Yeah, you know we hustling. Every day we hustling.

Let me give y’all a little backstory of what just happened to me. Okay, let’s hear it. Let’s get it.

There was a follower on my page or whatever. She had been like interacting with my posts and stuff since last year. Okay. So I say March of this year, she decided she wanted to inbox me and was like, “Hey, Miss West Side of Chicago.”

So you know I ended — shout out to my Chicago people. Y’all know I love y’all. I appreciate y’all. Let’s go.

So I responded back. We were sending each other little videos or whatever on TikTok ’cause she was like — she’s not from here. She moved closer to here so she could be closer to home.

So she up here asking me about all these places which were pretty much downtown Chicago or up north. So you know me, I’m up here trying to tell her like places, you know how she could get there or whatever.

So y’all, fast forward. I end up meeting her. Okay. Okay.

‘Cause I had made a post with my sister. Me and her had went out to crab — get some crab, you know, seafood. Okay.

And she had commented on my post and was like, “Yeah, I want to eat some seafood. I’ve been craving seafood for a long time. I would like to go to a seafood place.”

So I said, “Okay, I know this spot up north that have real good seafood if you want to go.”

Mind y’all, I don’t know this girl from a can of paint outside of TikTok. So you know, I decided to just take that step.

We met. She stay over in the area to where my people used to stay at. So I was comfortable with going in the area because I know people that I went to school with from around there. My cousin them used to stay over there.

So I went and got her. And plus I’m strapped anyway, so I ain’t worried about no (expletive) like that.

Ooh.

So we end up going to this seafood place up north, right? Mind y’all, I went and picked her up, dropped her off, and then came back to where I met ’cause I don’t stay on the West Side of Chicago no more. Okay.

So we get the food or whatever, and I should have known something was wrong with that girl, but I didn’t even put two and two together. And I’m usually a good judge of character when it comes to people.

‘Cause you know, people can rub you the wrong way the first time you meet them or whatever, but she slightly rubbed me the wrong way. Okay.

First hinge — the line that should have ended it all. “I don’t like meeting other people.” She said that while sitting across from me at a seafood restaurant that I drove her to.

So when we get to the table, we eating or whatever, and she had complimented me on my eyebrows. She was like, “I like your eyebrows.”

And I’m like, “Thank you. You know, I draw them on every day.”

She’s like, “Oh, you do really good.” And then she was telling me how she let somebody do her eyebrows and they (expletive) her eyebrows up. Okay.

So as we just continue to talking or whatever, she goes and say — I’m glad — so she goes and say, “You know, I’m glad you’re not one of them type of people that when you go out, you invite other people.”

And I said, “What you mean by that?”

She was like, “I don’t like meeting other people.”

Right there, y’all. Obviously, you do like meeting other people. Your ass hit me up from goddamn TikTok trying to be goddamn friends.

So how many of y’all think that’s weird? To hit somebody up on social media to be friends? Now, people hit (expletive) up all the time trying to get together, but just to be friends? Like that could be a cool — y’all ever see somebody online be like, “Oh, that seems like a cool person. I want to hang out with them.” Like literally just be friends, platonic, just be friends.

Y’all think that’s weird or not?

I should have known. But you know, me, I’m the type of person, if we going somewhere, I’mma let you know like, “Hey, since we finna go to this place, my other friend coming too. So you cool with that or whatever?” And it’ll be just that. But I’m not the type of person to just bring somebody without informing the person that they are coming. Right.

So fast forward to this — you know, she text me. She was telling me about the job that she had and how she didn’t like the job.

Everybody know that I work in healthcare. I used to be a CDL driver for CTA, but I no longer work there. So I’m back in healthcare.

So I was letting her know like, “Hey, you know, I do this. I work in psych. If you have your license, you can apply.”

She was like, “Oh, my license is back home, so they not —”

Damn, shout out to her. Already trying to give her a job, okay.

So mind y’all, I’m taking the steps to let her know like what she could do, who she could contact to try and renew her CNA license or whatever. So in the midst of that, I’m up here sending her jobs that I applied to that called me right back, where you don’t have to have your CNA license.

