did i ever tell you guys that the guy above was my landlord for the summer of 2007?

ok, let me explain. if you’ve ever seen the best show on TV, the wire, you’d know that gbenga akinnagbe (silent “g” in the first name) portrays chris partlow, arguably the craziest, most intense character in the show.

he’s like me. kinda. he’s from montgomery county, maryland. he grew up about 15 minutes from my house. he’s also nigerian, as i found out when he called me after replying to his craigslist ad for subletting an apartment. he started speaking to me in yoruba, because he knew my family was from that part of nigeria just by reading my name in an e-mail. when he discovered i didn’t know what the blood he was saying, he laughed and we got down to business. a week later, i was furnishing his extra large 4-bedroom jumpoff.

like i said, i found his apartment on craigslist. it was listed in washington heights, home of the haze/dominicans/arroz con pollo on every corner. 163 and broadway, man.

he was definitely a nice guy, although every time he asked for the rent, i almost shat my pants. why, you ask?

that’s why. try not paying the rent to that guy. your body will be floating in the mississippi river.