B-Sides and Remixes, page 16
“So can I ask you out on another date?”
“Another? We haven’t even been out on one date,” she chuckles.
“Well, I bought you some drinks, some wings, and some candy. In certain small towns in Mississippi that constitutes a date,” I say, laughing.
“In New York, we don’t consider that a date,” she says, batting her eyelashes.
“I would love for you to show me what a real ‘New York’ date is.”
“We’ll see,” she says, before turning her attention to the stage.
There are a million questions I want to ask her, like “what made her come here?” or “does she forgive me for making a mess of things earlier?” or “will she give me a chance to make all of this up to her?” All I know is that she is here—and that’s a good sign. I want to reach out and put my arms around her waist and pull her close to me, but deep down, I know that she will let me know when she wants me to touch her. The ball is in her court, and while I might have bristled at that in the past, I feel okay following her lead.
As I turn my attention away from Denise, I take in the beautiful energy of the room. I look over and see J and Ray-Ray nodding their heads in rhythm with the snaps and claps of the packed room. Even Angie and Tracy look happy, as Aaron lies peacefully between them.
Denise turns to me and smiles, and I feel my spirit lighten. In the back of my mind I know there’s still J’s theory, but the fact that there’s a lot left for Denise and me to learn about each other doesn’t seem as daunting as it might’ve been before.
I find myself visualizing what it would be like to flip the record to Denise’s B-Side, and I smile. There could very well be a classic Teddy Riley remix there—and I could definitely get with that.
After all, I’ve spent my entire life chasing rare grooves.
Other Books By Ran Walker
30 Love: A Novel
* * *
Mojo’s Guitar: A Novel
(Il était une fois Morris Jones)
* * *
The Keys of My Soul: A Novel
* * *
The Race of Races: A Novel
* * *
The Illest: A Novella
* * *
Bessie, Bop, or Bach: Collected Stories
* * *
Four Floors (with Sabin Prentis)
* * *
Afro Nerd in Love: A Novella
* * *
Black Hand Side: Stories
* * *
White Pages: A Novel
Acknowledgments
As cliché as this might sound, it takes a village to raise a writer, so up front I must thank my parents for putting books into my hands and giving me the confidence to pursue my dreams. Likewise, my brother, Torrey, has provided not only support for this project, but great suggestions to make it into the best manuscript it can be.
Thanks to my writing families from both Callaloo and Hurston-Wright, the wonderful people at the Mississippi Arts Commission, and the following writers who have been very instrumental in my development: Steven Barnes, Aleda Shirley, Tayari Jones, Thomas Glave, Nelly Rosario, Tyehimba Jess, Shonda Buchanan, Michelle Gipson, Victor LaValle, Daniel Black, Colin Channer, Lamar Wilson, Christi Cartwright, DaMaris Hill, Eric Tanyavutti, Aaron Vano, Nancy Garcia, and the awesome Invincible Nine crew. Additional thanks to my colleagues at Lane College and Hampton University and my many students who have often taught me just as much as I have taught them.
To my creative partners Jay Craft, Phill Branch, Nsayel Mputubwele, Van G. Garrett, and Byron Lee: Thank you! And to the Whittington family: thank you for reading all of the drafts of my books, even the ones that may never see the light of day. Also, thank you, Sabin Duncan, for your endless support of my writing.
A special thank you to Brandon Massey and Zane for taking a chance on me early in my career, and for my dear friend Marie Dutton Brown, who taught me more about publishing than anyone else.
Because I write to music, I have to thank the vast list of soul musicians whose music has often inspired my work, including, but not confined to, the following: Stevie Wonder; Earth, Wind & Fire; Marvin Gaye; Lalah Hathway; Phonte, Nicolay, and the artists of Foreign Exchange Music; Jesse Boykins, III; Georgia Anne Muldrow; Slakah the Beatchild; Maxwell; Raheem Devaughn; Minnie Riperton; and the list goes on and on.
Thanks also to the Walker, Whitmore, Holbrook, and McGee families. Not only am I fortunate to have a great family, both extended and nuclear, I am blessed with a great set of in-laws who have never made me feel like an outlaw. Thanks, Mama Ruth, Edward, and all of the Maxie and Sanders family.
I’d also like to thank my brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and my sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, as well as my AUC (Morehouse, Spelman, Clark Atlanta, Morris Brown) family.
And to all of my friends and family who have supported and encouraged me throughout the years, all the way from West Point, Mississippi, to Harlem, New York—a list much too long to mention here name-by-name—thank you.
And last, but by no means least, I’d like to thank my much better half, my beautiful wife, Lauren, for standing by me while I worked on various books throughout the years. She has always been my biggest cheerleader, and I could not have done this book without her undying love and support.
About the Author
Ran Walker is a native Mississippian who gave up the practice of law to become a writer. His work has appeared in various anthologies and literary journals, and he was awarded several fellowships, including the Mississippi Arts Commission/National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Creative Nonfiction in 2005. He has also participated in both the Hurston-Wright Writers Workshop and the Callaloo Writers Workshop.
Walker serves as a creative writing professor at Hampton University and enjoys spending his time reading, composing music, and exploring the country with his wife and much better half, Lauren.
He can be reached at www.ranwalker.com.
For More Information
www.ranwalker.com
ranwalker@icloud.com
Ran Walker, B-Sides and Remixes
