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THE PIMP
HE WAS WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL, ONLY 12 YEARS OLD
DIDN’T KNOW THAT CHICAGO COULD BE SO COLD
NOT THE WEATHER, BUT THE PEOPLE HE’D SEE OR MEET
IN THE DIRTY GRAY, STRESS CRACKED, CONCRETE CHICAGO STREETS
HE DREAMED ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD BE ONE DAY
WITH HIS BOOKS IN HIS HAND HE SAID “LIFE’S O.K.”
I’M GROWING UP, AND PEOPLE ARE COOL
BUT HE WAS ABOUT TO LEARN A LESSON OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
HE COULD SEE OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS LEFT EYE
A SLEEK, BEAUTIFUL, PINK LINCOLN CONTINENTAL DRIVE BY
WITH THE SUICIDE DOORS, WHITE WALLS AND SPOKED RIMS
HE SAID TO HIMSELF, I’M GONNA GET ME ONE OF THEM
THE LINCOLN PULLED OVER BY THE BUS STOP AND PARKED
UPON CLOSER INSPECTION HE COULD SEE IT SAID “MARK” VII –SEVEN
MAN, THIS CAR IS REALLY, REALLY NICE
THAT MAN MUST BE RICH AND THAT MUST BE HIS WIFE
BUT IT WASN’T LIKE THAT
HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR, IDLED THE THROTTLE
MAN, HE WAS CLEANER THAN A MALE FASHION MODEL
STETSON HAT AND SHOES, A TAILOR MADE SUIT AND A CASHMERE COAT...
YEAH, HE WAS CLEAN
THE CLEANEST MAN THE YOUNG BROTHER, IN PERSON, HAD EVER SEEN
HE WALKED AROUND TO THE PASSENGER SIDE
NO, HE DIDN’T WALK, IT WAS MORE OF A GLIDE
SLID UP TO THE DOOR AND HELPED THE LADY GET OUT
THIS WAS ONE COOL BROTHER, NO REASON TO DOUBT
WHEN SHE GOT OUT, SHE WAS CLEAN LIKE HIM
BEAUTIFUL DRESS, FUR AROUND HER NECK, FINE AND SLIM
THE KID SAID TO HIMSELF “YEAH, THAT’S HIS WIFE”
THAT MAN IS LEADING A HECK OF A LIFE
BUT IT WASN’T LIKE THAT
THEN HE ESCORTED HER TO THE SIDEWALK
HE STOOD IN FRONT OF HER AND THEY BEGAN TO TALK
THE KID KNEW LIFE COULD BE GOOD, THIS MAN WAS PROOF
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE
HE PUNCHED THE LADY IN THE FACE, LIKE SHE WAS A MAN
THE KID SAID WHAT IS HAPPENING, HE DID’NT QUITE UNDERSTAND
OFF FLEW HER GLASSES, HIT THE GROUND AND SHATTERED
THE KID LOOKED IN SHOCK AND SAID WHAT IS THE MATTER
HE PUNCHED HER AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN
UNTIL SHE FELL AGAINST THE WALL AND STARTED TO BEND – OVER
AND THAT’S WHEN HE PUNCHED HER ONCE MORE
AND STARTED STOMPING HER AFTER SHE HIT THE CONCRETE SIDEWALK CITY FLOOR
THEN HE WAS THROUGH
HE STRAIGHTENED HIS SUIT OUT, SMOOTHED OUT HIS SLEEVES AND AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED
HE TURNED AROUND TO LEAVE WALKED BACK TO HIS LINCOLN – PINK –MARK VII SEVEN - THAT DAY
TOOK THE CAR OUT OF IDLE AND THEN DROVE AWAY
AND THE LADY – HIS “WIFE” STARTED TO GET UP OFF THE GROUND
