Toy's Story (3 page)

Before
I
could
even
finish
my
train
of
thought,
Wonder
Boy,
who
followed
me
to
my
table,
sits
across
from
me,
just
as
the
waitress
returns
with
the
cup
of
hot
chocolate
that
I
ordered.
I looked up briefly from my texting to give him the evil eye.

"Look,
I
don't
mean
to
be
a
pest,
but
please
just
let
me
sit
with
you
and
enjoy
some
mediocre
food
and
good
conversation
before
I
get
back
on
the
highway.
It's
Christmas
Eve
and
I
have
another
two
to
three
hour
drive
ahead
of
me.
 
I
promise
I'll
get
up
just
as
soon
as
your
man
arrives.
 
Please?
I'm
harmless,
I
swear."
He
pleaded.

“
Fine
with
me,
but
you're
buying.
”
I
declared
as
I
casually
continued
to
play
with
my
phone
and
silently
wondered
why
neither
one
of
these
orangutans
that
I'm
fucking
has
not
even
bothered
to
call
me
back.
 
Damn
they
could
at
least
send
me
a
‘
Leave
me
alone
I'm
fucking
my
girl,
’
text.

"I'm
Logic,
Logic
Hart.
I'm
sorry
I
should
have
introduced
myself
earlier.
 
It's
just
that
you're
so
beautiful
and
I
saw
an
opportunity
to...
Well
you...

"Don't
worry
about
it.
It
happens
all
the
time.
I'm
Zatoya,
but
everyone
calls
me
Toy."

"It's
nice
to
meet
you
Toy.
 
By
the
way
thanks
for
the
selection.
 
It
helped.
It
helped
a
lot."

"Oh
yeah?
 
I'm
glad
I
could
help
out."
 
I
nonchalantly
responded
as
my
cell
rang.
 
"Excuse,
me
for
a
second
I
have
to
take
this.
It's
my
ride."

Too
tired,
too
silly
and
too
damn
stupid
to
step
away
from
the
table
to
take
the
call,
I
made
the
rookie
ass
mistake
of
taking
a
call
from
someone
who
obviously
didn't
give
a
fuck
about
me.

"Hey,
I
called
and
texted
you
over
an
hour
ago.
What
happened?"

"Toy,
it's
Christmas
Eve,
I
got
to
help
Shanta
put
together
all
these
damn
toys
that
we
got
for
Little
Man.
 
And
then
I
got
to
go
over
to
Robin's
to
get
the
bike
set
up
for
my
daughter.
 
I
got
your
message,
but
I'm
not
sure
I
can
help.
I
mean
I
can
come
through
later
to
tune
you
up
for
Christmas,
but
there's
no
way
I
can
pick
you
up
from
West
Virginia."

"Are
you
serious?"

"Yeah,
you
know
my
kids
come
first.
 
I
told
you
that
when
we
started
messing
around.
 
Can't
you
call
that
other
nigga
that
you
fuck
with?"

"What
other
nigga
would
that
be,
Jamar?

"I
know
you
don't
even
want
to
play
this
game,
especially
since
you're
stranded
in
Dumbfuck,
West
Virginia."
 
Jamar
laughed.
 
"Look,
call
Old
Boy.
 
He'll
ride
out
and
pick
you
up
and
I'll
stop
through
around
two
or
three
to
bring
you
some
Christmas
cheer."

"You
know
what?
 
Fuck
you
and
fuck
that!
 
In
fact
don't
even
fuckin
call
my
phone
with
your
supercilious
brand
of
monkey
shit
anymore.
 
I'm
done.
 
If
your
dick
wasn't
so
damn
big
I
wouldn't
have
never
even
bothered
with
your
broke
ass
in
the
first
place."

"Why
you
mad?
Just
call
Old
Boy
and
I'll
come
over
later.
What's
the
problem?

"The
only
problem
I
have
is
that
I'm
still
on
the
phone
with
your
worthless
ass
instead
of
finding
a
ride
back
to
DC.
 
I
can't
believe
you're
going
to
leave
me
stranded
on
Christmas
Eve.
I
was
in
a
fuckin
car
accident
Jamar.
 
You
didn't
even
ask
if
I
was
hurt."

"I'm
sorry
baby.
 
I
just
assumed
that
you
were
okay.
 
Are
you
hurt?"

"Just
my
damn
feelings
!
 
After
everything
I
did
for
you
this
is
how
you
repay
me.
 
Hell,
I
bought
most
of
that
shit
that
you're
giving
your
kids
for
Christmas.
 
So,
don't
give
me
that
shit
about
your
kids
come
first!
 
And
you
can't
even
find
the
time
to
help
me
in
an
emergency?
 
That's
fucked
up,
Jamar."

"Toy,
what
do
you
want
me
to
do?
 
I
already
explained
my
situation.
 
If
it
wasn't
Christmas
I'd
be
on
my
way."