Two for the Culture
Two for the Culture is brought to you be Steven Rey and Justin Devonte. This is the podcast for the ages! Both Steve and Justin has been friends for over a decade plus and will give you a genuine approach on news and culture with humor and love. I promise this will be one of your favorite podcasts that you will not get enough of!
Two for the Culture
Empathy vs Responsibility, Prodigal Son, Uber Stories
And we are back with another episode of Two for the Culture. I'm Justin Devante. Stephen Ray. Yes, sir. And we are back. Yes. Please like and subscribe.
SPEAKER_00:Please like scare and subscribe. Yeah. Kaya is staying there all the time now. How was uh Yeah, so Kaya came over. We had fun. It's so crazy. Um she she doesn't have like a TikTok or an Instagram or like anything like that. But and I don't even say these things. Comment, like, and subscribe. I don't the last time I did it was probably like 10 years ago when I was on YouTube. So she does not get this from me. So she's on YouTube watching other probably little kids sometimes, TikTok dances and all that. And they're like, like, share, and subscribe. And like, it's just it's just funny. She'll tell me to record her just so she can show people. We had recorded like 15 TikToks for her. Oh wow. And then she said, Can you send them to me? And I'm like, Yeah. She said, What did they say? I was like, Who? She said, You didn't post it? Just like really waiting on the experience of being behind it or whatever. So I know she's she's gonna go in when she has a phone. She's begging for one now. But I'm no, we're not doing it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, because I mean, how do you really be able to? I guess you got parental control on your phone as well. But you know, these kids nowadays they more savvier than us. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they yeah, they can probably find a way around it. And then with TikToks, I'm sure there's like a baby TikTok or something. Yeah, but I'm sure you know it's probably filtered.
SPEAKER_00:Uh yeah, all of them have some type of setting.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, but I mean, but that ain't gonna stop, you know, ill-willed people to try to get into it too, and then you know, say mean things to a child. Yeah. How old is she now? Nine. Yeah, she can wait on that. Yeah, she can wait on it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, but so-and-so has a phone. I'm like, I don't care.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, yeah, it's great. Yeah, yeah. And they depressed.
SPEAKER_00:Uh, it's too funny. The one who cries in the corner all the time. Yeah. Yeah. Goes to school.
SPEAKER_01:They call me fat. And how's how's she?
SPEAKER_00:Uh, she's good. Uh, she's good. She's happy. Yeah, very happy, very happy. Still, still giving cool dad vibes. I pick her up from school, she runs into my arms, jumps. Like, yeah, like I I wonder how long that's gonna be, you know. There's it's probably I I don't know how many more years that would be. I've never done that. My sister's never done that. So I don't know what the effect is, but I'm very glad I have that effect right now. Right, right. Yeah, I'm very that's the it's almost like an accomplishment for real, just to see your child's eyes light up every time you're around. So yeah, that's that's that's super dope.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, do do you appreciate because it just rem reminds me of the people who don't have good communication with their baby mother in terms of like not being able to see their child with the one or when they want, or it's an issue, or it's always like uh a temper when they're you know together or talking. Do you take that in consideration? Like, I'm glad I got it at least this way.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, no, everything. Okay. Everything about it. Yeah, it could have been way worse. Like, you know, just being um just open. It's just like a lot of things I would have done. Uh uh I there was just a time frame where I had a guilty conscience of when I was in LA. Because I was in LA for a bunch of years trying to chase this dream or whatever, purposefully, because I knew that when Kaya got older, it would be very hard to leave from or it was already hard, but like I saw a little bit of an opening at that time frame because there are there are some years where she won't remember that I'm like back and forth uh of like every other, like whatever, like buying flights and then the hotel. She don't even remember a lot of that now. So purposefully, I was putting myself in positions of trying to make sure if I'm gonna be here, I'm here with something, you know, which is now like race auxiliary, where it's it's grown to, but uh, and the connections and all the connections I made or whatever. But I had a guilty conscience the whole time when I was out there because like I'm not in the city with my daughter. So I say that to say the beginning relationship with her, it could be way worse. And because of how our interactions have been and things that I've done with her, as well as her mom being cool, even when she didn't have to be, like, yeah, bruh. Like, I'm I'm extremely thankful that things have kind of got to this point. So, uh, and I'll that that's why I'm here. So I can like consistently make everything better. Because I do have that in the back of my head. It's a guilty con Kai will never remember it, but you know, as long as she knows who daddy is and he's around. Right, right.
