Be Gone: A Story of Nosiness and the Denigration of Black Women

The other day I was meeting with a family member in Harlem to discuss some business ideas for his line of work. We generally talk money openly, doing so whenever and wherever. On this day we happened to be at the gym, sitting at a singular table and clearly in a mutually good mood. I was writing notes in my everything book and calculating random numbers on my phone while he listened and proposed ideas-- a fruitful dialogue.
Being that I was minding my own business, I did not notice the people entering and leaving the gym around me. Again, everyone was minding their own and living their life.


A man approaches my cousin and motions for him to come outside.

"Can I ask you something real quick?"

Assuming the guy recognized him from somewhere or wanted to talk about gym stuff, he excused himself. I watched their brief exchange through the door and they both parted ways, my cousin returning to the table. He looked confused, and when I asked what the guy wanted, he repeated what the man said.

Nosey Negro: "Is that your girl?"

My cousin: "No, that's my cousin. Why?"

NN: "Hey, you better be careful. These women out here always tryna take our money! Don't let her talk you out of your money, okay?"


Excuse me?!

At the core of the issue is unwarranted advice. Sir, nobody asked you to lurk around and figure out what we were discussing. And certainly nobody invited you to hop on your high horse and offer your two cents about this man's interpersonal relationships.
What really caused my stank face was his attack on black women. I know what he meant.
According to him, these women are untrustworthy and always tryna stick us [Black men] for our paper. BEWARE! No exchange of money or ideas originating from a Black woman should proceed without caution and suspicion. She is a gold digger and trifling. Protect thyself, brethren!

Be gone, sir.

Look, I'm sure there are plenty of people who are out there looking for a quick buck by any means necessary. Not only am I not one of them, but neither is every single Black woman sitting with a Black man.

Nosey Negro, get it together. Save your prejudices for your own life. Clearly, someone hurt you and you need to worry about recovering your coins.

Ladies, carry on.