May 23,2010. 12:25AM.
Golden Temptation Strip Club
Cleopatra
When I stepped off the bus it was dark but the hot air immediately greeted me with a hello. I reached into my black, over-the-shoulder purse to still find the heap of money safely stashed away. Just the feel of it gives me hope. “A fresh start,” I thought to myself as I reminisced what happened the previous week.
Graduating from high-school is no easy job. There's always distractions and temptations around every corner. You had to be strong to make it through and I did. So here I am in sunny Sacramento, California, a whole different state, environment and people. I came a long way from Brick, New Jersey and an even longer way from Nigeria.
************
Now I've been walking for hours. My feet were cramping, my back hurts and I'm sweating because I was dressed like an Eskimo when it's clearly about 100 degrees out here. Not to mention, I'm exhausted. I came upon a black building with golden trimmings and a golden shape lady dancing in heels. “It has to be a strip club,” I thought.
I heard fast paced music booming and a voice saying, "Work that monkey." I rolled my eyes. Whatever that is. I stopped near the entrance to look in when a red-bone chick with loud red hair came out talking loud and yelling on her phone. She looked at me weird and proceeded to her Benz. I was lost and at least needed a hotel to stay in.
"Aye!" I looked to see the red-headed chick waving me over as I walked over to the driver’s side where she was.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"You look lost and by what you wearing I could tell you ain't from round he'ya are ya?" She asked. I could tell she was from down south because her county accent was too heavy not to be.
"Nah." I said, my Nigerian accent waving heavily.
"Wh'ea ya from?" She asked noticing my unfamiliar accent.
"Nigeria but I moved to Brick, New Jersey when I was two." I said.
"New Jersey?" She asked eyes widened.
"Yep." I said smiling.
"Me too!" She yelled getting excited.
"Cool." I said smiling.
"I'm Kandice but folks round che'ya call me Lil Red." Kandice said moving her curly waist length hair from her face.
"I'm Cleopatra but people call me Cleo." I said.
"Aye nice, like the Egyptian Queen?" Kandice asked tooting her nose up.
I laughed.” Yea like her.” I said while nodding my head. She welcomed me into her car so I walked over to the passenger side.
"Aye Kandice, do you know where I can get a hotel at?" I asked shifting my seat to get comfortable.
"Sure do but there's no need." Kandice said starting the car. I gripped the blade I had in my jacket pocket.
"Why?" I asked getting kind of tensed. I guess she could tell it because she busted out laughing and hitting me playfully on the arm.
"Girl, chill. I ain't finna kidnap you. I'm crazy, not stupid. I am just inviting you to my crib." Kandice said.
"Really?" I asked not believing what I just heard.
"Yes girl." Kandice said smiling friendly.
"Thank you." I said smiling back.
It was quiet. Only the music was vibing through the car as she drove and I rode..
"Yo, you think Cleopatra was a sista?" Kandice asked.
"Girl ain't no telling. Her paternal grandmother was Nubian which is considered as Black today and her mother was Semitic African. So yeah, she was a sista." I said.
"Look at you all smart and stuff." Kandice said laughing.
************
"Kandice do you have some shorts a little longer?" I asked looking at myself in the full body mirror in her bathroom.
"Cleopatra it looks fine!" Kandice said.
"I'm not coming out!" I protested sitting on the brown square tiles. I heard Kandice laugh.
"Suit yo'rs." She called.
After ten minutes I came out and she was right there in the living room watching television. I slowly crept out and Kandice laughed once more.
"I can see yo'r gonna be extra girl."