SPEAKER_01:And yeah, because I I'm trying to think about when I was a uh a kid. Maybe it's the fact that who you know, who my dad is and why I don't have any like really ill will. And you know, because it's like somewhat unfair to my mom in some cases, and I'll break it down a little bit more on what I'm what I'm meaning. So are you familiar with like the story of the prodigal son? So I'm gonna kind of uh sum up the story real quick. And so there was um two sons, one son wanted his inheritance um right off the bat, pretty much. Like he wanted his inheritance now, and he he had the other one that was staying with his dad and you know, doing everything right. And then um the other the I it was just say first son and second son. The first son went off, you know, there was a famine in the land, ruined all the money. Uh like spent all the money. Uh-huh. And then um, and then you know, he was even, you know, eating the same thing. Like he was down bad eating the same thing pigs were, just trying to eat. So he went back, you know, to his father. He was like, you know, I couldn't, you know, I don't deserve to stay here. You know, I, you know, spit everything, you know, I yeah, I could at least, you know, stay where, you know, kind of like with the animals type of thing. Um really summing up the story and kind of messing up. But essentially, um the dad welcomed back with open arms, you know, it's like and he had a party and it was like, hey, you know, my son is finally back home. But the other son was like, I've did everything right. You know, so and he had, but nobody's throwing anything a party from me for doing the things right. And so I'm saying all that to say is like for my dad, who can kind of be compared to the prodigal son, he's like, hey, I've like he, you know, wasn't he was fairly present, but he spent uh a stint in prison as well. So there was a lot of distance, a lot of not hearing from him, a lot of um lies and not delivering. Um, but I never held that against him. But yeah, yeah, as soon as, you know, my mom does something that, you know, I may not like it, but like, you and you did this as a child, you know. Yeah, yeah. I'm like, why do I not have, you know, why am I judging them differently when one clearly showed up more than the other? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So I didn't, so I think, yeah, uh kind of you're right in a way. It's like, yeah, she I don't think that, you know, one, she's probably not gonna remember none of it, none of it, but you're also that you're here now. Yeah. You know, so it I think it's kind of like water under the bridge. And what whether she she's nine, I don't think she's not gonna think too deeply about things either. Oh no, no, I'm good. Yeah, yeah. But I there's gonna be a level.
SPEAKER_00:As long as I stay, you know, uh uh be a great father.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, exactly. And you know, we're all gonna um you know, reminisce, at least I'll speak for myself. I reminisce in the past, and you're like, yeah, I don't know why that person did what they did. Even when I'm younger, I was like, you know, like I'll use an example, like my aunt, she used to make me eat beans. You hate beans, yeah, yeah. And so what did she make you eat them? Or is it part of the meal? No, so my mom told her going into it that I don't Justin doesn't like beans, you know, don't make him beans, yada yada. And then she would make she like she she's gonna eat whatever I cook. So so that was a part of it. She would make beans, and then she said, You can't leave the table until you eat them. Right. And then I'm like, Why am I forced to eat this crap? You know, and so I'm literally taking one bean at a time and and gagging. Like, yeah, they think I'm like going crazy. Like, like it's not that bad. Mix it with everything else. I'm like, then that ruins the whole meal. Like, at least I got the fried chicken I can enjoy, but now I gotta mix the chicken with the beans, you know what I mean? Yeah, and so yeah, I would literally wait at the table. And I was like, if you know a child doesn't like a certain thing, why would you force them to eat it? Yeah, that is slightly hateful, and there's no way you can say otherwise. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Because now I you know, my cousin's kids, they don't like tomatoes, they don't like this. I'm making by the time I get done, I'm making three different meals, bro. Yeah, you know what I mean, and it's all a love because you don't like I don't want to give you something you don't care for. Um, but yeah, so I was like, I look at back uh uh the decision I was making, I was like, bruh, she really didn't like me for real. I I truly believe that at the time, yeah, yeah, because I was a gay kid growing up and around these badass kids that you know what I mean. I think she really didn't.
SPEAKER_00:Damn, but yeah. And you think it it was um a hateful. Well, I mean, I guess uh in my head I was thinking, you know, if you had um if she didn't have much or whatever, then cool, like y'all had beans or whatever. But you're saying that there was other things on the plate to where you would have been satisfied.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yeah, like that there was also there's an element of hey, don't say me you're hungry later. I'm not yeah, I will starve, yeah. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, but yeah, there's it wasn't just beans and bread, you know what I mean? Yeah, that's what I was saying. We ain't we wasn't down bad like that, but nah nah. Damn, yeah, that's messed up. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I don't think anybody did did did did that. Uh no, no, no, I I never went through that.
SPEAKER_01:No, that that's hilarious. But uh telling the story in the prodigal son, how do you how do you feel about that? Do you feel like that was what do you mean? Um, well, I guess if you was the other the the second son, would you feel away? Like, bruh, I've did everything right.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I'll feel away. But also, like, I don't know. A part of me would be like, I would feel away, but I would also feel like I'm in a different position than that person too. So like they're slick suffering a little bit. You know what I'm saying? So if I'm not suffering, I guess, and if I did everything right, and you know, even if I am, I don't know, struggling with life and all that, I'm in a different position than that person. So, you know, I'm not going to sleep at night thinking like, ah, fuck.
SPEAKER_01:You know, I could have bought some prostitutes too.
SPEAKER_00:But just, you know, I think that's a thing. That's happened with a couple people in my life, um, where uh yeah, like like I'm not gonna think too much on this person just because I'm in the position that I'm in. They might be I don't know, uplifted or this or that, and I kind of feel a way about that, but then I'll usually just snap out of that and be like, my story or whatever's given to me is like for me. And it's not like I'm losing. That's what you're saying. Yeah, I got you.
SPEAKER_01:And so and okay, you're changing up, and that's a uh a good topic to kind of um build on is just like hey, how we can look at somebody and be I'm gonna use the word envious, even though it's negative, but like you or and that's kind of like won somebody's life, so I'll use the word like hey, it's supposed to be me, me, me, me that has that money or where I why I am, where I'm at. And we all have a kind of bird's eye view of things. We don't see the full picture.
SPEAKER_00:Isn't a bird's eye?
SPEAKER_01:Um well maybe I'm saying it the opposite way. But yeah, we don't have vision versus bird's eye. Yeah, yeah, I guess. Maybe. Yeah, I think you're right. You're 100% right. Something like that. But anyway, yeah, yeah. So we uh we don't see the full picture. Right. Yeah, yeah. Uh of things. And we can look at somebody's life and hey, they got it great, but uh but honestly, they're probably maybe suffering inside. There's a lot that you know, decisions that they make or uh that they don't show to others of how they're actually depression is like putting them down and yada yada and so forth. Um so um I try my best not to do it, but I think we all have that in us. Like I I have to tell myself, like, bro, you tripping, like you know I mean, you're like your life's actually good.
