Who is The Weeknd? God- what year is it?
“Who is singing right now?”
“Oh, this is The Weeknd,” I looked up from wiping the counter.
“The Weeknd?” Yvette asked standing behind the marble counter. “Who is that?”
“Who is that?” I repeated. “God- What year is this?”
“No seriously who is The Weeknd.”
“He’s this R&B artist from Scarborough. He’s cool. He made a couple songs with Drake you know, “I explained. “Well, if we’re being honest here, he’s way better than Drake.”
Yvette gasped. “I thought everyone from Toronto had to like Drake. It was in the contract.”
“Hah! The contract? Naw, Drake is cool and all, but I don’t know. There’s something about The Weeknd. He makes really good shit.” I unapologetically love that man.
“But do you really think you can play this music here? During store hours?” Yvette inquired.
I looked at Yvette with squinted eyes, “Right. I forget you’re new here. Tony says I can play stuff like this if I keep it down low, so the customers don’t notice it.”
I got something to tell you but don't know how I'ma say it
I guess that I could only say one thing
Girl, I been bad again, girl, I been bad again
Yvette gave me a look of doubt. I don’t think she was buying any of my bullshit today.
“Are you really sure you can play this right now? I don’t want to get in trouble because you’re full of shit.” Yvette crossed her arms.
“No no no! I swear it’s totally ok. You know the supervisor Imogen? You should hear the shit she plays during her shifts! Horrible stuff. That girl plays friggin Wolf Mother, The Stooges and Black Sabbath all on her shift like it’s no big deal. The Weeknd’s R&B is like contemporary Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye.”
Pick up your phone
The party's finished and I want you to know
I'm all alone
I'm feelin' everything before I got up
“Are you sure about that? This doesn’t sound like it’s going in a good direction for this ‘Weeknd’ character you’re talking about. I always want you when I’m coming down? This sounds like a song about drugs.” Yvette reiterated. “Might I remind you I refuse to lose my job playing this music just because you like listening to it when you’re at work.”
“No no no! It’s not a bad song! It’s actually really good. This guy is so talented! Did you know this is off a mixtape he released in 2011? No one in Toronto knew who this guy was for the longest time! We just kept listening to his music off YouTube with these blurry images of girls at parties and a covered face of some man! Wild man!”
“I really don’t care if he came from Buckingham Palace! This song is not appropriate for work when we are open! Aren’t you supposed to be in charge until Kayla gets back from her lunch break? What’s going to happen when she gets back and hears you listening to this stuff over the speakers? What if a customer comes in? We’re going to get in so much trouble!”
“Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. Kayla was my best friend in high school. We go way back,” I replied with confidence as I turned my back and danced to the music towards the front of the store.
Poppin' again, I tried to quit again
“Really you have nothing to worry about. No one comes in before noon on a Sunday. Not to Liberty Village,” I replied with confidence.
I'm always tight with something I begin
“Like what’s the worst thing that can happen?”
That's why my **************** got me to the end
I stopped dancing. Okay maybe that was too far. House of Balloons is an incredible album. I don’t care if it’s just a mixtape. I looked to Yvette. Why is she glaring at me? I turned around.
“Oh.”
It’s because there is a customer looking directly at me.
“Right…”
