Juxed?
Have you heard of the term “jux”? “Jux” or “juxed” is a popular term used in hip-hop music and the New York urban community. Because it was used so frequently in the 90s, the term has spread all over the world. Basically, in rap music, it is used to refer to robbing or stealing.
The site www.english.stackexchange.com provides a history of the term:
“It appears jux (to rob) comes from Jamaican Patois jooks (to rob, especially with a pointed weapon), from Caribbean jook (to poke) dating back to the early 19th century, and is similar to several west African words meaning to poke, pierce, prick or enter. Jook is now also London gang slang for theft or stabbing.”
Well, you don’t have to get physically robbed or assaulted to get juxed. You can also be finessed out of your money, property, or situations! This is how I felt after a certain event happened to me. I got juxed. Let me explain.
You Win Some, You Lose Some…
You’ve heard the term, “You win some, you lose some.” I recently heard this term rephrased as such:
“You Win Some, You Learn Some.”
I like the rephrasing. It says that even in loss, there is a learning component if you choose to search for it. Others will say that you never really lose; you either win or you learn something new. Because you never really learn anything in winning, you learn only in failure. You lose only when you quit. Well, three days ago, a lady ran a hustle on me. I got juxed. And though I lost out on some money, I learned so much from the situation. Before I discuss what I learned, let me tell you what happened.
The Story…
It was Friday. And not only was it Friday, which for people in the work world is already great because the weekend is here, it was also PAYDAY( for me)! So, I was triple excited! What do I mean? Well:
- It was Friday (the weekend was upon us).
- It was payday!
- I was going to a rap concert to see two of my top five lyricists (Rakim and Krs-1) of all time.
Anyone who knows me really well knows that Rakim is my idol. He has impacted my life on so many levels and he is #1 in my “Top Five.” But I digress. (Note: I ended up not going to the concert even though I paid for the ticket. Why? Long story. Anyway, God willing, I will see them the next time they come to town.)
Anyway, payday is always a great relief for me. Why? I have four reasons. They are as follows:
- I get to pay God first (charity).
- I get to myself, second.
- I get to pay all of my bills and debts for that time period.
- I get my allowance to live off of for the next two weeks.
I took care of all of this before I left work. So, I was at peace when I left the job. My Friday evening wasn’t free, though. I had agreed to help another manager by working for him that evening, so I had to get something to eat and then catch a nap before I went back in.
Jamaica Gees Restaurant
I went to a Jamaican restaurant that I usually frequent in Maryland. The owners of this restaurant own two other establishments on the same block: a liquor store and a nightclub. Because it was only 7 p.m. in August, there was still plenty of sun.
Given that I spent part of my life in rough neighborhoods, and because of my profession, as soon as I got out of the vehicle, my awareness was on! As usual, I was looking for threats.
As I began walking toward the restaurant, a lady attempted to get my attention. Immediately, I thought, ‘Homeless…or… Substance Abuser.’ I didn’t consider her as part of a setup because criminals tend to use someone halfway decent-looking to occupy your attention and slow you down as they come up behind you to rob you. She looked as if she was a user. Anyway, she read from my body language that I was not going to give her any money, so she began to speak:
“Excuse me. Can I speak to you for a second? I don’t want any money from you. I’m pregnant and for the last two hours, I’ve been asking people to help me get something to eat. Can you help me?”
I looked at her and realized that she could possibly be pregnant. She wore a sleeveless gown with sandals, so her dress hid her shape. Originally, I thought that she was just out of shape. She was in her 40s…maybe later 40s. And she looked rough, like she’d had a difficult life. That was why I thought about substance abuse.
Anyway, because she said that she didn’t want money, only something to eat, and because I was in such a grateful and blessed mood given that I could pay all of my bills, pay on my debts, and give God His cut, I thought, ‘Why not receive more blessings on top of the blessings that I will receive for giving in charity by helping this woman?’ Plus, I’d just gotten paid, so I had some extra coins to help out. So, I said to her, “Sure,” as I continued walking into the restaurant.
When I entered the store, the lady trailed me. I told the cashier that I would pay for the lady’s dish. Before she was able to order, I turned to her and told her my only condition: “No pork!” She said, “Yes sir,” and she ordered.
Oxtail Dinner from Jamaica Gees
What did she order? Lol! She ordered one of the most expensive dishes…oxtails! And she ordered a drink: ginger beer (note: It’s not alcohol, it’s a traditional Jamaican soda that’s very strong!). She attempted to order cabbage as one of the two sides that come with all dishes, but they told her that it would take 15 more minutes because they were preparing another batch of steamed cabbage. She decided to order plantain as a substitute. Then I ordered my dish: jerk chicken dinner. I told the cashier that I would wait for the cabbage because I had plenty of time. I also ordered myself some ginger beer and asked for it now as I waited for my order. In a few minutes, my bill went from $17 to $47 – all because someone asked me for food! Oh, well! I thought, ‘This is just more charity that I’m giving! I can’t outgive the Big Guy!’
Jerk Chicken Dinner from Jamaica Gees
The lady whom I bought the food for loudly said that she needed to use the bathroom, as if she was thinking out loud. Because we are just getting out of the Covid restrictions in my state, the dining area and bathrooms were still closed to the public. So, she said that she would be back. I assumed that she was going to find a bathroom in the alley or in some bushes (remember, she looked homeless). When a staff member came out with the sodas, I grabbed them both and stepped outside to look for the lady. I didn’t see her. I walked back inside the store and gave the lady’s drink back to the cashier. I told the cashier to give it to the lady when she came to get her food. I stood there leaning on a counter and drinking my ginger beer soda, standing out of the way of customers entering the restaurant to purchase their food.
As I drank my ginger beer, a lady walked into the restaurant to place an order. She wore an expensive wig and a nice dress. She was a little older…maybe in her 50s. I told her that the dress color was nice, and she replied, “Thank you, sir.” She then went straight to the cashier to place her order. Two other customers came in behind this older lady.
A few minutes later, the lady whom I had bought the dish for came back. As she walked into the restaurant and saw that I was still there, I could tell that she was caught off guard. As she telegraphed this, I noticed that she was attempting to hide something in her left hand. What was she trying to hide? It was a brown paper bag with a can that was approximately 16 ounces! In other words, she had a beer can in a paper bag. Meaning…
THIS HEIFER WASN’T PREGNANT!
I was in such a blessed and peaceful mood that I wasn’t angry…yet. Anyone who knows me knows that I can become an asshole—a very, very, very, very big asshole. But I wasn’t upset yet. I think I was processing what was happening. I was also in a blessed mood.
Then it got worse. Remember the lady whom I complimented? Well, as I was processing what had just happened, I heard the lady whom I bought the food for say to the cashier, “This is my aunt!” When I looked at both women, I could immediately see the familial resemblance. The aunt was just shorter. As a matter of fact, when she said this statement, she got in her aunt’s personal space.
That was when I really began to process what was going on. This chick lied, saying that she was pregnant and looking, for two hours, for someone to purchase her food. She wanted to get me to pay for something that she wanted to eat but that she wasn’t going to pay for. Furthermore, she was with her family, who could have paid for her dish. Instead, however, she found someone whom she could slick talk to get them to pay for the most expensive dish on the menu. I got my order and walked out.
Lessons Learned
As I drove away, I began to process it more and more, and I began to get even more pissed. But then, after getting angry, I began to be at peace. I started processing the pricey lesson that I had learned from this low-level game. Here’s what I learned and what you can learn from this:
To Be Continued…
The Lesson Learned from Getting Juxed: Lessons Learned pt. 2
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