Bros Before Hoes (But What If She Ain't A Hoe?)

From the archives of my mind... A situation that for some reason popped in my head tonight. I'm still somewhat conflicted over this one. I'm gonna change the names in this story, just because who knows who is reading this thing and its not just my business. I have no problem telling my dirt, but this one involves some other people that I used to call friends.



It was always an unwritten rule: Bros before hoes. We never had to talk about it. If my brother's needed an alibi, they used me. If they needed a ride from some random chicks house, they called me. If they needed bail, shit, call someone else. LOL. I never thought about how I was affecting the people that care about them. It didn't really matter to me. If my brothers were doing dirt, that was on them. It wasn't my place to set them straight. My loyalty was with them, not with their girlfriends. I wasn't doing any dirt. I never needed any alibis and that was good enough for me. I was a faithful man.



I can't count the times that, we'll call him Tony, called me and told me that if his girl asked, we were at the club or in the student center. I had his back. I mean, she wouldn't ask me anyway, for some strange reason she trusted Tony. Tony and I went to Savannah State, while his girl, let's call her Leslie, matriculated 45 minutes up the road at Georgia Southern University. Let me digress for a minute...



Tony was my homeboy since high school. He and my man Kareem were friends, and we became friends by association. When Kareem left to go to school at Norfolk State, Tony and I hung out more. I was a year ahead of him school wise, and light years ahead of him, maturity wise. He was a real cool dude, but just young acting. He was a singer, while I rapped at the time. I can't remember when he started dating Leslie. I do remember that Leslie was a bad chick. She was hella intelligent, and had that cute in high school/sexy in college vibe going on. I met her a couple of times, when she came back to Savannah on winter break and stuff. I remember thinking, why does she want to be with Tony? That wasn't hate, but to me, she was just on a whole nother level than my friend was at the time.



As time went on, Tony would tell me about other girls he was messing with. I don't think I ever verbalized what is obvious to me now: what about Leslie? It was bros before hoes. Whatever my homeboy had to do, I had his back. One time he got caught up in Lockett Hall after lockdown (men weren't allowed in the female dorms after 9, or in the rooms ever.) when he was supposed to be meeting Leslie. Well, he couldn't call her from another female's room, so he called me to be his alibi. Yep, I came through for him. I called and told her that we were in the studio and Tony was laying down tracks and would be late. A sorry lie, but it seemed to work. It bought enough time for him to sneak out of the dorm without getting caught by campus police and then go meet Leslie. In retrospect, I should have felt bad, but I didn't really know her. My loyalty lied with my homeboy.



I started to see more and more of Leslie. My girl, Lisa and I double dated with Tony and Leslie, or tripled with Kareem and Chandra. We all became a little clique. Lisa, who always thought that Tony was a clown, became closer with Leslie. For the first time, I started to get to know her, and actually see her as a real person. And it was pretty fucked up. She obviously wasn't happy with how Tony was treating her. One night we went out to eat at Bennigans, (home of the buffalo skrimp. LOL) and Tony was just acting an ass, as usual. It wasn't malicious, it just was him being immature. Leslie busts out crying and runs to the bathroom. Lisa of course follows her and they are gone for like an hour. I took the opportunity to politic with Tony. The convo went a little like this.



"Nigga, what are you doing?"

"What you mean?"

"With Leslie, man. You know what I'm talking about."

"She's just so emotional, dog! I didn't even do anything."

"You know you my nigga, right? But on the real, you kinda treat her like shit."

"No, I don't"

"Maybe you don't mean anything by it, but you tend to belittle her. Straight disregard what she has to say"

"Word? I don't do that, do I?"

"Like I said, you my nigga for life and I got yo back, but you need to handle that."

"Yeah, you right."

"I'm just saying, regardless of what you do when she in Statesboro, when she's here..."

"Yeah, aiight. Thanks, man. You keeps it real, kid"



Later that night, as I'm driving Lisa home, I had the most uncomfortable conversation to date in that relationship.



"Leslie thinks Tony is cheating on her."

"Huh?"

"Is Tony cheating on Leslie?"

"..."

"Well?"

"I don't really think we should be getting involved in their business."

"So, he is!!!"

"I ain't say all that, but it really isn't our place."

"So you would take up for him while he's breaking that poor girls heart?"

"Come on, that's not fair. Tony is my brother since like 10th grade. I don't even know Leslie like that."

"But you know how its affecting her"

"Okay, while you guys were in the bathroom, we had a little talk. I told him he needs to do better."

"You still didn't answer if he's cheating on her."

"You know I don't lie to you, right?"

"I thought you didn't, but now I'm not sure"

"Well I'm not gonna lie to you now."

"Okay, continue"

"Tony got some issues that he needs to work out. I'm not saying what they are, but hopefully tonight served as a wake up call."

"Uggghhh"



That night, we didn't go back to Lisa's room like we usually did after a date. Instead, I was dismissed and sent home. Man, how someone else's cheating get me in trouble? Maybe I needed to rethink this whole bros before hoes thing.



I'll pick this up tomorrow... Don't get mad, you know it was getting too long. LOL You know all this was the build up, the drama will come in the next post.