I also put her on with a job that I know somebody that’s at. You get what I’m saying? And I’m just trying to help the (expletive) out. You get what I’m saying? That’s just moral of the story. Right.

So to fast forward, the Michael Jackson movie was finna come out, y’all. So when the Michael Jackson — I’m thinking about going to see that today, y’all. I still ain’t seen it. If I’m about — I think I’m thinking about going to see it today.

The movie was going to come out, she had wanted to get some accessories. Now, y’all know I work 12 hours overnight. Sometimes I might just do only my assigned days or sometimes I might do a little extra.

So I end up getting off that Friday morning. Mind y’all, she stay 30 minutes away from me. In traffic, 30 minutes away from me.

So I go and get her. I bring her back out this way so she could go to the movie theater and buy some of the Michael Jackson things that she wanted. And then we went and got something to eat and I took her back home.

Mind y’all, me just being who I am — and if you know me, you know me — I’m not the type of (expletive) to take (expletive) from people. You get what I’m saying? Especially when you trying to figure (expletive) out yourself.

So I took it into consideration, you know, she already complaining about her job, you know, how she’s used to making all of this type of money.

So mind y’all, I’m going to just tell you how this ride went. I went and got her out west off Central Park. Okay. I ain’t got to say exactly where, but I went and got her out west from off Central Park. I’m out here in Maywood. Okay.

I brought her to Marrows Park. Okay? She said she wanted to see the area. I showed her the area. She was like she hungry, so we had went and grabbed something to eat.

Mind y’all, I took her back home. And then I came back home. Okay.

So if you know, you know — in traffic time, the area that she stay in off Central Park is around a lot of, you know, Hispanic area, so it’s very busy. And you know the traffic is just crazy. I ain’t tripping though.

So she tried to send me $15 through Cash App, and I was like, “Nah, I’m good.”

Oh, that’s nice. Any real (expletive) going to tell you $15 ain’t it for no gas. But you know, I’m not no petty-ass (expletive), so I told her, I said, “Nah, it’s good. You ain’t got to send me anything.”

And she was like, “I wanted to send you something for all you’ve done.”

Mind y’all, I’m in a truck. But again, it’s not even no point of going into all of that because I did not take the money, nor did I want the money, because I was straight. I was just being an associate and, you know, trying to help her out.

I (expletive) with the girl for even offering. Some (expletive) don’t even offer. I do know that, you know, it’s a small amount of money. It was only $15. But hey, I (expletive) with it. I (expletive) with it.

Second hinge — the flu and the silence that followed. She went from 15 texts a day to zero. For 48 hours. On her birthday.

So I ended up getting sick, y’all. I got sick last week. Okay. I was at work Thursday. Okay.

My manager was like, “Do you want to go home?” I’m like, “Nah, I’m going to go on and thug it out.”

But I had told my girls at work like, “Y’all, I just ain’t feeling it. I’m a little off today. I’m going to just put my head down.” Okay.

And I salute real (expletive) ’cause real (expletive) understand when you ain’t yourself, and they know how you really is. Right.

So Friday I get up, and we, you know, getting the people ready or whatever, and my manager saw me, and she was like, “You look like you not feeling good.”

And I’m like, “I’m not.”

She was like, “Yeah, you look pale. Do you think you going to make it tonight?”

So I was like, “No, I’m not going to make it.”

So she gave me Friday night off. Okay. I was off Friday. I was off Saturday. Mind y’all, those two days I was in the bed because I wasn’t feeling good. I still didn’t know what the hell was wrong with me. I just know my body wasn’t in the mood to get up and do anything. Okay.

That Friday was her birthday. And I had told her I was like — I was going to go and see the Michael Jackson movie with you, but again, I had to work. Okay.

So even though I didn’t go to work, I still stayed at home and I was sleep. So she didn’t say anything to me Friday. I guess she had attitude. She didn’t say (expletive) to me Saturday. I guess she still had an attitude.

And mind y’all, this (expletive) over 40. Yeah.

And on Sunday, I knew where this was going. She was mad because I didn’t hang out with her on her birthday, even though she just met me, right?