SPEAKER_00:I think maybe I don't know, I think maybe around 10 years ago, maybe, and before then, I would have spurts of that. But um, I don't know. The older I get, I just realize if it is something like that where I feel like I want this or this or that, the answer usually is pretty clear. Like I didn't do what I needed to do to get that. Yes. Yeah. So nigga, that's why. Right. Yeah, like I have other friends that um kind of figured out the whole uh or or or people when I was in LA, you know, I've been this social media game forever. And I'm kind of living a normal life in a way uh when I was there, you know, working a job and uh, you know, paying the bills and all this. I I I'm I'm moving like a normal person, but I'm still rubbing shoulders with people who've been in the game probably the same amount of time and they're in the mansion, like and got another home somewhere else. And they just it's simple, they just figured it out like or some different way than I could, or that they took different steps or something, something was different. Um so I I would I don't know, I I usually check myself when it comes to stuff like that because you never know. You you never know what they carry as well. Like, do I really want to be recording myself 24-7 and like lose the sense of no? I'm just comparing me to like a certain type of content creator, but like uh or not anybody specific, but there's a certain type of content that makes like hella money, but like I I wouldn't like to live my life uh with uh a button on record, like the whole time. Like streaming, yeah, streaming or or vlogging everywhere and doing everything. I don't like that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I think so if this if you know, Lord willing, this podcast will be bigger and we can do more, and yeah. Um, but I like this um format of things to where we can have fun, we can, you know, tell about our own experience, crazy or whatever, have it have you, but we also have serious conversation. You know, yeah, ain't no little kid be like, hey, you know, it like well maybe your content's a little bit different, different, but what they would see of me is not like you know, like uh, hey, do the Odell dance. You know, make a joke, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, tell me a joke. I used to hate that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Tell me a joke. Like, nigga, I'm I'll be green screen. That ain't the same thing, bro.
SPEAKER_01:Uh definitely, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:It's like dance, nigga. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01:Bro, so so yeah, so they may be excited to possibly see me, but they it wouldn't be like, bruh, it'll I could see it more like you trying to get me to debate you on something. Uh-huh. Versus you. You know, think about this. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Like, I disagree with the with how you said that thing. You know what I mean? And I'm like, okay, but you know, yeah. It wouldn't be like, hey, bruh, like, you know, like pranking type of thing. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I imagine. Yeah, I mean, you are who uh I mean people perceive you it what you portray. Yeah. So yeah, I remember. I remember that actually when I was in uh before we met, when I was at U of M. And my content back then, I hated it. But I kept doing it because it was just like natural, not even natural, but it was just normal for me to have this routine. Like I'll tell stories, you know, I got like a story for everything, and like I used to tell those stories on um like a rant. I don't know if you remember like growing up watching YouTube, but there'd be a lot of people like just just simply talking into the camera and telling stories.
SPEAKER_01:I remember you did that at M Tissue.
SPEAKER_00:I yeah, I hated them. Yeah, but I I like the story, but it's like it's not even how I sound. It was very then I went over here and then and then she said I but and then like I would see myself when I was at the U of M, and clearly some at MT, which is why they died down. But like it wasn't me for real. It was just like and people I met was waiting on that to come out. Yeah, like I it was this girl, I just remember this. It was this girl invited me and Lloyd, because me and Lloyd had the page together, and she invited us to her birthday party or something, and it was like a thing. It's like, oh yeah, Steve and Lloyd's coming or whatever. And then we was just, you know, at Benny Hannah's just chilling, just talking, and she was just like, Where's the funny? Like, where's the stuff? You know, it's her birthday, and like I'm being, it's like Santa Claus on a bad day or something.
SPEAKER_01:Do you feel any obligation to be funny?
SPEAKER_00:Or yeah, yeah, because she invited us, we're the guys, you know, yeah. She was just expecting us to for me to do the thing, and like that's not even my voice for real. Yeah, I got you. So I used to hate that. Like, people would people would would know me off of that type of content, and it was so different, like walking through U of M, and I I used to be posted on WorldStar sometimes. Yeah, so I could hear myself sometimes walking through because people would usually watch World Star before they go to class or something like that.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, okay, I got you.
SPEAKER_00:So it'd be people in the UC or the university center where you get your food and stuff, and I'll be going to Burger King and I'll hear my voice like from this post that I know I just got posted on WorldStar. And it don't even sound like me. And that used to mess with me a lot, which is why now clearly my content is more in a way, like who I am, my my cadence of how I speak.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, because you got pushed on World Star a lot. Did you send it to World Star?
SPEAKER_00:Uh-uh. Okay, they just found your Yeah, World Star usually have or from what I remember, World Star would have their picks. Everybody would have a time frame. So, like, you remember Fat Boy SSE? He he had a certain time pocket. There was this other dude, I forgot his name. He would have a time pocket, and it would be like he's the funny guy right now. You know what I'm saying? They would have stuff like that, and and you could tell because like you would start getting into that algorithm, and then they'll start posting you less, and then you're out of it. So, um, yeah, I had a little run. I had a little run with um World Star. That was fire.
SPEAKER_01:I got you.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we used to watch World Star.
