BROKENESS

“I’m broke” Now, that’s one statement that it would be almost right to say that every single living person old enough to know the value of money as used. The big question is who qualifies to make such a statement? How broke do you need to be to use it, what those it mean to be broke? How broke have you been? I know someone that just because he couldn’t afford business class was cursing “damn I’m broke” I felt like saying “Nigger you ain’t broke” or am I wrong?  So, what’s brokenness?

First, I checked the dictionary for the definition (lets establish some basics). According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, being “broke” is to have no money. Quite simple and straight forward right? (Don’t know why for some reason I expected some longer definition) so even if you were dumb you’d get it. “Having no money” as in zilch, nada, nothing at all, the absence of cheedah, ba ku di (maybe going vernacular would help) I mean like things being really tight, as tight as a virgins p***y (okay, that came out wrong… but you get the metaphor)

So, how broke have you been? From the movie “8 mile” my man Eminem, (ya, you heard me right I said my man Em) in a battle said: “… look at his boots, they’re growing roots…” How possible is that? Well, have you at any point had only one pair of shoes that you’ve used it for too long that it becomes part of the earth? If you have, then you’d relate. Kanye West in the song “Run this town” asked: “Have you ever had shoes without shoe strings?” if your response to that question was yes, then we are on the right path. So, I’ll ask again how broke have you been?

Have you ever been so broke that you meet a girl (probably the girl of your dream) but the only thing stopping you from wooing her is the thought of you picking up the bill. I’m not talking about a bill of N5000, no, but that of a Coke and Meat pie. What of a situation where you can’t even afford “gold circle” condoms (men, that’s sad).

So, if you went to southern fries today or Mr. Biggs or any of those fancy eateries, I ain’t talking to you. I’m talking about going to “Master Smalls” where a coke and Okin biscuits would just do fine.  Am not talking about you wearing a “TM LEWIS” instead of a “TM LEWIN” (at least youre wearing something new) I’m talking about wearing the same shirt over and over again that it becomes your uniform because the closest you’d ever get to a “TM LEWIS” is a magazine.

  Have you ever been so broke that its like you’re under house arrest but the only difference is there ain’t no security waiting outside just incase you might try to escape. Some times it gets so bad that the only thing that keeps you going is you day dreaming about your future cars and houses. I’m talking about you becoming a vegetarian just because you can’t afford beef, chicken or fish. If you’ve ever gone through all your shirts and trouser pockets hoping to find 500 bucks or used your ATM card hoping that you’d find some mysterious N1000 somewhere to withdraw then you’ve been broke. 

By now you must have gotten my drift, and in a bid not to over flog the issue I’ll end this way. Brokenness is a bitch, it can mess up a persons image and psyche, it is worse than AIDS. So, please be grateful for flying economy class, or for lodging at the “Protea” and not the Hilton, or even for taking a bus instead of taking a cab (for god sakes, some peeps are trekking). You’s Niggas ain’t broke, you’re just suffering some temporary set back (get it!)

So, seriously how broke have you been?