heard a lady on the L lean over to her friend
"well i just don't think that if we aren't allowed to say it, neither are they"
and i looked over and it took everything i had not to get in her face
get in her face and stare her in the eyes and tell her:
fuck you.
i'll tell you why you don't get to say this word, because this word isn't yours,
you haven't lived the word, know what it means.
your words are found in SAT prep books and college classes
this word - this one word - isn't for you
it's for the 12 year old who comes home and makes his 6 year old who isn't going to school mac and cheese for dinner because his moms is drugged out on the couch for the ninth day in a row.
it's for the street corner he's gonna stand on instead of going to school to provide.
maybe - maybe - if your kid's kids' kids go through the same struggle, maybe they can use it, too. but not you.
you get so many words we don't. so we get this one.
you get "good evening, officer", and we get handcuffs and a face full of concrete.
so how about i trade you our one word for those three.
then maybe you'll realize that even if we wanted to and we didn't say the word, we still need to watch out for police, just like you watch out for your purse when you see us on the L.
don't think i didn't notice.
you take your stares, your fear with you when you get off in your safe zone.
because i don't want it, or need it where i'm headed.
i'll just take my word.
