[Intro: door chime, register bell] [Kid] Drawer [Owner] Easy [Hook: Owner, Owner, Kid, Owner] [Owner] No sale. Drawer's open. Take it if you need [Owner] But I bought what you're sellin' when I was nineteen [Kid] Shut your mouth and fill the bag, man, I ain't askin' twice [Owner] I said that to the man who gave me this whole life [Verse 1: Kid, fast and jittery, drums tight] Ski mask in October and it's eighty in the shade Cousin's pistol in my hoodie, I ain't checked it, I'm afraid Twelve minutes till you close, and the camera's dead since July Watched you for a week, old man, you slow and you shy Rent due Monday, Mama on a double at the plant Baby sister's shoes got holes, and the landlord said he can't Wait another week, so I'm here, so don't make me do the thing Put it in the fuckin' bag before that little bell can ring [Flow switch: stutter, nerves crack the cadence] Don't, don't, don't you move, don't you reach, don't you look at me, look at the floor Look at the floor, look at the floor, I said look at the... why you smilin'? What's the smile for? [Hook] [Owner] No sale. Drawer's open. Take it if you need [Owner] But I bought what you're sellin' when I was nineteen [Kid] Shut your mouth and fill the bag, man, I ain't askin' twice [Owner] I said that to the man who gave me this whole life [Verse 2: Owner, slow and heavy, strings swell] Ski mask in October, cousin's pistol, rent on Monday, right? Mama on a double, baby sister's shoes, and it's a Tuesday night Shit, I know the whole speech, kid. I wrote it. Two thousand. Same tile Old man Teo stood right here, hit "No Sale," and he smiled Gave me sixty-two dollars and a card with his name Said, "Come back when you want a job." I laughed. Six years later, I came Did the six for somethin' dumber at a gas station off the ramp Came home skinny with a diploma that I earned under one lamp [Flow switch: he mirrors the kid's stutter] "Don't, don't, don't you move"? I said that too, word for word, and I was shakin' too You hold it like a phone that's ringin' and you scared to pick it up, and the safety's on, it's on, it's on, so who you foolin'? Who? Teo left me this store when he passed, left the stool and the cat Left a note taped to the register: "Your turn. Do that." [Beat Switch: drums cut, strings and register bell only] [Verse 3: Kid, no drums, the mask comes off] Pulled the mask up 'cause it's hot. That's the only reason. Swear Ain't 'cause you was talkin' like you know me, like you been there Gun is empty. Fine. My cousin sold the shells for gas I been walkin' up and down this block with a cannon made of glass Tired of my mama's feet in a bucket every night Tired of bein' told to wait like waitin' ever made it right So what's the catch, old man? What you want, a thank you? A hug? [Owner] Catch is Monday, six a.m. Catch is you, a mop, and that rug [Kid] And the money? [Owner] Money's yours. That's what the button's for [Final Hook: drums slam back, both voices] [Owner] No sale. Drawer's open. Take it if you need [Owner] Apron's on the hook, and it's cut to fit nineteen [Kid] I ain't you, old man. I ain't nothin' like you, right? [Owner] Said the same thing at that door, kid. Twenty-six years tonight [Outro: register prints a receipt, door chime] [Owner] Keep the receipt
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