SPEAKER_01:Uh the Vine Comps for sure. Yes, yes. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:I can't wait to it's gonna be so nostalgic. I hope I could get on the Breakfast Club or whatever they call it now. I think that's a good thing. Like that would be extremely like a a win for my younger self. Like as we would used to just watch interviews and things like that all the time. So to actually be on there, that would be crazy.
SPEAKER_01:I think that's that's very possible. I think that's very possible.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, I I think I think that's that's that's cool. But that is something that I uh thought about. That is something I thought about. Something else uh I did want to bring up. Did you have something? So something else I did want to bring up this weekend. I posted this post on my story, which was for like motivational purposes or something like that. Like I I felt like I I had it on my heart to share it. And then within like 10 minutes, I took it down, and I had like mixed reviews in my head about the whole situation. What happened? So I'm in a lift, coming home, and it's this woman, older black lady, uh, 60, I believe. She she's 60. Um, and she had the brightest, excuse me, the brightest smile. Like, like I said, older black lady, so it definitely reminds you of your grandmother, your aunt, your, you know, it's very relatable. Talking, just talking. And she was talking about her sons and talking about a whole bunch of other stuff, and then it's just you, it's just one of them the black women that like to talk for real. So, and I'm just bigging it up, you know, and then it gets to the point now the ride is maybe like 15 minutes or something. No, it's like 20 minutes. So, like, you know, the 10 minutes went by now, we're a little bit more acclimated to each other. And then she starts opening up, and then she says, you know, um uh so yeah, and I picked up this guy one time, and we were talking about God, and we were talking about all of this this stuff, like really building a rapport with each other, and by the end of the ride, he gets out and he says that he has COVID. And she ends up getting his number or something like that, so I guess he could check on her or something like that. Two people that was on the plane with him died because of him. Right? She gets COVID. I don't know what I don't know if this is, it's gotta be somewhat recent. So I didn't even know COVID was still like throwing hands like that for real.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, but uh how did you know that two people died because of him?
SPEAKER_00:Because she got his number.
SPEAKER_01:And I'm saying, how does he know? Uh I mean, how does he know that?
SPEAKER_00:Uh two people on the plane died.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, yeah, yeah, but you know, I ain't keeping up with people after that. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, but but maybe they were close. Okay. I had to have found out. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That's pretty serious. Yeah. So he had to somehow have found out. He probably was like sad about doing that because he lied on the application or something uh when he left Japan.
SPEAKER_01:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:And he had it, he lied, acted like he didn't have it, and then he got on the plane and came uh here. And uh somehow he found out later that two people, two people died. So, does that, gets uh in the car with the lady, whatever, great conversation, boom, he tells her that he has COVID, and then now she's like, How you gonna talk about God and this and that? And you first you're supposed to care about your brothers and your sisters, and now she's going off on this dude, just venting. And then she says, Um, then she says, uh, she got it, and it was bad, like to the point where she was driving for the school system uh for 15 years, and she ended up having to let that go. So she lost her job. Then her son had to take care of her, but her son ended up catching COVID, and her son's kidneys almost failed.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's what I'm saying. This is nigga, this shit throwing hands for real steel.
SPEAKER_01:So she said this is recent?
SPEAKER_00:It has to be recent, because I'm gonna I'm gonna finish the story. So her son ended up taking care of her, and he ended up getting it, then he ended up getting out of work as well. You know what I'm saying? Like it's like they're in the hospital, this the whole ordeal. And then the landlord of her place was selling the apartments or house, I don't know. And she didn't have the money to buy it outright. So basically they had to go. And now they stay in a hotel, and she lifts basically every day or every other day to pay for the hotel that they stay in. And by the time she dropped me off, she was just like, you know, I can tell that you're you're a great guy, you have a great spirit. We talked about Kaya a little bit, and she said, you know, you make sure that you uh take care of your daughter, and da-da-da. Then she pulled up here and she looked up and she was just like, Wow, like this looks a really great place to stay, you know. And I'm just like, damn, like, you know, I I just feel like she she just said, you know, you are extremely blessed. And I was just thinking about everything when I got out the car, and then I'm like, damn, yo. Um like we are, we are like extremely because she was like it took a lot, that whole situation. She said she doesn't know what it was for. Even her friends was telling her to sue this man, but a lot of other people are suing this dude because of that whole situation. And she said no, because like he's already suffering, and it kind of like ties into what I was saying earlier. Uh, but yeah, she was like, no, he's already suffering, and he's already going through his own thing. God's supposed to fight the battles, you're supposed to, you know, just do whatever you dealt with. And it did take a lot, but it didn't take my life. And then when she pulled up and she looked at the apartments, and I'm just like, damn, yo, um, I am extremely blessed. Like, this is the people are out here living completely different lives and can go through things, and it could really knock them off, like bad or very badly. And I posted it, and that was the mind frame that I was in. And somebody was like, Oh, that's really good, that da-da-da-da. You know, like like I was just basically trying to motivate people to look at life in a different way because we always want to get to that next step and the next thing and the biggest thing, but you really don't really see how much is here right now. Um it was a very interesting thing, and some people got it, what I was trying to give. Then somebody hit me up, and they actually said something that was in the back of my mind, but I kind of like put it down. Excuse me. I kind of put it down because I was thinking this this message is more important than this thing that's in the back of my mind. But they brought it up, and then they were like, you know, I get what you're saying about all this, and then she was like, some people basically without saying, I don't want to make it sound like this person was just super mean or whatever, but it was just like a a realistic way of looking at the situation, and it was just like certain people end up have first of all, life is life in general. So, you know, everybody's subject to or no one is exempt from going through something, or the the the the actual heaviness that life can actually bring. However, this person brought it up, and it was in the back of my mind too when I was in the car. And it seems like that is true, but there is also a thing that's true of like, or I feel like, although I want to get I want to get your perspective on this. Um that also, even though life does life, we have a lot more control than we think we do of ourselves. Situations. So me feeling sad. I don't want to sound crazy saying this, but like I do, I am empathetic to that situation. And a lot of people that go through certain things like that. But just like I told you earlier when we were talking about me being in this game for so long, but not figuring out that thing. And the difference between me and that person is they figured it out. Nigga, I gotta figure it out. I feel like there's another way of looking at things sometimes where yes, life can like life and it could knock you down and stuff, but there is a responsibility there of putting yourself in different positions.