dumb asses, okay?”

  The
food arrived and Deedee and Josephine ate heartily. Coco eventually ordered a root beer float. The girls settled into idle chatter as they dined and passed the time.

  “You know food tastes so much better when you’re hungry,” Josephine said.

  “You can say that again. How was your meal?” Deedee asked.

  “Hmm, so-so but because I’m starving, it’s all good. And yours?”

  “Delicious,” Deedee said smacking her lips. “How’s your shake, Coco?”

  “My float? It’s ahight, yo,” Coco answered.

  “My float’s ahight, yo.” Josephine said mocking Coco then excitedly continuing. “Yo, lemme tell y’all. Them niggas down south, they be killing me wit their ‘yo this’ and ‘yo that’. I thought they were all your peeps, Coco.”

  “There’s a hood everywhere. If you think that I’m the only one speaking this way, its like saying I’m the only one who grew up in da hood,” Coco said and Josephine held her hand to her mouth as if she was speaking into a microphone.

  “Ladies and gents, that was Miss Coco from da hood bringing you hood facts for the day. We will not try to paraphrase the bitch cuz she ain’t having it. Ha, ha, ha.” Both Deedee and Josephine rocked with laughter and although Coco gave a pretentious smile, inside she was really happy to see Josephine. They kept on laughing until the waiter arrived.

  “Hey, we should dip. The bill is gonna be too high,” Josephine said still chuckling.

  “Back in the days me, you, Dani maybe. Now? I don’t think so, yo,” Coco said with a wink and nodded her head in Deedee’s direction. The gesture was ignored by Deedee.

  “Ahight, remember when we used to do that shit? Lord, why did you have to take the craziest sister I’ve ever had?” Josephine’s voice trailed off and tears ran freely down her cheeks.

  “Jo, you’re a mess girl but I love you anyway,” Coco said as her eyes filled. While Deedee cried quietly, Josephine raised her glass and they all followed suit.

  “To our girl, Danielle. May she rest in peace,” Josephine said.

  “To Danielle, she was the fiercest dancer and a dope singer. She was all that and more,” Coco said.

  “Here’s to Danielle. May her star continue to shine on even though she’s gone.”

  “Here, here,” they all said and drank their water. It was symbolic of the bond that the girls had with their fallen comrade, Danielle. For a minute, each girl seemed to retreat into a private memory.

  Their group, Da Crew, had started out with two members and had grown to three when Coco joined up with Danielle and Josephine. Da Crew had entered and won several talent competitions which led to the finals in a citywide talent search. The winners were Coco, Danielle, and Josephine. After celebrating their win, Danielle was never seen alive again. The police had found her naked with a bullet hole in her head and a nine millimeter next to her body. The weapon had her fingerprints all over it. There was no note. Forensic tests done later revealed high amounts of cocaine and heroine in her blood stream. The experts had been baffled as to why she did not die of an overdose.

  Their glasses clinked and water washed down their meal. The thought of Danielle had stirred memories that dampened their spirits. Coco saw the forlorn look on the faces of the other girls. She knew they were teary eyed and saddened by the memories. The nostalgic trip had taken its toll then Deedee broke the trance.

  “Let me see that?” Deedee asked.

  “See what?” Josephine retorted in a crying voice.

  “The bill.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, here you go,” Josephine said and handed the bill to Deedee. She examined it then leaned forward and spoke to the other two.

  “We can each walk as if we’re going to the bathroom and then you guys…” Deedee started but the other two held their hands up.

  “Whoa.”

  “You know you ain’t built for that.”

  “Let’s just pay this,” Josephine immediately suggested as soon as she heard the attitude in Coco’s voice.

  “Just a thought,” Deedee said and summoned the waiter. She gave him a fifty. “Keep the change,” Deedee told him and smiled.

  “Thanks for trickin’, Dee,” Josephine said. She gazed at Coco batting her eyes several times.

  “Yeah, no doubt. Good looking out, Deedee,” Coco said and felt the pressure of making the day a better one ease onto her shoulders. In the past, she had been the one Da Crew had always relied on. When it was time for hanging, Coco was it so she made a suggestion.

  “Let’s go check out a flick, yo,” Coco recommended.

  “Sounds good to me,” Josephine said. “And I ain’t fussy ‘bout nothing we see either,” she continued.

  “Why?” Deedee asked.

  “Honey, my parents had me locked away in the country for so long that anything I look at in this city is gonna be new to me,” Josephine said.

  “You got it bad, girl.” Deedee said.

  “Had it bad. I done told y’all, I ain’t going back there,” Josephine said.

  “Oh ma Lord, what done happened to our poor chile?” Coco asked mocking Josephine. “They done turned you into Kizzie. You straight outta ‘Roots’, yo,” Coco said. Josephine eyed her for a beat then announced.

