By Marlon James, from A Brief History of Seven Killings, a novel to be published next month by Riverhead. James is the author of a previous novel, The Book of Night Women. He teaches at Macalester College.

Listen to me now. Me warn him, y’know, my magnanimous gentlemens. Long time I drop warnings that other people close, friend and enemy, was going get him in a whole heap o’ trouble. Every one of we know at least one, don’t it? Them kinda man who just stay a certain way? Always have a notion but never come up with a…