do nun with ya’ self…look at you, all you do it play dis bullshit system all day. I hate I even bought that shit.”
“Ma’ why you trippin' on me y—”
“Shut-up!! she shouted cutting him off. “I’m tired of trying to help a man who ain’t trying to do nuthing for himself! Now get off yo’ ass and go find somewhere to work.” She yelled.
Trouble never saw her show so much emotion and anger before in his life, so he remained quiet, and left as she commanded.
The moment he stepped outside and began walking he noticed niggaz standing on the block waiting for their clientele to come through. And here I am tryna be legit and getta job, knowin damn well muhfuckas don’t wanna hire a convicted felon…but bills at da’ crib still gotta be paid, my nigga Slick is in jail, ma dukes startin to put pressure on me…shit I really need to get it how I live. Trouble was confused as he strolled through the block trying to clear his mind…but suddenly out the blue he remember the he applied for the three openings at Kroger. Although it had been a couple weeks since he first put in the application, at this point he felt anything was better than nothing. When he made it to Kroger thirty minutes later, he went straight to customer service. When asked “May I help you?”
He replied, “Yes ma’am I was trying to see if I can talk to a supervisor or someone about employment.”
“Oh, I’m sorry sir! But our supervisors only want to see those who have applications on file. So you have to fill out this a—”
“Ma’am sorry, but I already have one on file.”
“When did you apply sir?”
“Uhh I know it had to be almost a month or so ago.”
“Oh great! What’s your name, so I can get him to pull up your app and come have a word with you?”
“Daunté Jones.”
He responded. At that point she grabbed the phone and dial his extension…Ten minutes later a tall dark skin slender guy in his late thirties, with a head full of dreads, and one gold tooth like Shabba Ranks stepped to Trouble saying
“Yo mon! Are you Daunté Jones?”
“Yeah dat’s me.”
“Okay good, I’m Mr. Johnson or either John-John nice to meet you...Now I see here on de bottom of your application you were convicted of armed robbery correct?”
“Yeah that’s true sir, unfortunately.” He replied, as he dropped his head with a good idea of what he was about to hear him say next.
“Well, me glad you told de truth. I hate liars…But on de other hand I really believe in givin people a second chance, someone gave me one when I got out. So I always looked at it as my way of giving back. You can never forget where you came from.”
Trouble felt a sigh of relief and couldn’t stop smiling “So dat means I’m hired?”
“Uhh not quite. You still gotta have another interview with the store manager, plus take a urine test.”
“So when should I be hearing from da’ store manager in a couple of days?”
“Well he interview people in de order de applications is received. Den if you get hired you take de urine test dat day.”
Trouble’s patience was beginning to go very thin.
“So how many people ahead of me, if you don’t mind me asking?” he inquired.
“Off de top of me head I don’t know, but not many. We’re gonna call you when we ready for you to come in.
Jesse Ventura, Dick Russell
Glenn van Dyke, Renee van Dyke