My Fly-School Teacher

Graduated. Rich-Nigga Wife training. J. Cole, "Higher"

I'm an Aries.  & according to the stars, Leos are my perfect match. But my Leo is more perfect. 

Weeks.

Leo Weeks.

      I'm trying to remember how I met Leo. It was through Crystal somehow. I met most people through Crystal.  He was undoubtedly older than us, but I never (and still don't) know by how much. I don't even remember what we did when we all hung out, besides just hung out. All I remember is that Leo was/is a real Jay-Z fan and was/is fly. 

        And not fly like... Fancy Adidas fly... like... Mitchell & Ness $300+ Jersey with the tag still on so you aren't confused as to how much he spent fly. I'll never forget that day. & Leo knows what I'm talking about but he doesn't quite know the back story to it all. That day, Crystal and I had gone to chill with these kids who were (not so) secretly lame but all the little girls around the way liked them.  Here's the thing, growing up dark-skinned in Central Falls, Rhode Island wasn't terrible, it just gave me a very limited pool to choose from. Columbians were not in the pool. Not my type, gracias. So... in the middle of the day, these boys were in their house, taking shots of idk what. Crystal had already started drinking at that point, but I was still on my sober if it wasn't green. Now, don't get Crystal confused. Yes, she may have taken a shot, but as soon as the boy tried to lead her to a back room, we called Leo in a "grab ya coach bag & get the fuck outta there" move. This doesn't make Leo a sucker. & I wouldn't want him to think that... thing is, we were riding with Leo. These other little dudes were lame and it didn't take us but 13 minutes to notice it. I thank Leo for that. 

         The reason the word "swag" is so big now, is because for years people have been trying to figure out what it was Leo had back then. We owe him. Leo had the smoothest, coolest persona I've ever come across in my life. He's actually the only person I would willingly copy with absolutely no shame. He never acted out of character and was always cool and composed. The only time he said anything "dumb" was when he was talking fly shit about how fresh he was. The thing is, you'd let Leo say whatever the fuck he wanted cuz.... "Whatever Leo say, Leo probly do." Back int he day, Leo had the white Taurus (with the tints, if I recall) and would come through where ever we were at. At that time, neither Crystal nor myself had cars, but we both got them at 16, which when means we were chillin with Leo & 'em, we had to be 14-15 *damn* lol. 

        He helped me mature. But not in a bad way. I wasn't involved with Leo, so I'm glad to be able to credit this to a true friend rather than some dude who ran up in me. Leo shaped my mind. The slick shit Leo said/planned/did was fascinating to me. Like the idea of inserting Diamonds into a Simpson's watch he got from Burger King. Say what you want, but Leo wore that watch with pride and was flyer than anybody then and now.  Leo taught me that if you talk fly shit, you gotta back it up. Along with "fuck everything. Get money". I talk fly shit now, only because I know how. Fly is a language.  Leo & I have conversations.  When I met Leo, I wasn't the freshest female out there. But I had to make an effort. Leo always came through with the crisp whites (and more than likely had an untouched pair in his closet, just in case) so when I got my little check from my summer job, I would go out and buy myself a pair --I knew Leo wouldn't have accepted anything less. Leo taught me that money matters. Right or wrong, people respected Leo because, even back when, he was doin it big & doing it well. & As a female, I expect nothing less from the men I'm associated with. Partially because it's what I expect, and partially because one day, Leo will meet the man I marry, so my future boo cannot be a lame.

         As a man, Leo was/is... a man. He drove us around. He looked out. He was respectful. He was like an older brother to me. Literally... he reminded me of my older brother. Thing is, I'd never be able to chill with my older brother. Hanging with Leo allowed me to see what a man should be like towards women outside of his family. Whether he's involved with them or not. I had and have nothing but respect for Leo  because he always treated me the same. & He had nothing to do with me. He also treated my friend with respect, which made me adore him more. Back then, I hated any guy who treated my friends like shit. Back then, in the days of Leo, I never gave my input because I didn't have to. I trusted him with my friend no matter what. Whether she gave him heart or body or both. I felt no need to ask questions. That is how you know a good dude from afar.

      I feel for the girls who grow up with no Leo of their own. You have no one to show you what a man should be like when you meet him. It's one thing for a man to be nice to his girlfriend. It's another for him to love his family. They way a man treats women with no relation to him means the world. Initially, Leo was a stranger who treated me with nothing but love. How could I expect anything less somewhere else? So when I think of the woman I want to be, I think of the type of woman Leo would consider a prime pick. It's the same way I think about my brother. I'd never disappoint him. Having someone like that in your life keeps you focused & fresh. At 15 I was talking slick shit men couldn't quite handle. When I was 13 and broke, I was already rocking knock-off monogram LouisV (the belt, the watch, the wallet all complimented with  LV studs in my ears). I'm not bragging about my fake shit, but I was still spending $30 on a belt on a bad day --in the 8th grade. & While many females now are rocking the stuff (with they old asses), I had that all 8 years ago. I was always a bit advanced for my age, I think Leo would agree. But thanks to him, I was able to harness that and exploit it to its full potential. 

    I'll admit it. Leo taught me. Back in the day, I'd have had on the fresh Nikes with a cute outfit to match. So as I sit here at work, Zara heels under desk (with 4 additional pairs under there in case I change my mind) in the Milly dress, practically dripping in Calvin Klein jewelry, warmed up by a Zara scarf and a Trigère coat... I'm still thinking of flyer shit I can't yet afford. I'm shittin on them now. Imagine me in a couple of years. & I plan on catchin up with Leo again soon. I told you all before that I went to Dope University, right? Well, Leo was one of my professors. My mentor. A guru, in a sense. We'll call him my "Fly-School Teacher". It'll be like a reunion. I'm looking forward to it. 

Leo taught me well.