Thirteen to twenty two
junior high was a trip
the homies had a dance crew
you had to do the “Running Man” to get in
it wasn’t a one day thing
practiced but still couldn’t get it
determined at initiation
I said it’s kinda old but I can do this…
proceeded to drop down and do “The Worm”
rejected but I understood why
a year later oldies and records were my thing
decided to cut my hair a bit
clippers buzzed
and Zzzzzzz…holy shit what the hell?
Its not that bad but I’m sorry the clip fell off
looked in the mirror
there was a strip 5 inches long, gone
fuck it, cut it off
it was gone in a flash
who knew how much life would change
woke up in disbelief
only kid with a buzz cut at school
mom please let me stay home
Hell no!
you gotta deal with it
went to school
most laughed and clowned
girls just wanted to rub my head
Hey! maybe it isn’t so bad
huge grin because the dudes who clowned
now mad because I got the attention
from bad to good and then came after school
started walking home
and up came a mini truck with 5 deep
Where you from fool?
nowhere…they claimed their set
I booked it across the main street
because they started chasing me
hid in a small business I walked past everyday
the owner told me hide in the back
I heard someone come to the door
did a kid run in here
no, nobody is here but me
they left and the business owner said
stay as long as you’d like
thanked him and left a few minutes later
Sometimes I’d fight
Sometimes I’d run
shaved head, cruising
and thinking I was trying to avoid trouble
when everything I did kept me in suspense
but that was most of the 90’s until
I met the mother of my son in 98
and a new chapter began
that would change my life again
A 90’s thing by Robert Rodriguez. November 18, 2021. Thursday 10:15AM
Fresh Off The Pad Poetry 