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:Because if I was in a hotel with my mom, dog, I I I would have to do the most to get out of that. I have to. And even me even being struck like that to even be in that situation would make me feel like I have some type of responsibility of even being there. Not necessarily it's a hundred percent. Well, I mean, as a man, I I always be like, everything's a hundred percent my fault. It just makes me cope with things better that way to not blame anybody for anything. Yeah, life is life, but shit, if I had a stash, I wouldn't even be going through this right now. So I always just wanted to ask you, like, your perspective on that. Like, do you feel like do you feel like everything is based off of just like some people or most people are in their situation that they can't get out of because of life? Or is it like, and you can empathize with that? Like I said, this is a sad story, very sad story. The older mom, 60, her son is trying to take care of her, he's he's there too. You know what I'm saying? So, or are we not taking the right steps to save us from these rainy days that could turn into tsunamis? I got you.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I already told you I don't feel bad for homeschooling. I'm just kidding. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I just wanted to lighten it up a little bit. Yeah, yeah, but uh yeah, so it's I mean, it's a blend, right? You know, like there's things that are out of your control. You can control if a tornado hits your house and destroys everything. But what you can control is you making sure you have insurance and protecting yourself. Yeah, so some things are gonna happen, life is gonna happen, you know, uh a bullet can strike us dead now, and there's nothing we can do about it, but we can make sure we're prepared as best as possible. Um, that's um, I know we we we all live, you know, damn near paycheck to paycheck. We, you know, we're struggling as Americans here. But that's uh I mean, but that's a importance also of community. You know, she's older in age, maybe she may not have that, but also I'm kind of looking at her son. Is his son like, is he Down syndrome or you know what I mean? Like, is he is he a working body?
SPEAKER_00:Uh yeah, he's working.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so okay, gotcha. So so I'm wondering, like, why is he not able to provide? Yeah, like why are you not able to come have income together?
SPEAKER_00:Because just because they are, they're just even at a hotel.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so where was what so you don't have any credit or you have bad credit? Was that wasn't that COVID's fault? Like, you know what I mean? Like, so maybe, you know, maybe they they got swarmed with medical bills over it, but those take time. They don't just, you know, like in terms of hitting your credit, you know, there's time there's payment plans, so there's things you can do. So there is some things she didn't cover herself on the back end, clearly. But I think we I mean, we're we're all, you know, just probably a couple months, not maybe a week or two for missing a paycheck or struggling. Um, so I can't really say what is in what's her fault fault. I'm not saying for her specifically, but just for but in general, I'm I always land on my regardless. Um, you can feel bad, but at the end of the day, what is it truly gonna mean? You know, like it doesn't sound like she's asking for you to feel bad for her. She's just venting because of what is what it is. So she's just having a conversation. It's like, yeah, so the story is hey, hey, be blessed because anything happened at the time, but it's also not, hey, don't feel bad for me. Yeah, so I think that is like dang. You know, I think it's like how my nephew is, like how he can't walk. I don't think I don't, you know, Lord willing, I'll be there next month and I'm gonna do my best to do so. But from what I'm understanding, there's no feel bad for me mentality, but his situation is hella unfortunate to you know be taking your ability to walk just like that for no reason, you know.
SPEAKER_00:Like you do you want to explain it?
SPEAKER_01:Um that's what I'm saying. You know, pretty much getting getting to long story short, getting to a coma waking up, and you don't know how you got there, you don't know what caused it, and you just wake up with not with the ability to walk. It's not there's really not much to explain. Yeah, because there's yeah, because the doctors don't know.
SPEAKER_00:That's crazy.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so you know, so he was now he's finally out of the hospital, but it's just like dang. It's like those are the reasons why you're like, I am blessed. How much can I really complain? There's a lot I can complain on, but at the end of the day, you know what I mean? There's so many more people whose situation is worse. Even her situation ain't that bad. She's able to pay for a place to stay. It may not be exactly what she wants, right? But it is shelter, and God is providing. God didn't destroy her her vehicle is still working. Did it feel like it was running well?
SPEAKER_00:Uh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so her vehicle was running well, able to make income.
SPEAKER_00:She was saying all of this too. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, so there's yeah. My friend, who we both know, was staying at a at a hotel for a long time. And then he finally got him an apartment with him and his family. So that those things, those are come-ups. It's it's it's I'm not gonna say I would I would definitely empathize and like dang that that's unfortunate. But um, but her situation is that's you know, that's I a really good story to tell. Um, but and I think that her story's not done. There's things that but I guess I'm saying all that to say that it's a little bit of both. It's God's completely in control. And so we we just gotta do our best part to be prepared. Because we at the end of the day, I'm I'm not the person who wants people to feel bad for me. Yeah. Yeah. So if I'm in a like a crappy predicament, I'm not at I don't typic I rarely ask for a handout or a favor of Lintu. I'm very stubborn in that way. And um, maybe I will in the future. Um any anything can happen. Uh so I also want to be humble enough to know, like, bruh, it's completely her fault. She should have done this and that. It's like you can prepare it as you know, you can pair it to you know, uh 24-7 stuff happens. Yeah, uh yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh mosquito can bite you and get west now, then you can lose your you can lose this or that. You know what I mean? Yeah. So first of all, that's too scary.
