werenât sleeping together. Thereâs something about Rico thatâs mesmerizing. He just pulls me in and I canât seem to let go. I canât explain it because Iâve never experienced this feeling before,â Tanya insisted.
âHow many ways can I tell you to adopt a zero tolerance cheating policy? You fuck up, youâre firedâthatâs how it should be. If Rico hasnât dipped his wick in her yet, he will. Heâs no more magnetic than any other sucker out here with cheap lines, a decent job, a few good brains cells, and a mission to weave a tangled web to catch as many women off guard as possible. Donât let that man brainwash you. Itâs just a matter of time before you find out that heâs a pure dud who has no more appeal than the rest of them.â
âYou think so?â
âI know so. Iâm tired of listening to this bullshit, Tanya. This shouldnât be a difficult decision for anyone. This isnât Ricoâs first time cheating on you. Maybe I shouldâve kept a log and listed all of the times you woke my ass up wondering if he was at home or in someone elseâs. No, you havenât proven anything yet, but what in the hell are you waiting forâin-person proof that youâre nothing more than an onlooker in the hoochie parade? Youâre celibate, Rico is man who likes to fuck, and you have no ring. Do you really think heâs going to be faithful under those circumstances, or do you think heâs going to keep playing these games?â
âI donât know what to think anymoreâI just donât. Iâm just trying to do the right thing.â
âTreyâs hands stay on me like an octopus, but he knows that Iâm not giving him some ass until we get married,â I lied. âItâs not easy holding out on these Negroes when women are out here shaking their tail feathers in clubs and handing it over on the first night after a man pays for a cheesy fifteen-dollar entree. Somehow, I manage to remind him heâs not missing out because Iâm worth the wait. I constantly remind him that these trifling hoochies who drop their drawers on demand will only be a convenience to him and those types have nothing lasting to offer.â
âWhat should I do? The last one picked his nose at the dinner table and went on and on about his swollen prostate. The one before that acted as if paying for a lunch date would ruin his savings account. The choice index is very slim out here.â
âStop trippingâforget Ricoâs peanut head self! Crack down, be tough, and date someone else. Think ahead. Heâs a waste of your time despite the slim pickings. Rico is what I call a professional bachelor. Heâs never going to get married, heâs set in his ways, and he may not even be trainable to do right by any woman . . . let alone, my girl.â
âYouâre right. Iâve been acting like he was interested in having a wife and kids. Rico isnât going to rig up a trailer hitch and pull it through weeds just so I can go camping. What was I thinking?â Tanya chuckled and shook her head.
âThe blind sees! Thank you Jesusâsheâs healed! Boo coo improvement! Break up with him so you can find your place in time. After you do, the membership drive of Tanyaâs fan club will be on! If itâs the last thing I do, weâre going to find you someone worth keeping. But first Iâm going to teach you how to grow a backbone so you can train a man to respect you. Youâre a beautiful, strong woman, so be encouraged. Itâs not you, itâs him.â
âThanks Leslie. Iâm glad I have you. Youâre my best friend in this world,â Tanya told me, smiling.
âWell, prove that you want peace of mind by getting rid of the dead weight in your life. I found a good man and so can you, girl. Keep your standards high. Do whatâs best for you by hooking up