Partial Paradise

   Half-Assed and incomplete, headed towards a partial paradise in Dave's car, on the streets. I'm enrolled in this program that works like a school and I'm told it's gonna pay off "real soon". I get to B.H Inc. early on a Wednesday morning. I climb out of my dad's turquoise Mazda with my infantile blue book bag, and I invite myself into the building where Amanda, Diego and Dave are sitting. They greet me in a friendly manner as I greet them back with fisties. An agonizing forty-five minutes trolls by before we leave. By the time Dave and I make our way to his truck in the small parking lot, I am oddly excited to go to the YMCA. I throw my bag and coat into the trunk of his truck and than climb into the passenger's seat; ready to talk, ready to listen to classic hip hop, ready to get some breakfast to eat! We always have great conversations, listening to and talking about Public Enemy, Gang Starr, Snoop Dogg and Ultramagnetic MC's (and sometimes a little Jay-Z). Dave is the homie I never had, very laid back and never gets mad. I often wish I could smoke some cigs with him, but I know he's not into smoking anymore, in fact he told me how he quit and switched to Coors, but he quit that too so there's not much in the way of addiction for us to share.
     Dave and I always look forward to hot tubbing it in the YMCA and admittedly it's always my favorite part (besides discussing hip hop). I find myself wishing I could bring some cigarettes, but the program is too G-rated to allow that, so I just kick back and relax. The way the hot tub warms me up and massages my back, makes me feel like a king on crack. Cigarettes in a hot tub are a dream come true, so is dip in a hot tub too. I don't think I will ever own a hot tub of my own, so I just keep dreaming. This paradise is not ideal but it's 5/10 of the way there. Twenty years of life and it seems like I'll never get there. At least I can see the mountains out the windows when I'm tubbing it. Too many people around for my taste, but I'm gonna continue living and keeping the faith.