SPEAKER_00:Well, yeah, the mosquitoes. Uh yeah, if that shit come back. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. No, that was a perfect way to. I mean, let's let's just conspiracy theory-wise. That's a perfect way to get rid of a lot of people. Uh mosquitoes? You never even feel them.
SPEAKER_01:Either way. Yeah. That's the truth. Yeah. Um, so so I don't I think that I don't know why you take I don't feel like you should have taken that one down. I because I I'm the because I felt that.
SPEAKER_00:After after she said that, I was like, you know, I was thinking that in the back of my head. And I like, I like I said, I drowned that out with the empathy. But in the back of my head, I'm like, man, we all like I don't want to be in that position when I'm that age.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_00:And then doing this certain again, you know, some like people aren't born with the same ambition and drive, and like, I want to go to the next step or the next step versus somebody working the same job in the same position for however many years. Like, I I I couldn't do that. Like for that long, the same position, like not moving up, nothing, you know. Um right, but I thought that in the back of my head, and the only reason I took it down was because it was my page, I felt like I wasn't being a hundred percent authentic. And like after that person said that, I was thinking of the post differently. And I'm just like, like, I'm gonna have this up here, but I honestly feel like this now.
SPEAKER_01:Like, it's kind of kind of her father a little bit.
SPEAKER_00:Like theirs, yeah. Like a little bit. Like, I I have that a little bit, so now this post isn't a hundred percent authentic anymore. Yeah. So that's why I took it down.
SPEAKER_01:And the only part I think, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Which I'm glad we're talking about it here, so it still lives on. Yeah, yeah. But yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And I don't, yeah, when she was telling, I was like, I don't think she he she should have been mad at that man about when he's kind of telling him about his story about the COVID. But I mean, what you mean? Like she was mad at him before she knew she had COVID from him, right?
SPEAKER_00:I mean, he clearly had it. So I'm saying that if this, let's say it's the height of everything, and you know that you got like even you. So you got a grandmother that you taking care of. Uh yeah. So if you in an Uber for 40 minutes and y'all just kick in ha ha, and this nigga say, I got COVID, that's gonna change some things in your head.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, I'm I'm I I missed that part. I thought he was just opening up to her. No, right, right when like he got dropped off. So he he just he killed two people and then came up. And then fucked up a lot of people and kept carrying on. I g I guess. Yeah, I guess.
SPEAKER_00:I I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:I don't know how many people he affected, but I mean, like, he just killed two people apparently from the story, and now you still like- I think I think she found that out later because he had just got off of the plane.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, okay. So, yeah, he just she got him from the airport, and then she made sure that he got or or he made sure he got her number or something just to check on her because he felt bad.
SPEAKER_01:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, just in case she would catch it and she actually caught it within like a week or two. Oh man. Something later.
SPEAKER_01:That's like an aggressive covert. I didn't think I thought it was lighter version, like that's kind of scary. Yeah, yeah. We need to look into that new one. Yeah, nah, that man said the kidneys almost failing. Was she a bigger lady?
SPEAKER_00:A little bit.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, okay, okay. Yeah, yeah. So her son, and how is her son? Because if she's 60, he has to be in his 40s. So I don't remember. And and that, yeah, and that's kind of where I'm leaning on. It's like, hey, what is he doing to provide? I mean, he got a job. Does he? Yeah. He got a job. Okay, so the income from Lyft and that, you know, and that I'm really analyzing the life, but that seems like a lot of people. That's what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_00:All this stuff was in the back of my head, like something's just Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You know, there's a there's there's something to the story that we're missing, for sure.
SPEAKER_00:Or maybe not. Maybe it's just not enough. It's just not enough. And then maybe the situation.
SPEAKER_01:You know what I mean? Like, yeah, that that can actually do do you well. Yeah. Yeah. I'm I do Uber for two years. And that was not really it, but that that was majority of my income, and I did well.
SPEAKER_00:So I mean, I'm sure. I mean, like I said, I don't know. I don't know. I'm not in her shoes or or or the son's shoes, but it seemed like the son was out of work for a while because of that. Yeah, yeah. The same thing happened with him where he had to like um I guess lead a job. That really doesn't like make a lot of sense to me. Because if you got COVID, nigga, you got COVID. You can't come here.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. And now we'll see you when you're done. We have medical leave. You know what I mean? Yeah, we got different things. Yeah, I don't want to do that. Now I'm picking apart a story. Yeah, right. Yeah, well, she was a very sweet lady. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah. Nah, I remember. Yeah, yeah. This is now you that was a very sweet story. Then I had an another Uber driver. He was like a foreign guy, Arabic from somewhere in the Middle East. And then he's like, you know, yeah, my my family is struggling, yada, yada, yada. And then he's just talking to me about his story. It sounds like BS to be real. And then and then as I leave out, he's like, Don't forget about my family. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, get your I like bruh, I'm gonna tip you. Now I'm not. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. What? Like, like it was like like a okay, so you're the dressing no the the passing. Yeah, yeah. He's telling me a wax sob story. And that's what I was thinking too in the back of my head. I'm not saying that that's the case.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, yeah. How many times you didn't tell people this?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. But but you the one who said that was on the road. Huh? Did she lead with that? Like, hey, yeah, guess what?
