Also, where the heck was an ice-cream shop?

To keep us manageable during those lessons, MJ made us a promise. Last five minutes of every class, if we were good, he’d answer whatever random questions we had. It wasn’t lost on me that he started this practice shortly after I’d broached the topic of wet dreams for Jameer.

Checking his watch, MJ said, “It’s time, guys. What you got?”

A hand went up in the back row. “MJ, you know about the BabyGettersToo hashtag?”

“I’m aware. It’s hard not to be.”

Back Row followed up with, “What you think about Taylor coming back to school after blowing up Colossus like she did?”

MJ shifted uncomfortably. “Nice try, but you know I’m not about to discuss another student with you. Somebody else give it a shot.”

Mason’s hand went up. “How’d you meet your kid’s mom?”

“Wow, nice pivot.” MJ stroked his chin. “It was college. I was a junior. She was a freshman.”

He stopped like we were going to let that ride.

Qwan said, “What else? Was it at a party or something? How’d you run your game? Tell us how the OGs did it.”

“I’m not that OG, Qwan. I’m only twenty-eight.”

The class got raucous, egging him on.

“Okay, okay. Settle down. It happened like this. This gorgeous girl’s parents knew my roommate’s parents. Her people told her when she got on campus, go visit him and say what’s up, so she’d know somebody. The girl came to our apartment with three of her friends. She’s wearing this denim outfit that looks really good, and I immediately make a fool of myself. I say something like, ‘You are really rocking that skirt, ma. If only I could be denim for a day.’”

MJ posed with his back stiff, arms crossed, a b-boy stance. We cracked up partially from his boldness, partially for the corny line.

Returning to a more relaxed posture, he said, “That didn’t go over well with any of the girls, and my roommate looked like he wanted to apply for a reassignment that second.”

Mason said, “Why were they mad, though? You were telling her she looked good in the skirt. It was a compliment.”

“Was it?”

Mason opened his mouth, then closed it.

MJ said, “Show of hands, who thinks what I said was all good?”

Most hands went up. Including Mason’s. Including Qwan’s. Including mine.

With a wave, MJ signaled all hands down. “There’s a room full of girls next door. I’m willing to bet if we asked their opinions, the majority would think differently from y’all.”

“That’s because they’re stuck up!”

I don’t know who said it, but it got a few cheers, claps, and chuckles.

MJ face-palmed, shook his head. “Guys, it took me a long time to get it, too. You wanted to ask real questions, so I’m trying to give you real answers. Almost everything you think you know about girls and women is wrong. That incorrect information can be dangerous.”