Never

5 The rocket was off, the rumble of the thrusters shaking the frost off the liquid-oxygen and –hydrogen filled fuel tanks. The nozzles splay for a brief moment, as if caught off guard from the sudden violent blast the mixed fuels deliver, but quickly recover and direct the force into a focus of white heat emblazoned on the platform as the technological spire floats for a moment, suspended on the children of Hell.

4 He should be excited. This is the ultimate, the finale, the fulfillment of all the dreams and aspirations of his, his family, his people included. All the side jobs, second jobs, second-hand clothes, overtime, and hand-me-downs through the years by his father, his mother, his, everyone, have come to fruition.

3 A red and black leather jacket with many zippers, snaps, pockets, some doubled, some sewn, some fake, some not, but all completely needed hung waiting for him in the closet, a worn out pair of Chuck’s on the floor, a worn pair of Levi’s with two gathers of fabric sewn at the waist thrown over the back of a chair. Thriller had been on the shelves for a decade.

2 ‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
The clock-radio reads 7:00 AM. Uhhhh, school already? I wonder what moms has got packed for lunch. Will they let us out to watch the shuttle launch? Wonder what Shondra’s doing?

1 My kids will never have to put up with this shit. Cleaning up after these white folks, demeaned and tormented. No, they will never have to put up with this. Who you calling boy?!