Street Talk 22

On the Brown Line. 7pm.

Three young teens are horsing around on the train. A drunk man boards the train and sits, swaying.

Drunk Man: (to two of the young teens) What are you? Fags?
Young Teen 1: What?
Young Teen 2: No. No. We're friends.
(pause)
Young Teen 3: Yeah. They're a couple of fags.
DM: Ha! You some fags?
YT2: Uh. Yeah. I guess.
YT1: Yeah. We're fags.
DM: And I'm a REAL nigga!
YT1&2&3: (in shock, laughing)
DM: I'm a real nigga.
(pause)
DM: Call me a nigga.
YT1: (still laughing) ...what?
DM: (commanding) Say it! Say I'm a nigga!
(pause)
YT1: I don't-
DM: SAY I'M A REAL NIGGA!
YT1: But what...will anything happen if I do?
DM: (lazily) Say it.
YT3: (tentatively, cautiously) You a real nigga.
DM: YES. I. AM. Now you say it. Say you a real nigga. Come on say it.
YT1:(hesitantly) I'm a real nigga.
DM: Say it LOUD.
YT1: I'm a real nigga!
DM: Stand up and say it! All you get up! Get up! Say you a real nigga!
YT1&2&3: (standing, chanting) I'm a real nigga! I'm a real nigga! I'm a real nigga!
DM: (takes out blunt from pocket) And this here's a REAL blunt.
YT1&2&3: (laughing) No way!
YT1:(boldly) Light it up.
DM: Ha. Ha. Ha. Umhm. (searching in pockets for a lighter)
YT2: (quietly)...no way...

The drunk man finds his lighter, lights up the blunt and begins to smoke. The three youths look on in awe gathering their courage to ask for a puff, I exit the train and enter the adjacent car.