Miscegenist Sabishii (2 page)

But Tony is not like that. He actually is black! I know it’s strange because he is a short Asian but he grew up in Bond Hill and happens to be best friends with my all time favorite cousin, Julian who I call Jay. In some ways work is like being in school and trying to make new friends. Tony is probably the only one I could really consider a friend. And that’s because he never switches hats on me. He can give me direction as my supervisor then ask me if I want to take a break with him and one of the Board of Directors. That’s what’s so cool about him. He can hang at the top and schmooze with the tax attorneys just as comfortably as he can sit across from me at a burger joint.

And listen to this--his nickname used to be T-Baby. This I learned from Jay. You can’t get blacker than that! Jay told me to watch out because Tony liked black women with big asses and big titties which I happen to have an ample amount of both. I told Jay he should be happy that we were talking over the phone and I couldn’t pop him in the head. Tony is at least a foot shorter than me and I have about 50 pounds on him, so there was nothing happening there even if he wasn’t my team leader.

I can say that I’ve warmed up to the job a lot. I especially love Fridays--not only for being the end of the work week, but because it is dress down day and I can be more myself. This Friday I decided to wear a sheer cream blouse; billowy and ethereal, then a spaghetti string tea length dress that hugged me in just the right spots. The cover-all made me appear demure and though beneath it I was rocking a skintight skirt I thoroughly pulled off the ‘corporate sexy’ look. I realize that I’m a bit flamboyant. But I am still tasteful.

First thing Fridays we have meetings for like two hours. People bring things to snack on. Tony doesn’t drink coffee, so he always brings a good
Asian tea and almond cookies. I don’t even eat the donuts and danishes anymore, the cookies and tea are that good.

After two months I just finally had to know and so I asked. “Where do you get these?” I was on my third cookie.

“I make them.”

“Are you serious?” He shrugged. “They’re not hard to make.”

“I bet your girlfriend loves and hates you for this.” He gave me a quick look then laid out more cookies on a tray.

“It’s just me and Wu-Tang.”

“Wu-Tang?”

“My dog; my boxer.”

I chuckled. “Wu-Tang. That’s a cool name.”

“Did you get some of the tea?”

“Did you make that too?” I said, half joking.

“Yes, I actually did. I blend the leaves myself.”

“Jeez Tony…” I gave him an impressed stare. Then Mr. Milton called the meeting to order.

Later that day Tony asked me to go to The Ritz with him to watch my cousin D.J. on Old School Sunday. At first I didn’t know how to take the invite, but Tony was just cool like that and I’m sure he wouldn’t make it into something that it wasn’t. Besides, he’s a little man and I’m tall and thick-- not necessarily fat, but what a man would call healthy. So I told him that it would be cool and I’d call Jay to let him know we were coming. Tony told me he’d pick me up, which at first I objected to but he assured me that it would be right en route to the club, so I okayed it.

TONY

So after two months of working together Nikki and I have date. Okay, actually, it wasn’t a date but I was going to use tonight as an opportunity to tell her that I liked her--out of the work place where it wouldn’t seem like sexual harassment.

I drive a Jag. My big weakness is that I like nice things. I own a nice condo, drive a nice car, and wear expensive clothes. Nikki has never seen me dressed casually, not even on dress down Fridays.

Tonight I did, donning black slacks and a black shirt that stretched across my torso and arms allowing all of the work that I’ve been doing in the gym to show.  I was also sporting black Timberlands and a Kokopelli necklace.

I got to her place early so that she could let me in while she finished getting ready and then I could scope out her living arrangements-- but she had me beat because she wasn’t on CP time.

I didn’t even care because she looked so damn good. What her wardrobe had hinted at at work was now all up in my face. Baby had cleavage for miles! She was wearing a spaghetti string dress that went just below her knees, ankle strap heels and a hair weave that fell exotically down

her back. Forget trying to play it cool because my mouth hung open and my tongue rolled out of my mouth!

“Did I over dress?”

“N-no.” I stuttered. You look great.” I led her out to the car, opening the passenger door for her.

“Tony!” She exclaimed. “Your ride is sharp!”

“Thanks.” I started the car and the radio came on already tuned to the local R&B station. Out of the corner of my eye I watched her make a silent assessment of me and my environment. I think I’m ¾ of the way there.

The club wasn’t crowded. There was a nice older group, mostly black but still a good mixture of races. The conversation on the ride over was mostly about what clubs and bars we liked. She had never been to the Ritz before so I led us in and directly to VIP. I hadn’t been there in years but the bartended recognized me and we slapped hands and talked for a few minutes before continuing upstairs to VIP.

When we got there I was surprised to see a group of friends that I hadn’t seen since my college days. “Hell no!  Big D?!” I yelled hugging

Dean. He was the one ‘Big American Ox’ that used to come to my house on a regular basis.

“T-Baby!” He said equally as enthusiastically, slapping my back heavy handedly. My entire crew was here!  Back in high school we used to be practically inseparable.  I greeted each of them enthusiastically and then everyone stood back, looking at me and Nikki together curiously, wondering if we were together.  I pulled her forward

“Hey guys, this is Nikki, This Jay-Dog’s cousin.” And then they greeted her enthusiastically, too. Dean gave me an inquisitive look that I ignored because I really didn’t know how to respond. Nikki wasn’t really with me but…

“Where is Jay-Dog?” I asked while pulling out a chair for Nikki then sitting down next to her.

