DIALOGUE - a short story
The short story that you will find below was written when I wore a much younger man's clothes. It explores in light-hearted fashion that purposely exhibits stereotypes, the vast divide between people of different demographics. And how this societal gap can perhaps be bridged if we would merely be willing to engage in open, non-confrontational dialogue.
DIALOGUE
BY ROY L. PICKERING JR.
The subway train rumbled steadily onward,an encapsulated mobile community beneath the city streets. At four o'clock in the morning, fewpassengers were on board. The mostinhabited car was the one pulling up the rear which contained five people. Sleeping against each other in a corner was ahomeless, but nonetheless happily inebriated couple. Immersed in conversation was a casually cladblack youth of about 16, and a conservatively attired white man in histhirties. The final member of therolling soiree was a blonde woman in her late twenties, decked out in partygear of the ‘Bring Your Own’ variety, distractedly reading the latest romancenovel to top the NY Times Best Seller list.
"Yo, check it out, Larry. Shorty is peeping you out. Don't let me hold you back now. I know you want a piece of that. Her body is boomin’."
"I don’t think so," said theurban professional to his eager travel companion. “Attractive certainly, but I doubt we’d havevery much in common.”
"You don't think so? Don't tell me you're a mo."
"A what?"
"A faggot, a queer boy."
"I'm quite heterosexual, thankyou."
"Then what's the problem?” asked theyoung man, genuinely perplexed at Larry’s apathy. “You gots to think that honey is fine."
"She really isn't my type."
"Not your type. Check out those titties. Those are fucking siliconed works ofart. And did you get a good look whenshe walked in? That's one seriousbootie. Somewhere out there is a sistawondering who the hell stole her ass."
Larry cast a glance at the leopard printtights that painted the woman's legs. "She's a little too showy for me."
"I know what homegirl can showme. Man would I wax that ass good. Now stop playing me. I refuse to believe you don't want to get up onthat."
"I guess I find her appealing in aStaten Island sort of way," Larry conceded.
"Damn straight you do. Now go over there and bust a Wall Street rapon that fly honey."
"I'm not interested.” It seemed unnecessary to explain that hedidn’t actually work on Wall Street. Thekid’s characterization was clear enough. “Why don't you talk to her?"
"First of all, she's a bit too old forme. More importantly, she doesn't strikeme as being into dark and lovely. Youknow what I'm saying?"
"I think so,” Larry said. “But you see, I have a barrier just as greatas you do."
"Unless you're the lightest mulattobrother I've ever seen, I don't know what you're talking about."
"You may have noticed that thenecklace she's wearing has a cross on it. I happen to be Jewish."
"So, who gives a fuck?"
"She very well might," Larryanswered, a feint trace of resignation in his voice caused by a long ago loveaffair that ended for this very reason.
"I'm not saying you should step to thegirl and ask to meet her parents. Justbullshit a little and get her digits. Next week you take her out, spend a few bucks, and then butter thatbiscuit. I thought you guys were smart."
"I resent that."
"Resent what?"
"The anti-Semitic tone of your lastcomment."
"The what of my what?"
"Your statement was prejudicialagainst Jewish people."
"By calling you smart? You’d rather be called an ignorantnigger? Look Lar, I ain't got nothingagainst Jews. Man you guys aresensitive. You own half the money in thegoddamn world. What you got to complainabout?"
"I got ... I mean, Ihave just as much reason for complaint as you. Jewish people have been persecuted as much asyour race. More so even."
"You're talking out your ass now. You guys own all the movie studios, thebanks, the law firms. That don't soundtoo much like suffering to me."
"You ever hear of the holocaust?”Larry asked, his voice rising from the whisper they had been trying to maintainas the conversation took on an unexpectedly political tone. “You ever read in the newspaper about what'sgoing on in Israel? The people there areliving in a war zone."
"You want to see a war zone? Come by my hood. Take a stroll through good old Harlem,USA. And how about slavery?"
"I'd take cotton picking over aconcentration camp any day."
"At least the holocaust ended. Cotton just got exchanged for welfare checksand food stamps. Alright, enough of thisbullshit. Let's get back to the topic at hand. Homegirl has been scoping you out since she sat down. You got the fly gear. Shorties be into that Brooks Brothers looknowadays. It shows you got an importantjob. It shows you have no shortage ofBenjamins." He noticed theperplexed look that pass over Larry’s face and clarified. “Plenty of money.”
"I happen to be involved in a seriousrelationship. My girlfriend and I havebeen together for three years."
"So? You ain't down with OPP?"
"Am I down with Opie?"
The kid shook his head and suppressed alaugh at Larry's ignorance. “Is yourgirl as dope as this one here?" he re-phrased.
"Is dope a good thing?"
"Yeah."
"Not in such an obvious way,"Larry confessed.
"More importantly, is your girl hereright now?"
"No."
"So then there ain't nothing to it butto do it."
"Okay, enough of this badgering,"said Larry testily. "Why don't yougo about the business you were conducting and leave me be."
"Sure, Larry, no problem. I was getting off at this stop anyway. You like to work solo. I can understand that. Just take some good advice. Whatever you do, make sure to wear a jimmyhat. That's a condom. These aredangerous times we're living in."
The knife being pressed against Larry'sback was removed.
"I'll take that phat watch you got ontoo."
Larry was somewhat puzzled over thedescription of his rather thin timepiece but did as he was instructed. He grimaced as his hard-earned money wentinto someone else's pocket but was pleasantly surprised when the wallet he hadhanded over earlier was returned with his numerous credit cards stillcontained.
"Ordinarily I don't do this. But I like you, Larry. You're all right."
The kid got up and stood by the doors asthe train pulled into the next station. "Shalom, my brother," he said when the doors opened.
"Keep the faith, homey," Larryresponded.
Theyoung bandit bounded off the train. Larrywatched after him for a moment, wondering how much his Rolex would go foruptown. When he turned back, he noticed that he was being observed. The couple in the corner had awakened, orrather, they no longer pretended to be asleep now that the crime they chose notto witness was over with. Larry shruggedhis shoulders as if to say that he might very well have done the same thing hadthe situation been reversed. Then hestraightened his tie, brushed back his hair, switched to a seat on the oppositeside of the car, and proceeded to introduce himself to the young woman withouta hint of the caution or trepidation he would typically experience. He would soon be exiting the train with nomoney in his pockets, but perhaps he could even the score by obtaining a phonenumber to fill the empty space.
