Born a Crime

The only semi-regular male
figure in my life was my
grandfather, my mother’s father,
who was a force to be reckoned
with. He was divorced from my
grandmother and didn’t live with
us, but he was around. His name
was Temperance Noah, which was
odd since he was not a man of
moderation at all. He was
boisterous and loud. His nickname
in the neighborhood was “Tat
Shisha,” which translates loosely to
“the smokin’ hot grandpa.” And
that’s exactly who he was. He loved
the ladies, and the ladies loved him.
He’d put on his best suit and stroll