HARLEM RUSH | JODECI

"Different Surroundings, New Shit. (cont.)

"Don't be speaking that coon shit, when our guest comes." "DeVante sounded like a country Hick." "So, does everybody else in this town." "But A honky hick." "With a name like DeVante? Yea, negro you lost your whole mind." "Well, he could be a mutt." He said, shrugging. "How his ass live this long then?" Jojo chuckled. "Shit, yo guess is good is mines. I just need my 150." He said, shrugging. Cedric looked at the clock that hung on the wall. "Them negros is late." He said, shaking his head.

"Well, to be fair, he's new to the town, I'm pretty sure he's just finding his way here." "Well, he shouldn't have called asking for a look. Being punctual is key." Jojo looked at him with disbelief before laughing. "Negro you can't even make it to work on time. I need you to shut yo dumbass up." Cedric kissed his teeth and looked back at his TV screen to see the credits were rolling. "AW DAMMIT MANE! I dun miss my show. You ol' ugly jigaboo." He whined. Jojo shrugged. "whatever you say, looking like a whole monkey." Cedric clutched his chest.

"Wow, that was racist." He said, playfully appalled. Jojo shook his head. "Sounding like an offended uncle tom. Go on somewhere." He said, laughing to himself. "You know, God doesn't like ugly." "No wonder why, you act like the spawn of Satan." Cedric rolled his eyes then gave him an angelic smile. "I am a Child of God, Joel. What do you ever so mean?" He said, sweetly. Jojo shook his head. "Niggas..." Their voice box buzzed. Jojo smiled. "They must be here." He walked over to the voice box. "Yes?" "Some Niggers down here to see Y'all." Their Jewish landlord spoke.

Jojo rolled his eyes, as he lets out an annoyed sigh. "We'll be downstairs." He says, politely. Jojo walked out the apartment and went downstairs to the main lobby, to see DeVante uncomfortably sitting in a chair as their landlord, mean mugs him across the room. "Hello, are you DeVante?" "yes." He said, smiling. He said as he quickly got up. "Aye, if you black break any of my shit, Y'all paying for it. Including you, halfcula." He pointed at DeVante.

DeVante awkwardly nodded as Jojo shrugged him off. "Let's go." He grumbles. They walk to the door, that leads to the stairs, "I'm Joel, by the way. I'm sorry you had to meet our racist ass Landlord." He says as he opens the door. DeVante shrugs. "I've heard and seen worse... To me, it's just a normal day in Virginia.." "Isn't that a Hicks State?" "Isn't the whole South a hicks state?" He replies and the two shared a laugh.

"So, what made you move further down south instead of going north?" He shrugged, "Truthfully, I just drove. Me and my stepfather got into a heated argument and I just bounced." He explains. Well, kinda explains, he excludes the part that the two was throwing racial slurs at each other before his father decided to hit him. "I understand, our father is.... Something else." "Our?" "My brother, Cedric, you talked to him on the phone earlier." "Oh... He seems... Pleasant." He says, with slight distaste. Jojo laughed.

"Cedric is a character... You'll like him, once you get to know him." DeVante shrugged. "Alright, I'm taking your word for it." "Look, I wouldn't lie to ya. No matter, how bad we needed the rent money. Cedric is cool peoples, and that's my word." Jojo said, doing the scout honor symbol. DeVante chuckled. "Alright, bet." They arrived at the floor and Jojo led him to the apartment. He opens the door and the apartment didn't look bad for the asking price.

"This shit is nice," DeVante said, nodding to the apartment. "Thanks." He said, winking. "Cedric, DeVante is here." "Ok, nigga and?" Cedric said as he came out his room. "Cedric be nice." Cedric rolled his eyes. "He's thirty minutes late. I hope you not late when it comes to rent." He said as he looked at DeVante up and down, noting his physical features. "Aye, look I got lost, your directions sucked. You told me the wrong street name." Cedric scoffed. "And? You figured it out." He said, shrugging. DeVante looked at Jojo. "Cedric." He warned.

Cedric sighed. "You really gunna sit with the Mutt." "Excuse me?" "You heard me, I called you a mutt." "At least, I don't look like a gremlin. How you short and ugly then on top of that you burnt than a nigga in a cotton field all damn day? Like how do you live with yourself." Cedric clutched his chest. "This negro is bold." He said, appalled. Then, a big smile formed on his face. "I like you already." As he pats his shoulder, happily. DeVante raised his eyebrow and awkwardly chuckled off that tense moment.