  “I can’t blame my parents for wanting me out of this crack infested place. They didn’t want me to be cracked up like some people we know.”

  “Ooh, that one was low, bitch. But at least some people you know ain’t running, girl. We staying right here.”

  “Yeah, where all the dealers know your name, huh?” Josephine asked. Then with a knowing smile, she added, “Speaking of which, I know you got a lil’ sump’n. Just tell me you got sump’n to roll.”

  “And if I don’t then what? You gonna beat my ass or sump’n, bitch?” Coco asked with a chuckle.

  “You mean to tell me you couldn’t get weed down south?” Deedee asked

  “I know I could but because I was new, everytime I went to get it I had to dumb-down. And Coco, you know me.”

  “You dumb down for no man,” Coco finished.

  “Not for no man but I did for sump’n to roll-up.”

  “No you didn’t,” Coco said.

  “Yes I did. Coco, you know I could hold my smoke but niggas down there, they don’t smoke wit bitches. So you gotta play ditsy like and run up on the cool looking dude and be like, ‘Oh boy, don’t tell me that’s reefer you’re smoking? Like, I’ve been really trying to smoke and get high but I can’t get the feeling, you know?’” Josephine said as she flirted and fixed her hair while batting her eyes. “Then the nigga will get you weed until you give-up sump’n, tongue him down, let him feel on the titties, put his hands down your drawers or whatever but don’t give up no ass.”

  “Why? I mean if you gave him sump’n, it seems he would bring you more or better.”

  “That’s only in your head, yo.”

  Josephine was laughing so hard she couldn’t continue talking. Finally, she was able to control herself long enough to say. “If you gave him ass, he’d stop immediately and you’ve got do it all again. You’ve got to learn him slow. Peer pressure is a bad thing.” Josephine was shaking her head and giggling.

  “Jo, shame on you, girl,” Deedee said but watching Josephine’s comical face started her laughing again.

  “Hey, I needed a lil’ sump’n to smoke. I was new and I did-n’t know any better,” Josephine said.

  “You’re still a crazy ass.”

  “Shoot,” Josephine said, “after awhile, word got around and I had all the boys bringing me weed. I developed my own delivery service. Never ran out unless of course I had my period. Niggas can always tell when a bitch is on da rag. They don’t even have to come around. Must be in my voice.”

  “Jo, you lil’ ho,” screamed Coco.

  “It’s true. The day my period arrived, the weed always ran out. I’d be callin’ and niggas be like, ‘Nah, I ain’t got none. Holla back at me next week.’ I’d be thinking, ‘Ain’t this a bitch’,” Josephine said and th
e girls all laughed. Coco was happy to see Josephine and Deedee needed the comic relief.

  Josephine’s hilarious demonstration of the lengths she had to go to get weed while she was out of the city brought fun to the setting. Her re-enactments and antics caused laughter to rock the girls’ bodies. Their eruptions ended in a crescendo of guffaws that aired loudly throughout the café. The noise caused a minor disruption and other patrons threw annoyed glances in the girls’ direction. Those close by either sneered or snickered at them.

  “Yo, Jo, over on this side you ain’t got to put out for some weed. Ahight, yo?” Coco said still chuckling.

  “On that note, let’s be out,” Deedee said. The girls walked out of the café and left the waiter happy either about his big tip or the comedic drama. All eyes turned to see them out. Some were frowning and others smiling.

  “Enjoy the rest of your day, ladies,” the waiter said and bowed as they passed by him.

  “What flick are we gonna catch?”

  “Let’s just walk until we see a movie theater.”

  “Alright, you’re in the city now.”

  “So what you’re saying?”

  “We can’t just be walking. We gotta have a destination.”

  “Okay, I got it. Let’s go shopping and then we can check out that new 2Pac joint.”

  “Deedee, girlfriend, you’ve got to be talking window shopping. Girl, I’m so broke I can’t even pay attention much less go shopping. Where you wanna go?” Josephine hurriedly asked.

  “I don’t think she’s talking ‘bout no ninety nine cents store. That means it’s a wrap, yo. I ain’t got it like that,” Coco said.

  “I got y’all,” Deedee said. The response left Coco and Josephine stunned. They stared incredulously at each other. Deedee looked anxiously at both of them. “I’m for real,” she said. “I’ll pick up the tab,” Deedee continued as both girls looked at her with their mouths wide open.

  “First of all, don’t be a show off cause we all know that it’s your uncle and not you that’s gonna pick up the tab…” Coco started to speak but Josephine cut her off.

  “Nah, Coco, let her be. Deedee can be a show off. I mean, as long as nobody gets hurt, right?”