SPEAKER_00:Lead with it?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. What do you mean? No, I'm saying yeah, it's not like y'all had a good conversation going before that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, right, right, right. Yeah, so it didn't.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, his, he was went in as soon as I hopped in the car. Oh, yeah, she's a little bit more experienced. Like, bruh, like, stop it. Like, you know what I mean? She definitely hit it. Let me tip gracefully. You know what I mean? And that's typically how it goes. Yeah. Like, yeah, I'll I'll tip just naturally. But if you're going to give me some, the man said, Don't forget about it. He didn't say that exactly, but he by the time I was about to get out of the car, he reiterated the the story. Yeah. Like, hey, you know, throw me something. And I'm like, yeah, nah, I didn't like that. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That's funny. She did a little bit of that too. Yeah. But like, I'm like, I I don't I don't even want to talk negatively about that anymore. Like I said, very sweet lady.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I'm and I'm sure she was very nice. And you know, I would have just threw her something because she was an old lady driving. You know what I mean? Yeah. Uh she's like, this nigga don't go tip, but let me get him. Yeah, let me get add some sauce. Yeah. Uh yeah, yeah. No, but uh, because you know, you hear stories going on, it'd be sad. Like, even it's not even a sad story, but he was just he was uh, you know, trying to do more as a driver, you know, as when he was driving his Tesla, and I was like, bruh, the way you're going, he's like, Man, I don't never get tips. Just talking naturally. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Because he knows I'm he was knows I was an Uber driver, and I was telling him, like, yeah, I don't never get tips, yada yada. And then I was telling him like how much I do. He's like, man, I don't get nothing nowhere near that. He's driving a Tesla?
SPEAKER_00:Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and then I'm like, I was like, man, I'm gonna take care of you. He's like, nah, nah, that's not how I meant it. You know what I mean? But I was like, I I know what you how it is, but I feel like that's some BS. Because I'm enjoying my experience, and people should be able to throw you a little something.
SPEAKER_00:And I was it might be an energy thing. It might be an energy thing because I remember being in Victorville, I used to stay there, and this one dude, I I forgot where I was going. As soon as I got in the car, I immediately started complaining. I got in the car, he was like, another slow day. He was like, uh and I didn't think that this was gonna be how he was gonna be, because on the dashboard is a Bible, next to it is something else. It looks like he works hard and he's very diligent and like close to God type thing. And usually that's a certain energy that comes with that. Right, yeah. So like he immediately started complaining. He was like, Man, I don't get no tips. These drives be like five minutes. Where are you? He said he drives be like five minutes. Where are you going? Five minutes. Yo, I'm in the back, like, why he picked me up? Yeah, right. That's I I want to say, like, nigga, why you driving then? Like, yeah, you complain about you in Victorville. Yeah, right. This is the middle of the desert, you know what I'm saying? He's like, Yeah, I don't really get no trips out here. If I do, it's just up the street. I'm going right up the street, too. Right, right. I'm like, bro, you talking about me. Like, what are you doing, bro? Yeah, yeah. So there are people that definitely. Did you throw them something? I I I can't remember. I'm sure.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_00:But I was only going up to the street.
SPEAKER_01:Like, like, did that like a turnoff to like Brian? Yeah, I got you. For sure. Yeah, that's funny.
SPEAKER_00:No, he's just immediately stuck, but you're talking about me. You're not even talking, it'd be different if you like, man, my last ride, they sucked. They was rude and all this. You you like, man, these people with the five-minute drives. Mine's five four minutes.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's hilarious.
SPEAKER_00:Like, bro, you talk about me, bro. Why, why am I you talking about me? So, yeah, I think that that might be a thing too. Like, it's just certain energy that people have. Maybe your energy is a little different. Um I don't know. But especially when you you caught me off guard when you say he had a Tesla, because that's like not the worst experience to have.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. And he was talking about tips and trying to make them more. He wasn't, he wasn't struggling financially. It's not like he wasn't down bad. Let me say that. Was he making I felt like he should be making more given the experience I had? Absolutely. And I just like, dude, why are you accepting every trip? Some of them are just not advantageous, some of them don't give you anything, so you be stuck in traffic that doesn't make any sense either. Um, but yeah, so but I yeah, outside of that, I was like, he should be tip, you know, tip well. Yeah, right. I felt like yeah, yeah. Because I get sometimes I'll be like, yeah, I ain't just when I hear people compare that to mine, I'm like, I don't know what I'm really doing to really tip, get to get tips like that. Oh, I'm just chilling and conversating with folks, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. But uh, and some you know, sometimes I don't be feel like talking. Yeah, and that can be several times. I'm like, bruh, y'all annoying, get the hell out of here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And and and sometimes I'll say that, I was like, bruh, I did not play no talking, but you you're like you you I'm enjoying my time. You're like, you got me to open up or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and just have a laugh about it. And sometimes I'll be in a good mood and be like, bro, what y'all on? Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I I uh I used to drive Uber for I don't know, a year, two. And then I did Instacart and shit when I was in LA, but I didn't used to talk. I I I used to like because I was always scared of um knowing who you were knowing who I was after a certain point. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I used yeah. No, I probably should have, because I was not an awful lot. Yeah, them long ass trips. I didn't know I I wasn't fully meant for that. But like the same radio station every stuff, like all the time, every day.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I remember and it's it's really it's really good money if you know if you know how to do it right in definitely the city that you're in for sure. So now it's like it's it's the school, it's a good experience. Um, like, you know, of course, it there's elements of danger because I don't know if you the the um there was one guy that recently got convicted for killing an Uber driver. Yeah, yeah, it was yeah, it was crazy. I think this is up in Pennsylvania. This happened several years ago. It was a lady Uber driver, he he had a mask on, grabbed her hair, put a gun to her, and she's like, I have a family. He's like, I got one too. Oh yeah, you mentioned that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, and then killed her. You said the way you brought it up, it sounded like it was an accident or something.
