“What happened to him?”
“I can’t tell you. You don’t need the details. Believe me, he’ll never hurt anyone again.” Kolby nodded his head as if satisfied with whatever the resolution turned out to be.
“Did you spend time in prison?” Savvy asked with caution.
“Not for this situation.” Kolby leaned closer to the table and lowered his voice. “Savvy, there are things I’m not proud of in my past. It will send you running in the other direction. One day, if you still want to learn more about me, we’ll talk.”
“I see.” Savvy absorbed his comments. “I can’t begin to imagine losing a friend the way you lost Sanai. I’m sorry about your loss.”
“Thank you. With the hole it left in my heart, you’d think this happened yesterday. Sometimes street justice is the best way to find peace.”
Words couldn’t fill the emptiness at the moment. The sounds of the restaurant surrounded them as seconds ticked by.
“Well, um.” Savvy scratched her neck.
“Sorry to bring you down. It’s okay. I’m glad you asked. Most people develop their own stories about someone based on the ink on their bodies. I don’t mind talking about mine.” Kolby ran his fingers across the tattoos on his neck. “One day, I’ll show you the angel I have on my back and some of the others I got in different years.”
“Okay. I’d like to check them out sometime,” Savvy agreed with sincerity. She didn’t have an interest in tattoos for herself, yet viewed them as works of art.
“I’ll show you something else instead,” Kolby whispered.
Savvy clutched imaginary pearls at her neck. “Excuse me?”
Kolby chuckled. “Get your mind out the gutter, woman.”
“I didn’t know what you were talking about. What do you want to show me?”
Kolby leaned toward her and lowered his wife-beater shirt further down his chest. His right pectoral muscle filled Savvy’s eyes as he revealed more tattoos. A picture of a lion with an opened mouth covered his skin. It took everything in her not to reach out to pet it.
Kolby pointed near the center of his chest to a blackened round, nickel-sized puncture. “See this right here?”
Savvy squinted and peered where he had his finger on the lion’s eye. “Yes. It looks like a scar. What happened?”
Kolby let his shirt go to cover his chest. “It’s a bullet hole.”
“You were shot?” Savvy exclaimed and leaned away.
“Yup. The bullet traveled straight through my body and exited out of my back. It buzzed only inches away from hitting my spine and any major organs.” Kolby puffed his chest with what appeared to be a badge of honor.
“Wow. You’re blessed to be alive. Why did someone shoot you?”
“I got into a fight. This brotha kept looking at me funny at a nightclub where I hang out. I stepped to him and asked him whassup. He put his hands on me and I told him to take it outside. I started to whale on him and he realized he wasn’t big and bad anymore. I punched him like Mike Tyson.” Kolby’s eyes widened and he bared his teeth as he relived the memory. “I finished with him and started to go to my car when he said somethin’ to me. I turned around and that’s when he shot me. Boom.”
Savvy’s mouth gaped open. “My goodness. What a horrible story. Did this happen when you were a teenager?”
“Nah. Five years ago.”
“Five years ago? You’re a grown man in your fifties worrying about somebody looking at you? Do you get into a lot
of fights?”
“Not anymore. I show homies they can’t disrespect me. I ain’t got no beef with no one if they mind their own.” Kolby pounded his fist into his palm. “Otherwise, they gonna learn not to mess with me.”
“But he didn’t do anything except look at you. Why did you get upset about something minor?” Savvy asked with true curiosity.
Kolby’s eyes blazed. “He sized me up. I guess he wanted to step to my lady friend. He thought I blocked his game.” Spittle sprayed from his lips.
“Oh. I see. Well.” Savvy glanced at her watch.
“I see you checking the time. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No. It’s okay. You shared something personal. I can’t even imagine all you experienced in healing from a bullet going through your chest.”
“Yeah. Sometimes, things get out of hand. I’m much better about handling punks now. Don’t worry,” Kolby reassured.
“I sure hope so.” Savvy twisted her lips in doubt. “Well, I better get going.”
“Can you spare me a few more moments with you?” Kolby pleaded.
Savvy hadn’t planned to spend as much of her morning with him. His intriguing conversation kept her glued to the seat. “I enjoyed talking with you. I have a lot of work to do and need to get to the office in a couple of hours.”
“I get it. I know how this unexpected pause in your day is going to have you running behind all week.” He flagged the waiter to bring the check. Savvy reached for her purse. Kolby held his palm out to receive the bill. “I got it. My treat.”
“Oh. Well, thank you. I appreciate the meal and the conversation.” Savvy wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin before placing it on the table.
“Excuse me if I’m out of line. But, may I have your number? I’d like to talk to you when I’m on the road. You know. Keep me company. It’s not every day I meet a woman who knows how to converse with a brother like me. I’m an ordinary guy.” Kolby examined the bill. He dug into his front pocket and produced a wad of crumpled money, which he began counting.
Savvy opened her mouth to decline giving out her number. She changed her mind.
“Sure. Hand me your phone and I’ll put it in there.”
Kolby grinned with such enthusiasm; Savvy thought his head would explode. “Thanks, sweetie. You made my day.” He passed his phone to