SLOW AND UNSTEADY, SHE KIND OF STUMBLED AROUND
AND PICKED UP HER GLASSES, WELL, THE BEAT UP, BENT UP RIMS
AND THE KID SAID TO HIMSELF “HOW COULD SHE BE WITH HIM”
SHE TRIED TO COMPOSE HERSELF, STRAIGHTEN HER CLOTHES
CLEAN THE DIRT OFF HER DRESS, CLEAN THE BLOOD FROM HER NOSE
HER SENSE OF EQUILIBRIUM WAS DEFINITELY GONE
SHE EVEN TRIED TO PUT THE LENSE-LESS HORN-RIMMED BROKEN FRAMED GLASSES BACK ON
SHE LOOKED UP, AND SAW HIM OBSERVING
WITH HIS BOOKS IN MY HAND, THE WHOLE EPISODE, QUITE UNNERVING
FROM ACROSS THE STREET THEY LOOKED EYE TO EYE, AND THIS IS A FACT
HER THOUGHTS TRAVELED TO HIM, SHE SAID, “DON’T BECOME A MAN LIKE THAT”
AS SHE WAITED FOR A BUS, THE YOUNG MAN WALKED AWAY
THEY BOTH WERE DAZED FROM WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY
THE KID HURT TO SEE HER HURT, UNCONCERN HE COULD NOT FEIGN
YEAH HE HURT TO SEE HER HURT, HE WAS PAINED TO SEE HER PAIN
WHEN THE YOUNG MAN GOT HOME, EXCITED, HE TOLD HIS WISE BIG BROTHER
WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE LADY, WHAT THE MAN HAD DONE TO HER
HIS BIG BROTHER SAID LISTEN TO ME, THAT WASN’T A NICE MAN
THAT WAS A GOD DAMN PIMP, WHO BEAT THAT WOMAN, UNDERSTAND
THEN HE EXPLAINED PIMP TO HIM
A COWARDPIMP WHO HAD EXPLOITED THAT LADY
A SLICK, LAZY PUNK WITH NO CLASS, REALLY SHADY
HE SAID ONE DAY HE’LL GET HIS, THE DAY WILL SOON COME
SOMEONE WILL BEAT THAT PIMP TILL HE’S NUMB
NOW EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ONLY 12 YEARS OLD
HE CAME TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE BIG WINDY COULD BE SO COLD
NOT THE WEATHER, BUT THE PEOPLE HE SAW ON THE STREETS
HE NO LONGER ADMIRED THE MAN WITH THE LINCOLN AND THE STETSONS ON HIS FEET
THE KID READ HIS BOOKS, HE STILL HAD AMBITION
TO SUCCEED IN CHICAGO AND, IN ADDITION
THROUGH LIFE HE RECALLED WHAT THE WOMAN THOUGHT TO HIM
DON'T GROW UP TO BE A MAN, LIKE THE PIMP HE SAW BACK THEN
AS HE GREW UP, HE MOVED UP AND BECAME A MAN
DISRESPECTING OTHERS WAS NOT IN HIS MASTER PLAN
HE PROMISED HIMSELF WHEREVER HE WENT IN THE WORLD
HE WOULD NOT TO BE A COWARD, BEATING UP WOMEN AND GIRLS
YEAH, THE KID DID ALRIGHT, LEARNED THE LESSONS FAST
FROM THE BOOKS, PEOPLE, STREETS, AND AT LAST
HE BECAME A MAN, NO MERCY FOR THOSE WHO PREY ON THE WEAK
HOW DO I KNOW... THAT YOUNG KID... WAS ME
I WAS WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL, ONLY 12 YEARS OLD
I DIDN’T KNOW THAT CHI-TOWN COULD BE SO COLD
NOT THE WEATHER, BUT THE PEOPLE I WOULD SEE OR MEET
IN THE DIRTY GRAY, STRESS CRACKED, CONCRETE CHICAGO STREETS
TIME TO BUNDLE UP, AND HAND THE VULTURES A CASE OF BITTER DEFEAT
COPYRIGHT BY J. BEN WALID