The girl got the nerve to be mad that she think they best — yo, in the girl’s head, she think they best friends for years. Y’all got to watch out for these crazy folks.

She finally had text me and I was like, “Hey, I had been sick or whatever. I’ve been in the bed.”

Sunday, I tried to get up. I tried to eat, y’all, and I couldn’t eat. Mind you, I had already went two days without eating.

So I guess she wanted to call me and talk, whatever, but she was like, “Damn, you sound like a whole different person,” because my voice was leaving.

So I was like, “Yeah, I was sick.” And you know, she telling me just go ahead, take care of yourself, blah blah blah.

So mind y’all, Monday I decided to go to the doctor. I get tested or whatever. Everything came back negative with the exception of Flu B. So I had the flu. Okay.

Mind y’all, I really don’t think I had the flu, but that’s what they say. I think I contracted something else because of the way I was feeling. My body and (expletive) was hurting. My chest was hurting. I wasn’t eating. I had sweats, chills, fever, all of that.

Sound like the flu to me. Sound like the flu or sound like goddamn COVID.

You know, she texted me, you know, telling me to stay hydrated, all of this. Mind you, before all of this had happened — how can I say it? You know how like when a person going through some (expletive) or they having an attitude and you notice how y’all text or communicate any other day versus a day when something wrong?

That’s what she was doing to me.

But you know, I’m already well into the game and I can read people. I can pick up on (expletive). I can sense (expletive) way before it even come out of my mouth. You get what I’m saying?

I’m really good at picking up when (expletive) ain’t right. You get what I’m saying? Especially people with attitudes because everybody around me are adults. They know how to communicate when something is wrong.

So I easily sense when a (expletive) is acting a certain way because instead of you being an adult about it and communicating what’s wrong with you, even though it ain’t got (expletive) to do with me, you just want to try and take your attitude out on me.

And I’m the type of (expletive), I will let you sit in that (expletive), especially when I ain’t do (expletive) to you. For sure.

So y’all, I’m sitting up here. I kind of like pull myself back because at the end of the (expletive) day, (expletive) you asking me for, I can’t ask you for. And that’s how I like it.

You asking me to take you all these (expletive) places, but if I want to sit back and ask you to take me somewhere, you can’t take me. So first and foremost, with the price of gas, I’m not going to do all this back and forth (expletive). Like, I’m not doing that.

And I’m not going to do this all — I’mma come pick you up, we going to go somewhere, and then I’mma drop you off, and then I’m coming home. It’s like, if I even want to come outside and enjoy a drink, I can’t even really enjoy a drink because I know I got to do all this driving to go back home. Right.

So y’all, my little sister end up getting into a car accident. Thank God she’s okay. Even the people that was in the car with her, thank God that they are okay. But her car was (expletive) up. All the airbags had deployed.

So I’m at work, and I got off — I got off Saturday, no, Sunday morning. I had a missed call from her, the girl that I’m telling y’all about. I had a missed call from her.

Now, mind y’all, when I got off at 7:30 a.m., I made it home about 8:00, 8:10. I got in the shower. I was dealing with this (expletive) with my sister, going back and forth with that (expletive) trying to figure out what had happened. And then I had finally went to sleep.

So old girl had called me about 10:00 a.m. And now y’all know, when a (expletive) do 12 hours overnight in a psych shift — and it don’t even got to be a psych facility, none of that. But if you know, you know. But if you doing an overnight job, 12 hours, you know that your body is supposed to be sleep at that time.

So if I’m sleep, and you calling me, and I don’t answer, you know I just got off work. Right.

So no, I didn’t call her back. I got up, I took care of my kids, I made sure they ate, and I went my ass back to sleep because I was not feeling it. I was cramping, and I was tired. So I don’t want to have a conversation, and I’m entitled to that. You are.

So yesterday, I end up getting a text message yesterday morning. Mind y’all, I had taken a muscle relaxant, and that (expletive) had put me out. So when I got the text message, I got up, I responded to the message, but I had noticed like she didn’t respond back.

So I had told her, I was like, “Hey, I just had a lot of things going on. I really wasn’t in the mood to talk. I’m trying to figure out what’s going on with my little sister.”

