He Got Game, She Got Defense
Story by Proshana Ghose
Art by Fenando Amaro Jr.

“Ey ma, why dont you gimme your number?"
“Mmm, becaaause....I got a boyfriend?”
“Well I'm just trynna be a friend...”
“Err, because I like girls?”
“Ooh, thats sexy, mami, can I watch?”
“Hmm, because I'm getting through a rough relationship
right now?”
“Oh damn girl, I can't believe a man to make you cry, I'll
get you through it.”
“Hmmm...how bout...I'm   asexual?”

Game. Many males think they got it, and many females figure out the ways to sidestep it. Not to say females don't got game either. But, speaking from my experience, I can list to you all the "let 'em down without hurtin their ego" tactics I've been known to employ.

Is game obnoxious?   Err...I gotta say it is flattering, at the very least. It's obnoxious when it gets desperate, when dudes can't take the clue and leave it as a complement to a passerby. But in the end, as for my experience, side-stepping game comes down to theatre, straight improv, and behind that a little psychology work, depending on the situation.

I remember once   me and my cousin went to the video store and these fellas started stepping up to my cousin (beautiful, light eyed light skinned girl) and kept trynna amp the game when they realized she wasn't havin it.   So, naturally then, they started steppin' to me.  

"So what's up with you ma, how you doin?"

I looked at em, cocked eyebrow,   "Oh, so now I'm second choice? Please."

"Nah, it aint' like that, ain't like that!"

Me and my cousin was laughing uncontrollably, talking bout, “I don't do the leftover thing,” and we ran out.   It was all in good laughs. A lot of women got stories like that.

I remember when I first got a cell phone, and I realized I couldn't say "I don't got a phone" no more since they could see me on one. So then, I started just giving out the number. Why not? It was less hassle, and I came to understand that dudes don't even call anyway, they're just trynna get the conquest of getting' the girl's number. Fine.

Then one of them started calling. And another. And another. So I stopped that tactic.

Then, I heard about the reject hotline. This is a number that a guy calls, thinking it's the girl, and it's a message telling   informing him that he got a fake number. It even list reasons why – he may not be attractive enough, the you are not her type, and so on.   Some of them are nice, they give the guy options to listen to jokes or play games on the phone. So perfect, the reject line, just memorize that and done. Except for one other thing: dudes start calling your number on the spot so that you'll "have their number on your phone." So that tactic is out.

I don't know about y'all, but I try to do my rejections clean, with male egos intact. I mean it was nice of them and brave of them to step up, but I'm just not feelin ‘em like that. They're human too, right?   And that would suck to get rejected like that as a girl, so I try to do right by that. But that moral dilemma leaves me wasting more time with a struggling dude in front of me, giving him enough time to make him think I'm actually considering, when the truth is I'm actually contemplating how to do this let-down right.

Sometimes the game defense clicks in just by instinct. I remember one time I was talking to this one dude at this Dead Prez concert, and we were gettin into it real good, then he caught me off guard as he was about to leave, and asked for my number. I thought we was just gonna be passersby, but he caught me up with that one, and I was about to get into tactic-mode, but then I realized, oh wait, I think I actually do wanna give it to him. But of course, that one didn't call. The ones you want never do, at least for me. I called him. Then I realized he was just doing the conquest thing.

I don't really have game myself, but I surprise myself sometimes when I got a little fuel in my with what lines that'll come out. Like once coming out of the club, I had some oil in my tin, if you feel me (I'm 22, no worries), and I got bold and asked the security guard ,me and my girls were diggin on, if he went to San Jose State. I had no idea, but I said it more like a statement than a question, so it'd seem like I noticed him before (craz how fast the game mind works). He said yea but that he graduated. I was like, oh ok. I got his attention now, now I'm not just a face at the club he works at. Then I heard the words come outta my mouth, "So maybe you could get my number sometime." Statement. Then he pulled out his phone, and I said, "Or maybe I could get it now."

I was a hero to my girls that night. I got so caught up in the theatrics of all that, and was beaming at my game, that I didn't even noticed he did call me three days later.   He was real cool, but it faded like random encounters do. But the thing that went down on my pages was the conquest.

So, I don't hate the game. But, it does suck when dudes have no game at all and just start seemin desperate, even intimidating.   It riles my energy and keeps my mind working.   So,how about you? What's your experience, observations?

Ain't no sex in the city, just a little girl reporting some tales from her crypt of funny. The ladies, if not pullin' their own weight in this game thing, are wise to all the lines and psychology of yall, we got brothers, and our own minds that ain't that much different--even when it seems like they innocent. Trust.

Also Listen to:
Talking About the Game
radio piece about Spittin' Game