I met Brittttttt in August of 2008. We had both just graduated high school and found ourselves giving a year to change the world.
It was opening day of our year serving the students of the Philadelphia School District through City Year, an education nonprofit that places young adults in under resourced public schools as mentors, tutors, and student support leaders. The goal is helping students improve attendance, behavior, and academics while building stronger school communities.
We weren’t in the schools yet. This was the beginning. They placed us on what was called a “Crazy Team,” basically a group meant to help us get to know the people we’d potentially be serving alongside. Some would become our permanent teammates once we entered the schools and the real work started. Others were just passing through our story for a season.
On that first day, they threw us right into service.
We got sent to Marian Anderson Rec Center in South Philly for one of many beautification projects. The senior team had different assignments set up around the rec center. Picking up trash. Painting murals. Touching up King Ball and hopscotch lines so the kids had games to play. Painting swings. Cleaning slides.
And then there was the task I got assigned, painting the long rusted gates surrounding the entire rec center.
It was me and a small group of folks all eager to get down and dirty in the August heat. I wasn’t one of the eager ones
My first thought was honestly,
I wonder if McDonald’s will hire me back?
They wouldn’t. Especially not the way I quit. Lol.
And then, over in the distance, I saw this light skin girl with the coolest colored hair. Freckles like Pepper Ann. A bomb bracelet. Some dope shorts and a fresh tee. Shordie was not here do be painting no damn gates.
Then I looked down and started laughing hard as hell.
She had tied plastic bags over her sneakers.
“These Chucks are new, I’m not getting paint on them,” she said. They were these Bob Marley type print.
“Yeah… she’s gonna be my friend,” I said to myself.
Writing this 18 years later, I never could’ve imagined that moment would lead to us becoming best friends. But here we are.
Britt and I completed our City Year together. Through the highs, the lows, and all the bullshit in between. We made it to the other side tighter than a niggaz jeans in the skinny jeans era lol. Her family became my family and mine became hers.
And it all started in a park on a hot ass summer day.
And then there’s Que. Or Quinny. Depends on how I’m feeling that day.
I met Que through Britt.
Keepin it one hunnit, I only met him because I was jealous this yellow nigga had become close with my best friend. They had a class together and started hanging out all the time and I was annoyed as hell about the whole situation. Every time I talked to Britt, she brought up this niggaz name Lol.
The first time we all hung out, we went to this hookah spot in Old City. It was BYOB and Britt wasn’t 21 yet, so naturally we showed up with some cheap ass tequila and proceeded to drinkkkkkkkkk.
I ain’t wanna look weak in front of the “new friend,” so I challenged Que to what I guess you could call a drink off.
Shot for shot. Talking shit. Laughing. Vibing.
Next thing I know, I’m laid out in the bathroom fighting for my life.
Okay, maybe not dying, but definitely close to those heavenly gates.
Que found me laid out on the floor in my own vomit. Britt had tapped out too. This nigga helped both our drunk asses out the spot.
I honestly don’t even remember if we paid the bill. I just know them people wanted us OUT. And out we went.
I remember stumbling outside drunk and embarrassed. And of course, because I’d been drinking like a damn fish, I had to pee again.
Que suggested we hit a nearby club so I could use the bathroom.
Yall… I genuinely do not remember how it started, but somehow I ended up arguing with this big ass security guard outside the club. And I mean arguing arguing. The tequila, had whispered sweet nothings to me, telling me I could knock this big ass man right on his ass.
The one thing I do remember clearly though is,
Que stepping directly between us before my nerdy drunk ass got folded.
It was in that exact moment I realized this cool ass, in shape light skin nigga that reminded me of Larry the Lobster from Sponge Bob, wasn’t a threat to my friendship with Britt.
That was my brother.
And over the years he kept proving it.
Whether it was stepping in front of another big ass nigga I decided to talk shit to. Giving me a couch to crash on. Looking out for me with jobs. Or being a last minute babysitter for his Goddaughter Sage, who’s best friends with his daughter Amari, my Goddaughter.
Britt and Que are the siblings I always wanted.
Two loyal ass, funny ass, get on my nerves ass niggaz.
Crazy thing, both of them are from North Philly. Matter fact, damn near everybody I love deeply is from North Philly. That side breeds some of the best people Philly has to offer.
I’m just grateful.
Real grateful.
By the way, Britt tried to kill once, while she was training me at Planet Fitness, tryna get me that R&B singer body. And Que, shares a birthday with Michael Jackson, thee Michael Jackson.
O yeahhhhhh, I ain’t explaining the title either.
They understand it.
Ask them nigga. Lol.