I let her know that she was in the accident, and it just like alerted me that this girl didn’t even respond back.

So mind y’all, I already felt like throughout this little two-month period of knowing her, when she’s feeling a type of way, she gets weird. And I don’t do well with weird behavior.

Because again, I’ve already stated this, people around me are adult enough to explain how they feeling. Even my kids know how to explain how they feeling, and they’re 12 and 4.

So I don’t do well with weird-ass people. I tend to shut the (expletive) down, and I do not reach out to you because she’s the same way like I am.

Me? You acting weird about me? Yo, we ain’t got nothing to talk about. I ain’t about to reach out to you and see if you cool and none of that (expletive). I don’t give a (expletive). When you act weird towards me when I’m just as simple and easy to approach, something is wrong with you.

And it just clicked in my head when I first met her, she was quick to talk about how she stopped talking to this girl because the girl wouldn’t bring her bags back to Chicago from Atlanta and the girl’s husband and all this other (expletive). And then sent me a podcast about the girl about how the girl was (expletive) all these (expletive) and all this other (expletive). But this was your friend.

So I’m just listening. I’m taking all this (expletive) in.

So y’all, it didn’t dawn on me until last night when I got in the bed. And again, I know she like Michael Jackson, so I had sent her some (expletive) while I was finishing — her some (expletive) for Michael Jackson. And then on TikTok, it said account not found.

So I’m like, damn, hold on. Wait a minute.

So I text my son ’cause he ain’t all the way on the other side of the house in the room. I said, “Let me see your phone.”

So I go up on TikTok. I see the way it say account not found, but when you look on there, it still shows the person’s name. So I put her name on there and her (expletive) pop up, y’all.

So when her (expletive) had popped up, I had clicked on it. And lo and behold, this (expletive) go make a post up on TikTok.

Yo, I just want to say, yo, she’s jamming with the music. She is jamming. Get her story like — “I don’t do weird people. Moving to Chicago has been very interesting and I’m reconsidering about being here and making friends,” shaking her head.

Third hinge — the number that exposes everything. She’s 42 years old. She’s been in Chicago for eight months. She’s on her third “best friend” already. And she blocked me over a 14-hour text gap.

First and foremost, I’mma say this before she say that. First and foremost, I don’t think you just make friends like that. I think the best friends you make are kind of like — it’s just genuine. It’s just not orchestrated. It’s just different.

Like I just made a good friend. Like if y’all know me, I be chilling. I don’t really — I got like a handful of people. But the last good friend that I made, I was riding my bicycle ’cause y’all know I like the e-bikes, like the electric bicycles.

I was riding my e-bike and another dude pulled up on me and he was riding his e-bike, too. And we just got to talking about the e-bikes.

This happens a lot, right? Where you might meet somebody and they might be cool. But me and dude — me and bro, we real cool now. Like, you know what I’m saying? He even became a cool friend. Like, you know what I’m saying? He’s like an e-bike homie.

He ain’t never been to my crib or nothing like that, but you know, he’s cool. He could come to my crib, though. Like, I (expletive) with him. He cool. We done went out before. (Expletive), both of our cars got broken into at the same time when we was at somewhere and (expletive). So you know what I’m saying?

I think you meet friends like that — like it just be random.

I don’t know if — I don’t know. I’m not saying that there’s nothing wrong with — I just — do I think it’s weird to make friends on TikTok and Instagram and (expletive)? I don’t know. Y’all let me know what y’all think.

But you don’t have to block me to make a post about me. Because guess what? I’m a real (expletive). And at the end of the (expletive) day, if I have some (expletive) to say to you, I’m going to say it to you. What you going to do? Beat my ass? She definitely ain’t going to do that. You from Chicago? That (expletive) just moved to Chicago. What the (expletive) she talking about?

And I instantly text her ass and I told her ass — I said, “For you to block me because I didn’t respond to you or call you back in your time manner, that’s weird as (expletive). Yeah. You over 40 years old, and I see why your ass don’t have friends. Any (expletive) that’s over 40 and don’t have friends, they’re the problem.”

Oh, (expletive).

