Corporate Boy Slim

     After Cain had murdered his brother Abel, God asked him where his brother was. Cain answered, “I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain’s words have come to symbolize people’s unwillingness to accept responsibility for the welfare of their fellows — their “brothers” in the extended sense of the term. Much like Able, I had no idea that Corporate Boy Slim was capable of pulling a Cain – like betrayal, whereas I was murdered in a sense symbolically like Able. I was enjoying having real money for the first time when I met Slim. We kicked it on a cruise ship about a number of topics. Mental sparring in every sense of the word. He would grow to be one of my most trusted friends. A brother from another mother. Something was off from the jump though. Little things that would eventually lead to bigger things. For example: If a few weeks would pass and we didn’t speak, he would get bent outta shape. He would give me the speech that made you feel like you were being scolded. “We need to be close and we each need to have each other’s back” Slim would say, with a voice that vibrated at the frequency of chastise. Granted, we were both doing contract work on the road far from home. Yes, it would be wise to keep close contact, so whereas we could monitor each other’s back. His reasoning sounded reasonable. However, I just met this cat on a cruise ship 4 months ago. Was I really the only intellectual “goon” he knew? Was he with the shits for real? Was he street cat on the low that needed other brothers with the shits just incase the beef popped off? None of that was actually the case though. The foundation of his motives were fear. Yes fear. To be clear. I am not trying to paint this man as some kind of punk. It would be easy to write his narrative and twisting the fact to make it seem as if he’s some sort of bitch ass nigga. But Slim was no punk. So I would be a punk to call defame him as such. Through my perspective, his fear was more about people. A skeptical and cynical man, his word view people was odd to me. I would listen to him verbally dissect people. But not in the way that highlighted one’s beauty. To o also be fair, I confess, that I allowed dialogue like this for fear of not being accepted by my peers. So I do assure you, I blame this man for nothing and wish him great fortune. However I have to finish this story. lol #testify

Some times goes by and gets me a job. He is my boss now. Life is good. Or at least it is in my mind, (My brother and I are in here) I wasn’t looking for any handouts and I wasn’t a idiot in regards to this new work environment reality. My brother from another mother is my boss. I not only do I have to be better, faster, earlier and more professional than everyone else. I have to keep the fact that he’s my dog to myself. I am sure, other employees would feel uneasy if they knew. I told Slim this to his face. He agreed with me. I will work my way through the ranks at let my brother do the rest. Little did I know that Slim had other ideas.

There were a number of weird moves that happened shortly after this conversation.

Weird Move #1. My wife at the time confessed to me that she never trusted Slim. I always wondered why she waited until after I accepted the job to tell me.

Weird Move #2. He told everyone on the job we were boys anyway. Thanks. Now they look at me like I’m some sort of snitch/corporate plant.

Weird Move #3. He always compared how long he knew the guys he grew up with, to the time I knew him. Slim would say shit like “I’ve known you for 10 years, but I’ve known them for 20” To which I would say “wtf?” to myself when he did. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why someone would feel the need to highlight that. With the assertion that somehow tried to suggest that I was pressed to be his “Bestie” As if skirts aren’t so much more fun to chase.

Weird Move #4. Remember folks, this is the same cat that would say “We need to be close and we each need to have each other’s back” 4 months after I met him on a cruise ship.

Weird Move #5. Although I won favor with his superiors and excelled at my job quickly, he stayed on my case. His vibe suggested he had done me a favor by giving me the job. He did do me a favor, but I did him one by accepting the job. I had all of the credentials and letters after my name to eligible. to to mention, his other employees really weren’t very hard to beat. At all.

Final Move & Last Straw  This motherfucker showed me his penis. Why would you do that? We were in Europe talking philosophy, life and Christ. We were in a hotel in Germany. I get outta bed to hit the can and I walked by his bed on my way to it. He pulls back the covers as I walked by and bam. I should whup his ass right now but I am 7000 miles from home. Slim has all of the fucking maps and directions. So I acted like I never saw that shit. Ever.

Bottom line. Thank god for all of his creatures. They teach us so much. I am grateful to Slim because he helped me learn what some folks are capable of. Most of us don’t know until we know. The only real way to know what you want is by exploring everything you don’t. I now say “No” to cats who make weird moves like Slim did once upon a time. He wasn’t an evil man, he was just an insecure one. So was I. I didn’t say “No” however until I was comfortable in my own skin, free from insecurities. I said “No” to being loyal for loyalties sake. I am from the school where your word is your bond. So when a cat refers too you in terms of brotherhood and such, it is taken seriously. This incident taught me how to say “No” to the words and pay more attention to the actions. Again, who am I to judge Slim. Just like me he’s a child of God too. This if for all of my leaders out there. All of the true Queens and Kings. Not every invitation is a welcome one.

“The Art of Saying NO” (The Memoirs of a Naive Poet)