When you are the only black man

in the whole neighborhood,

your skin is that one friend who

meets everyone before you do.

It wears a wife beater

and house shoes,

it knocks over the

neighbor's mailbox,

it cusses in front of the kids

and plays the music too loud,

but you actually don't do

any of those things.

It's 7 pm.

It's Wednesday

and you are just

walking home.