“He’s in the middle of a set.” I let my head bob to the rhythm of his slamming beat. “He’s still good.” I looked at Nikki. “Did you know about these guys being here?”

She beamed at me. “Jay told me not to say that he was inviting the entire gang.”

“None of us knew.” Dean said and then gave Nikki an appreciative once over. Thankfully she
didn’t notice. We ordered drinks, Nikki ordered Hennessey-- I stuck with soda since I had made myself her designated driver. Nikki got comfortable with everybody. Whether it was the Hennessey or because she had a connection with them through her cousin, I don’t know, but it was nice being with her and knowing that she was at ease with my friends.

I was relieved when Jay-Dog came back from the DJ’s booth. And not just because I hadn’t seen him in forever but because Dean caught Nikki’s attention and he was trying to engage her in some one on one dialogue.

To Dean’s credit he is what most women would be attracted to; 6’3”, shaved head, goatee, and a body that showed his love of weight lifting.  But even back in our high school days I knew that he was an even bigger dog than Wu-Tang.

When Jay-Dog left the D.J. booth and entered VIP he started ragging on me because I had bulked up a lot since he’d last seen me. I told him that he had gained the fat that I had lost, and then I rubbed his Buddha belly. It was all in fun. I was heavier from my years in the gym and even though my people are not blessed in the gluteus maximus area; the stair master took over where nature fell short and I’m proud to say that my shirt outlined my triceps and biceps nicely.

“Nikki, you should have seen T-baby in high school.” Jay-Dog was saying. “He was skinny, and was always sportin’ these mirrored sunglasses.”

The guys roared.

“I still got those things. They’re going to come back in style!” I joked.

“This is the only Japanese dude in the world who ever wore his pants hanging off his ass.”

“You didn’t do that?!” Nikki asked, amazed.

“Only long enough for my mom to yank them down and beat my ass in public.  After that I lost my taste for it.”

Jay-Dog had to go back into the booth and before Dean could swoop in on Nikki again, I asked her if she wanted to dance. She gave me a surprised look then led me to the dance floor. Some booty-bouncing song was on and all of the women on the dance floor were making me feel like I was in a rap video.

But instead of bouncing her ass, Nikki raised her hands over her head, closed her eyes and let her body sway to the beat of the song. She wasn’t

dancing like anyone else and looked damn good doing what she was doing. I stepped up closer to her but not enough to actually touch and then I matched her moves like a silhouette. She brought one arm down to my shoulder and I put my hand on her hip. I closed my eyes, too, matching her moves by the feel of her swaying hips.

When the song changed I opened my eyes to see her watching me. Her eyes were glossy from the Hennessy, but she looked like she was enjoying herself on the dance floor. She suddenly changed her dancing, clapping her hands and gyrating her voluptuous body. Her breasts were catching a lot of attention from other guys on the dance floor-- not just me.

I broke out in my own moves and Nikki gave me an impressed look. Back in the day I used to live in clubs, if I know nothing else, I know how to dance. When Nikki saw that I was at ease on the dance floor, something seemed to transform in her. She dropped it like it was hot and began to lay claim to the dance floor.

She and I danced song after song until J-Dog slowed it up. Nikki turned to head back to VIP but I took her hand and pulled her to me. She smiled and put her arms around my neck so that I could hold her hips. With her wearing high

heels my eyes were even with her mouth and I didn’t want to have to look up at, her making me feel even shorter than I already was. But I couldn’t look down either, because…well, her breasts were there.

So I turned my head to the side and before I knew what I was doing I had my face in the crook of her neck. Instead of pushing me away, she lessened the slack of her arms around my neck, causing our bodies to come together closer and now we were actually dancing close enough to be one!  I was so excited.  We were slow dancing. When the song ended she quickly slipped away from me and headed for the ladies room. I went back to the table and ordered her a fresh drink.

Dean winked at me. “That your lady, man?”

I paused. “Not yet.” Dean laughed. “That’s a fine sista. You think you can handle that?”

I gave him a knowing grin. High school was over, and I might not have as many notches on my belt…but I could hold mine. When Nikki came back I tried to scope out how she was feeling about the dance, but her expression said nothing. I was happy to see my boys and all, but because they were there it took away the intimate quality that I had been hoping for. Still, I was having a good time and she seemed to as well. “Nikki, let me know when you’re ready to go.”

She looked at her watch. “In and hour?”

“Okay.”
　
My boys tried to get her to dance with them because she was the only female in the group, but she begged off, complaining that her feet were bothering her. I wanted to offer to give her a foot massage since I was a licensed masseuse, but since I had never even told her that I liked her, I didn’t think it would be very cool to be rubbing on her feet. Yes, in my prior life I used to enjoy a living as a massage

I went to the restroom and when I came back Dean and Nikki had their heads together chuckling. They straightened when they saw me. Damn, Dean was blocking my flow…

“You ready to go?” I asked even though the hour wasn’t up.

“Yeah.” She stood up and we all said our goodbyes, promising to hook-up next month at the basketball court. When we exchanges phone numbers I kept my eye on Dean making sure he didn’t secretly slip his to Nikki. I decided I was going to fuck him up on the court when I saw him again. Not only can I dance, I can play some mean basketball.

　
Back in the jag Nikki sighed tiredly. “You have some nice friends.” She yawned.