Neighborhood Watches

The air was thick with smoke as both Jasmine and Malik were lounging comfortably, going from watching TV to letting the TV watch them.

Malik’s word was his bond, so he had gotten up earlier to wash the lunch dishes and by doing so, took a quick inventory of the pantry and fridge and made mental note.

“Speakin of options, you want me to take something out for dinner?” He asked as he snuffed out his cigarette in the divot of the ashtray because it was filling up quickly, but then he got up with the ashtray and took it to the trashcan on the patio and dumped it out. Jasmine made a mental note and smiled softly to herself. Tilting her head and wrinkling her face up a little bit, she replied,

“Hmmmm, It’s a little late for that. We can order somethin if you want, not a problem. But thank ya for offerin to cook? You like cookin?”

Malik shrugged his head as he came back inside and placed the ashtray back on the table and sat back down.

“I mean, I learned out of necessity really. Moms raised me by herself and money was always …” he let his words trail off knowing that Jasmine would understand.

“…tight?” She half asked half acknowledged.

“Non-existent,” Malik replied through a chuckle. Then he shrugged again and reached for his box of cigarettes to light another one.

“But you do what you have to do and you quickly learn that fast food is cheap yet expensive as fuck. I also learned if you’re hungry , you’ll learn to season beans ‘til they taste like steak.”

“Montreal steak,” Jasmine said pointing at him.

“You know it,” Malik agreed pointing back. “But, I even found out what was in that shit, and started makin my own seasonings & kept em in little jars in the cupboard.”

Jasmine shifted in the corner of the sectional she was occupying and leaned into her stash box and pulled out another pre-rolled joint. Lighting it and pulling, when she blew the smoke out of her nose she asked,

“You wanna be a chef huh?”

Malik dismissively shook his head, “Nah not in the least, and you wouldn’t believe me if I told you what I was thinkin bout doin with my life.”

You’re fittin to tell me youse was bout to join the police academy.”

Jasmine said that so dead pan while she was scrolling through food menus on her phone that she didn’t even notice Malik glaring at her with the most confused frown. His eyebrows formed a perfect V in the middle of his forehead as he turned to look at Jasmine who wasn’t paying him any mind whatsoever except to ask him,

“How bout Thai?”

“How did you know that?” Malik was exasperated that Jasmine knew he wanted to be a cop.

Jasmine finally looked up, “I didn’t. It’s just that they opened up this new spot down the way…”

“I wasn’t talkin bout food Jay, but now that you did, what the hell is the actual difference between Thai and Chinese?”

She shrugged, “Less oil, it’s healthier, plus it’s spicier. I don’t particularly care for Chinese”

“If that’s what you got a taste for, it’s fine by me. Order for me though, cuz I dunno shit about Thai.”

“Since you like seafood, I’ll get you the red curry shrimp, how hot you want it?”

“How far is the restroom from your room?”

Jasmine erupted in laughter, “You stupid. I’ll get you medium spice. I like you and all Leek but I ain’t tryin to marinate in the bog of eternal stench!”

Malik joined her laughter, “What chu know about the Labyrynth?”

“You remind me of the babe…” Jasmine started singing the song from the movie.

“No no no…don’t do it. Soon enough I’ll get it stuck in my head and I’ll be singin the whole damn song.”

“Shit I know that movie by heart. Well most of it anyway.”

“Sharp memory huh?”

“Sorta. That’s why school came so easy for me. Don’t get it twisted, just because I ain’t no dummy don’t mean school was easy. Shit was exhausting. I lived on water and caffeine. I promised myself once I graduated and got a real job, I was gonna eat healthier. Or at the very least learn to cook the foods I like, so this way I don’t have to order.”

She looked over at Malik who was staring back at her with a raised brow.

“Boy shut up, I’m tired and I don’t feel like cookin until the mornin. And don’t think you fittin to get out of tellin me why you wanna be a cop?”

“Don’t think you fittin to get out of tellin me how you knew I wanted to be a cop, when I ain’t ever tell you.”