"What's so great about her anyway? huh, Grandad?" Riley asked his Grandfather.
Grandad looked in his mirror, and straightened his tie. Huey, and Riley sat on his bed, listening.
"She makes me happy." Grandad said.
"Oh, so that's why she deserves to eat cheddar biscuits?" Riley asked, angrily. "We're not eating cheddar biscuits!"
Grandad ignored Riley, and walked downstairs, the 10 and 8 year olds .
"Come on, Grandad! Don't leave us!" Riley begged.
"Sorry, boys. She just makes a more convincing case." Grandad said, getting his coat. "She's persuasive."
"Oh, what can she do that we can't?" Riley asked. Huey looked at Riley. Riley understood.
"Never mind." Riley said.
"I'll be back soon, we've got bread. Don't set the house on fire!" Grandad said in a cheery voice.
Riley, and Huey were standing in the foyer. "Man she's gonna be just like that Cristal hoe!" Riley sneered.
"I don't think so. Guatanna's an art professor." Huey said, he nodded his head in approval. "Remember her?"
"Yeah, she's fine and all, but she still a hoe!"
"Riley, not all women are hoes. We're talking 25% tops." Huey responded. They slouched against their sofa.
"All I'm saying is why he got to pay for her? That's what makes her a hoe."
"He's not paying her, he's paying the restaurant. And, I don't know, it's customary for you to pay."
"But you PAYING, that makes her a hoe!" Riley reasoned.
"No, it doesn't. That's like when you go to the store, and give your money to a cashier, are they a hoe? No, you're paying the store, not the cashier. In other words, you paying for dinner, doesn't make the woman a hoe." Huey explained.
Riley thought for a second, defeated.
"Why they gotta eat at Red Lobster? If you gon' pay for her food, why don't you just give her the money, so she can buy groceries? It lasts longer that way."
"I don't know, atmosphere, I guess." Huey said.
"Pff. Atmosphere? Bulllshiit." Riley stretched. "This nigga be trippin'! Besides, I bet she is a hoe, what would she want with an old ass nigga like Grandad?"
Huey shrugged. "She has her reasons, I doubt any of them involve solicitation."
"Whatever." Riley said.
Huey shifted. "You always say you want a hoe, what are you worried about?" Huey asked.
"I don't want a hoe, I want hoes. You can't tie me down to one! I don't care what nobody says!"
"So, you'll be like a pimp?" Huey asked.
"Yeah, man! I'd be so...hey!" Riley said. Huey laughed. "You said it yourself." Huey said.
"I can't be no pimp. I mean, it's good to have hoes and all, but I don't want them niggas gettin' a free ride from my hoes. You know? Know where yo' bitches at, at all times! That's one of many principles." Riley said.
"How do I know, some nigga didn't just kidnap my hoe? Now I gon' be like givin' cell phones, I ain't got time for that, nigga." Riley continued. "I'd be busy traveling' the world!"
Huey looked at his brother. "Love can be like a journey into someone's world."
"Man! Nigga you gay." Riley concluded, crossing his arms. "But curiosity wise, how?"
"Think about this: you're stranded here in Woodcrest, everyone disappears. For a while you feel alone, and you try to survive in this environment. You start to develop habits, schedules, and interests.
Soon you start to search for other people. You're searching, certain there's someone else around, and you find another person. If you two trust each other, you'll show the other person how you've survived, how you've lived, schedules, habits, survival techniques, your past, etcetera. So your once isolated world, becomes populated with another companion."
Riley looked at Huey. Riley quickly scowled. "Man, if I were stranded here in Woodcrest, I'd be robbin' niggas left and right! I'd be startin' with Wuncler, then some other people. When I've got all that cash, I can do whatever I want!"
Huey sighed, thinking his brother missed the point he was trying to make. He stared off.
"You know, at least Jazmine ain't no hoe." Riley said. Huey looked at him.
"Of course she isn't."
"Yeah, and you don't go act like a bitch, and pay. I just wanted to say, good luck to you, man." Riley said.
Huey didn't expect this statement from Riley. "That was...unexpected. Thanks Riley." He said.
Riley nodded. "Yeah, I just wanted to say it. You might seem like a gay ass hater sometimes Huey, but if you're with Jazmine, how gay could you be? I guess 95%, maybe 97%." Riley started snickering.
"Riley, shut your dumb ass up." Huey said.
"Out of respect for y'all, I won't call her a hoe, 'cause you'd bitch about it." Riley continued.
"Thank you, and shut your dumb ass up." Huey said, feeling thankful, and insulted.
"Man, I'm just saying." Riley replied. "I'm glad that you's found someone. Like...Like I used to think she was crying all the time, and shit, but she's better than I thought. She tolerates your ass? Man, gotta give her some points for that."
Huey grumbled.
"So now, when's a nigga gonna get some love?" Riley said, gesturing to himself. "Where's my hoe...not that she's a hoe." Riley said, refraining from calling Jazmine a hoe, so his brother wouldn't waste five minutes bitching.
"You'll find yours someday, Riley." Huey said. "Don't stress about it now. Jazmine and I aren't dating."
"You know, I'm gon' find someone who I don't have to pay for, 'cause that's where it starts, you know, paying for these hoes."
Huey's eyes shifted. "Like I said, you'll find someone." He said.
"If y'all aren't going out, what's going on?" Riley asked.
"Since nothing's really changed, we'll stay friends. Besides, we both think we're too young to go out." Huey said.
"A'ight, then." Riley said, his eyelids started to droop.
"Hey, Huey, remember when I asked Grandad what Gutanna can do that we can't?"
"Yeah."
"Anything specific you know about?" Riley asked.
"No, shut up." Huey said, scowling. Riley laughed.