‘Cause how you sitting up here, you feeling a type of way, but you don’t want to address the (expletive)? And a (expletive) going to respond back and go say something. I thought you was acting weird. (Expletive), you know I work overnights? Right.

So after I take my kids to school, I’m going to (expletive) to sleep. AND ANYBODY DON’T CALL ME BECAUSE THEY KNOW I work overnights, including you. So when I do respond back, I respond back. I have a life.

It’s not my fault that your ass is out here. You ain’t got no kids, you ain’t got no (expletive), you ain’t got (expletive). It’s just you. So you have more free time than me.

So the fact of the matter — I say this to say — this is why I like to have that mean (expletive) look. Because a person ain’t going to want to approach you.

I be feeling like God put people in my life for a reason. And everybody that I have came across, whether it was social media, meeting them outside, or on the job, they still in my life to this day. I’m not no weird-ass (expletive). I’m actually a cool-ass (expletive). And I would give a (expletive) my last just to make sure they cool.

But the fact is, I sat here, I was sending you jobs, would have put you on at my job, but you can’t work overnights. You ain’t got no car. And I’m not finna sit up here and volunteer my services to take you back and forth to work. When I (expletive) work 20 minutes away from my crib. So if it’s 20 from my crib, it’s going to be damn near an hour from your (expletive).

I’m sitting up here helping you. You get what I’m saying? And I took you places, didn’t ask you for (expletive). When you offered me (expletive), I didn’t even take it. And you want to sit up here and say that (expletive) is weird? No.

I see why people stick to what they know and who they know.

It be these hoes that’s over 40 that be weird as (expletive). And it be some young hoes that’s weird, too. But you have to sit back and you have to pay attention and you got to let a (expletive) talk.

Every time you hear a person say they don’t have no friends and they have a story as to why they cut somebody off, and then you trying to figure out where’s the disconnect — a person that’s over 40 and don’t have no friends, but they get into it with everybody that they come across — they’re the (expletive) problem.

Because by 40, you should have your (expletive) well lined the (expletive) up. Should. A crib, if you can. A job, if you can. A car, whatever. Whatever you can do, you should have your (expletive) lined up. And that’s including your friends.

Like, you mean to tell me you ain’t friends with nobody even from high school, grammar school? You ain’t friends?

Now, mind y’all, I’m 33 and I have friends from third grade still to this day. And we kick it. I have friends that I met when I was a cook and we still kick it. I’m still cool with a lot of people. Like, I can use one hand how many times I fell out with somebody and still to this day I don’t talk to them.

Because I’m a very intentional friend. You know, I believe in treating people how I want to be treated. For sure. I believe in reciprocating the energy. You get what I’m saying? For sure. And sometimes I go above and beyond than what’s given to me. Because you know, I have friends that just go above and beyond for me, too.

I’m trying to see what them friends be like.

But that (expletive) was weird. And you not finna have no friends because of what people done to you. You don’t have no friends because, one, you don’t know how to be a friend. For two, ain’t nobody finna sit up here and deal with a (expletive) that’s legally grown and deal with your mood swings.

Like, (expletive), I don’t get paid to deal with you. The only people’s mood swings I’m dealing with is the (expletive) I get paid to deal with. And I wasn’t on the clock. Like, you (expletive) got to be for real.

And people really be missing out on their blessings because of the simple fact a lot of these hoes be having malicious intent. And anything that I do, I don’t give a (expletive) what I do. I move with pure intentions. And that’s why I’m always blessed. Amen.

And like, you only got one time to play with me. (Expletive), I don’t even know you like that to even allow you to even come back in my space. Because again, within that short period of time, I can say all the things I done for you and you ain’t do (expletive) for me. But I ain’t even that type of (expletive). But it’s just you have to humble (expletive) like that.

Because a (expletive) will try you, try you, and try you.

And I say this to say, if you a weird-ass (expletive), please don’t inbox me. Don’t say (expletive) to me. Don’t do none of that. If you move weird, don’t say (expletive) to me.

