Corner of Hornsey Lane

Stop following me. You keep talking to me. I can’t hear myself think. I need to be alone now.

But I ain’t in your dream Keisha. You’re in mine.

I’m serious. I need you to go now.

No, but you’re missing it. Listen: my dream is my dream. You get me? Your dream is your dream. You can’t dream my dream. What you eat don’t make me shit. You get me? That’s my dream—you can’t get in there.

Jesus Christ you sound like the Magic Negro.

I’m pure magic.

Just go home!

I ain’t going nowhere.

If you’re going to hurt me, there’s no point. You’re too late.

Now why would you even say that to me? We’re walking nice and friendly. I’m not a bad person, Keisha. Why you acting like I’m some kind of bad man. You remember me. You know who I am.

I don’t know who you are. I don’t know who anybody is. Stop following me.

Why you being cold to me now? What have I done to you? I ain’t done nothing to you.

Who was that girl, the little one, in the headscarf?

Huh? Why you worrying about her?

You live with her?

That’s your problem: you want to be up in everybody else’s dream. We’re friendly—we’ve been walking nice and friendly. Why’re you stepping to me now?

Wasn’t she at Brayton? She looked familiar to me. Is her name Shar?

Didn’t know her then. That ain’t her name with me.

What’s her name with you?

We in court? I call my girls all sorts.

What do you do to your girls? You send them out to thieve? You pimp them out? Do you phone women up? Do you threaten them?

Whoa whoa, slow down, man. You got me twisted. Listen, me and my girls stick together. That’s all you need to know. They got my back. I’ve got theirs. We’re many but we’re one. Fingers on a hand.

You hiding from someone, Nathan? Who’re you hiding from?

I ain’t hiding from no-one! Who says I’m hiding?

Who is that girl, Nathan? What do you do to your girls?

You’re not right in your head. You’re talking some pure craziness now.

Answer the question! Be responsible for yourself! You’re free!

Nah, man, that’s where you’re wrong. I ain’t free. Ain’t never been free.

We’re all free!

But I don’t live like you though.

What?

I don’t live like you. You don’t know nothing about me. Don’t know nothing about my girls. We’re a family.

Strange family.

Only kind there is.