In America there is a secret. If I had known that —
I picked up my neighbor
He said this and that
I say it’s frank, you my neighbor
And he say oh,
I didn’t know- people save their
Best face.
Here, you hear that someone stole
Money from an old lady
And people respect you
Funny way to earn, I think
This secret in America,
You earn respect…
Where I’m from you earn
Disrespect. People respect

Themself. My mom says Frank-
You have to stop walking alone

But I say–you don’t know people,
You don’t know me. I get off of
Work, I walk alone.

Here respect is fear.
I’m not a talker.
They see me. They know
I work. I don’t have nothing
To steal. You take
From me and I don’t call
The cops. I take it back
With interest. I saw that
Lady being robbed. She is old
And we are all in the elevator
She got off. I didn’t. I say

I can’t let you do that-
Steal from the young–

Let the young fight
And they tell me it’s
Not my business. Respect is
Not a business. It is
What you have. I got that
Money back. Crazy African
From Sierra leone. I don’t
Care. Nobody getting off
The elevator without me
Having that money.
I went to give it back
And she was gone. She scared.
When I saw her she didn’t want
The money. She said it was not
Worth my life. My life
Is worth it. They teach you that
Where I am from. We are worth it
We don’t know people. We don’t
Know people, this secret in America.
Two sides to every story. Two sides
To the face. Teach you how to respect yourself.