A Little Sketchy
By Joy Lynn Clark
July 8, 2024
During the period after college graduation and in between contracts, I decided to apply to school for production. I was eventually accepted but in the meantime I was back up north looking for an apartment. At night I was still doing promo when I was introduced to a really cool lady with locks at my favorite reggae spot. It was a little hole in the wall with cheap drinks. She and I took to each other quickly. I handed her a CD and some promo stuff.
The very next week I am taking my usual stroll near the beach. On the other hand, I’m feeling anxious because I really have to use the washroom and I can’t figure out where I can go without heading back home. In the distance I see the lady with the locks approaching. “She looks super familiar“, I think to myself. “Joy!“, She calls out. I am surprised that she remembers me too. However, I am quickly reminded how welcoming she is. We chat and I tell her about my upcoming performance. I also act really short and try to get going because I have to pee so bad. Next she adds, “I live just up the block you can use it at my place“. I am so grateful and laugh because she lives so close. I am surprised that this is the first time we’ve seen each other around the neighborhood. As we approach her place I mentioned that, “I really like this block and I need to move soon myself“.
She and I retain contact. I even watched her maintain her locks and we have discussed my hair options. I wore my hair in wraps for years and I really never knew how to deal with it. I am all into hats now. She patiently showed me and was like, “you should start your locks“. I was like, “I won’t like to start out short and I always change my mind“. She was like, “these are extensions too, see“ as she shows me her knots. Her hair looked nice but adding lock extensions still looks too difficult to me. Also, this was before lock extensions were popular.
I eventually found a new place but we still kept in touch. After about a year, I moved to the worst apartment in a great neighborhood near Armitage. She has moved also and is close by again. What a great coincidence! I stopped by her place and we chitchat. She mentions that she has been telling Common all about my music and that they are good friends. Tez has been out of town for a while but should be coming back soon.
She decides to take me for a visit. We go downtown to a hotel which I really wasn’t feeling but, I was glad to get an introduction. Once we enter the room it is a nice suite. Some ladies are chilling on the sofa and he was in the bedroom. My girl goes in the room to have a word with him. I look over and there’s Common asleep in the bed. While they chat I have a conversation with one of the ladies on the sofa. I tell her about my career as a musician and street promoter. I also tell her that I am studying production and hand her a CD and some flyers.
Next, the girl asks me for some weed. “Sure“ I said. I pull out my weed and start to roll a blunt. “You can’t smoke weed you have to go”, she explains. “I thought you wanted to smoke, we certainly don’t have to“, I answer in shock. Next, I put away the blunt in complete confusion. Then, my girl comes out of Common’s room like, “you can’t smoke in here, we have to go now.“
I totally felt like this whole thing was a set up. On the other hand, I thought meeting Common in the hotel room was sketchy anyway. At least I got to see the man sleep.
Back at her place, she gets Common back on the phone. In the meantime, I decided to call this girl I made out with the other night. My, “girlfriend“, comes over and we make out some more in my friends guest room. It was really hot and once again I feel rachett as hell in my friends apartment.
Tez also needs to be picked up from the airport.
Why do I feel like the ratchetest person alive? One thing I do know, I never smoked with Common.