Because I’m entitled to not pick up my phone when I don’t want to pick up my phone. But I’mma let you know — hell, I don’t even talk to my 10, 20-plus-year (expletive) every (expletive) day. And guess what? When we do talk, the (expletive) is like normal.

So you think I’m finna sit up here and accept the (expletive) that I just met — you get what I’m saying? — telling me what the (expletive) or how the (expletive) I’m acting because — hey, ’cause hey, I just got off a 12-hour shift and I took my kids to school and I’m a mom and I’m a full-time student at school and I want to get to sleep whenever I can.

Because you know what? Out of doing that 12 hours, I still have to come home, make sure my kids ready, take them to school, come in, get myself together, wind down. By the time I do all of that, it’s 9:30. And then I got to be right back up at 2:00, 2:20, 2:30 to get my kids.

I don’t even have enough time to sleep when I’m trying to sleep.

So I say this to say, if you think I’m cool, know that I am cool. But I’m a whole different person when it comes to that weird-ass energy. And I will cut you the (expletive) off.

And since you blocked me, (expletive), keep me blocked.

You didn’t do anything for me to know that damn, I’m going to miss this damn girl. ‘Cause, you know, no. (Expletive), you were a problem. And you thought that (expletive) was going to fly here. And one thing about Chicago (expletive), they going to read you your (expletive) rights. And I’m one of them (expletive). And you found the (expletive) out.

I’m not finna sit here and go back and forth with you. I’m not doing none of that (expletive). (Expletive), I said what the (expletive) I said. And I politely told your ass, go find somebody that’s going to deal with your mental capacity, because I’m not it.

The payoff — the $15 she never should have offered becomes a symbol of everything wrong with the friendship.

All right. You heard it there first. Y’all agree with her?

I personally don’t trip when people start acting funny, you know what I’m saying? It hasn’t happened to me too many times. I really just don’t give a (expletive).

Especially — like, this is some girl stuff right here. But I’m just talking about like when I’m talking to girls and (expletive) like that. I don’t give a (expletive). A (expletive) don’t text me back or wants to start acting funny or switch up — I don’t personally give a (expletive). This (expletive) be happening all the day. I don’t be giving a (expletive) about that (expletive).

But as far as friends, you know, I personally think friends are made genuinely. You just can’t force a friendship, you know what I’m saying?

But you know, there’s nothing wrong, I guess, with meeting up — I don’t know. I wouldn’t meet up with nobody just off Instagram and TikTok just to be friends and hang out.

If I’m meeting up with somebody off TikTok, Instagram and (expletive) like that, I’m trying to (expletive) with you, you know what I’m saying? Baby girl, I’m trying to (expletive) with you. I ain’t trying to just hang out, you know what I’m saying? Me personally.

But I think for girls that probably can be something that they do, you know what I’m saying? Hang out. But like me, a guy hitting me up like, “Hey man, I think you cool. I want to hang out.” (Expletive), we not hanging out, you know what I’m saying? Like, we not hanging out. You know what I’m saying? And vice versa.

And I’m not seeing nobody online to be like, “Damn, their life look kind of cool. I want to hang out with them.” Nah, I’m kind of cool on that.

Like I told y’all, man. I think the less people that you have in your life — like less friends, the less people that you deal with, the less people that you interact with — is a peaceful life, you know what I’m saying? Could be boring at sometimes, but I think it’s very, very peaceful.

I don’t have any issues, guys. I don’t have no issues with friends. I have no issues, no drama. If there’s any drama, it’s some girl drama, you know what I’m saying? (Expletive) with the females.

But other than that, like — and I don’t know. I’m cool like this, you know what I’m saying? It’s less egos, less issues.

You see the girl feel some type of way for not hitting her back? I ain’t got to worry about — I don’t give a (expletive). I ain’t worried about none of that (expletive).

So that’s just me personally. But shout out to her. Seems like a very good friend to have, you know what I’m saying?

Shout out to my Chicago people. Y’all know I love y’all and I appreciate y’all.

So I’mma catch y’all on the next one. Make sure y’all follow both Storytime channels. We Still Hustle Daily and Still Hustle Daily. All right?

I appreciate y’all. Love y’all. Catch y’all on the next one.

Peace.