SPEAKER_01:No, no, he no shot and robbed her, yeah, yeah. And yeah, like took her phone, tried to cash up himself money, which is like, bruh, at least let me get to if you gonna do something like that, let me negotiate my way into something else. You know what I mean? But like, one, as like, let me tell you this is a bad idea. Yeah, you're let me present. Yeah, as like you're transferring your money to yourself and I'm dead, you're gonna get caught, bro. Let's let's find another avenue. One, one thing I'm doing is if I'm driving, if you put a gun to me and you're crouching up, stepping on no brakes. You know what I mean? You're flying. We're gonna do she's a woman, so it's a little bit different, but like I'm thinking they're at that they're at a stop or something. Uh that's not how it looked in the camera. It sounded like she was driving, because at first she was doing she would yeah, and then she he was kind of like tugging on her hair and she's like, What is this? You know, like what's grabbing me? And then um, because she had a camera and he took off the camera thing, and I was like, bruh, this is like the easiest way to get caught. It's like was it his actual name? I have no idea, but I mean he got caught. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like, damn, it's like just no avoiding dumb niggas. It's just like people who don't proactively think about their own decisions. And so I was like, dang, it's like you can't avoid that. Like somebody who was like, hey, give me your wallet, don't give it blah blah blah and kill you immediately. Like, like, damn, like that's the consequence. That's what you get for not giving me the thing. Yeah. And then said it's like, man, shit, it wasn't that easy. Let me move on. You know what I mean? Let me somebody else is gonna give me it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they run off and get nothing. And so you all you got was a murder charge. Facts.
SPEAKER_00:Nah, I'd be seeing, well, I don't know. In the hood, people get away with a lot of things, but with uh not necessarily what you're talking about, but a lot of people who end up killing like celebrities and rappers and all that, it's just like a nine times, I mean, nine times out of ten chance you're gonna get caught. I don't know what changed in the algorithm of the police, uh, or I don't know what changed in the police algorithm and all that, but it ain't like 10, 20 years ago where people just get who killed Tupac. I don't know. Who killed, I don't know, you getting caught, bro. Like, I don't remember in the past at least five to seven. Five to seven, any rapper who got killed, for the most part, they didn't find out who these people were. Oh yeah. Yeah, it ain't like it used to be back then.
SPEAKER_01:No, I totally agree. Um, yeah. Um, and then sometimes they're boasting about it too. You know, yeah. Yeah, the younger they are, I guess. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's and then they'll you know, have money, you know, yeah, yeah, be posted up with the same sh the same stuff they own they did in the murder. Yeah, but yeah, it's just really not, it's not thinking. And that's just like I gotta look out for every you know, everybody, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That's the worst people to eat yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, because it's you know, the emotional man you gotta worry about. Yeah, somebody who is a very prideful, don't have anything, and all they have is their pride. Yeah, so if you take that from them, they're gonna kill you for it. Yeah. But oh you make host somebody who ain't got a big thing. Oh, you made fun of me in front of a bunch of girls? Dead. Facts.
SPEAKER_00:You know what I mean? Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't even like uh I don't even like like I feel like drinking henny and going to the club is a dangerous idea. Cause like I don't I remember one time I was at I was in Vegas and this dude just bumped me. I don't know what it was, but it was something about him bumping me. I just like looked at this nigga like who the fuck this nigga think he is? And I I think about that sometimes. And he looked back too. And then the girl who I was with, she just like kind of grabbed me to like go the other way. Okay, but I was just thinking about that. I'm like, damn, like you can't even get into random fights for real no more. Like yeah, you gotta be really have yourself in check just in case you run across one of these dumb people who just don't care.
SPEAKER_01:I totally agree. And that's what it that's what um I like to have my distance one from the next person next to me. Like, if I'm walking on the same street, I'm gonna move over. Because one, I don't know if you're crazy or not, and I wanna be honestly so I can see whatever if you pull out something real quick. And um two, it's just the the story about the there's a black-owned restaurant. It was uh I forg I'm forgetting the name. Um but nonetheless, a man during the day killed somebody in that restaurant, and I'm sure it was over absolutely nothing. It sounded like he was looking for him. No, it was like he's sitting down eating. I well, I don't know to be 100%, but it seemed like probably an argument uh uh ensued for whatever reason, and then he shot and killed him. And I'm sure it was over nothing. I'm sure it could it could have been simply like, dang, I can't believe this mother effer uh didn't open the door for me, like keep the door open and shut it on me. You know what I mean? Or you can be like, excuse me, you know what I mean, or whatever. It could be something so small.
SPEAKER_00:That is wow. I'm definitely blessed to not have to or not have had a run in like that. Absolutely. Yeah, yeah, because it's it's everywhere. You never really know.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. Where are we at? We're fifty six. I think we did it. Yeah, I don't have nothing with that. All right. Well, this is two for the culture. We'll be back. We'll be back.