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    Tales From Sha-Hair-Azad:

    These Walls Can Talk

    By Najya Yasirah


    Chapter 18: The Sexual Practices of Black Women


    She had followed him to Lucky’s. He waited for her while she parked. He studied her.  Not once did she check her appearance in the rear view. He liked the way her ponytail swung when she turned her head. She wasn’t carrying a purse, either. She quickly ran up to him. “Okay, I’m hungry!” she said excitedly. He loved her bare shoulders, and her horseshoe-shaped triceps. He took her hand and led her inside.

    “Hey, there’s Antione!” said Luciano Micelli, the Italian owner. His hair was a mixture of black and gray. He shook hands with Antoine. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, Antoine,” said Lucky. Reyjah blushed and snickered. “I’m his hairdresser, Mr. Micelli,” she said. “You’re from New York, aren’t you?” he asked. “I don’t see woman as naturally pretty as you from California.” “Yeah, I’m from NY- go Yankees!” she said. Antoine laughed. “What part?” “All of it!”  “She’s awesome, Antoine! You need to keep her around,” said Lucky nudging him. “Argh,” Antoine replied. “Come on, I’m hungry,” said Reyjah leading him away.

    Everybody that Antoine knew at Lucky’s flirted with Reyjah. She was laughing most of the night as well as speaking Italian. “You okay, Antoine?” asked Reyjah. He was throwing down on his chicken with Penne pasta. He gave her the thumbs up. She was content with her stuffed ravioli that was drenched with sauce and mushrooms. “I like this place,” she said with a megawatt smile. “Because every man here has been staring at you?” he griped. Jealous. “Would you rather for them to stare at you, Antoine?” He almost choked.  “And I like the house band, too,” she said. A tall man was on the stage was singing songs in Italian. “He’s got a good voice,” she nodded. She went back to eating her food. Lucky went onstage, he whispered something to the singer. Antoine was grinning. “What the hell ,is going on?” she asked, catching his smile. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been brought to my attention that a very gifted and beautiful singer is in Lucky’s tonight; this young lady recently shook it up at Giovanni’s. And she was wearing a really, sexy blue dress.” Reyjah dropped her face to the table. “You didn’t?” she muttered. Antoine snickered. She looked up. “You set me up?” she said, smiling. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome, Ms. Reyjah Bennett,” said the singer. The patrons were applauding. “Dammitt!” she muttered. “Remind me to kick your ass later, Antoine,” she said as she began walking towards the stage. The singer greeted her with a kiss on the cheek as he handed her the microphone. “Well, this is really a surprise, I didn’t think I’d be singing tonight. I would have at least changed my shoes.” The audience laughed. Somebody whistled. “Hey, now, you gotta wife!” she scolded. ”I know, I’ve done her hair, she showed me pictures…kiss the kids for me , will ya!”  “Sing! Sing!” cried the audience.  “What?” she whined. “I don’t know what to sing?” “Mariah Carey!” “Can y’all play “Vision of Love?” she said to the band. They nodded. “OK!!!”  The band began to play. “Treated me kind, sweet destiny, carried me through desperation/ to the one that was waiting for me/It took so long/Still I believed/ Somehow the one that I needed/ Would find me eventually….I had a vision of love/ And it was all that you’ve given to me..

    “Man, Antoine, that girl is divine!” said Tony, a regular. Antoine chuckled. “Pretty face, great body, good voice…what’s she like in bed?” “Come again?” asked Antoine. “You know what they say about Black women in bed?” asked Tony. “I wouldn’t know, Tony,” said Antoine. “Why don’t you ask her?”

    “Prayed through the nights/ Felt so alone /Suffered through alienation/ Carried the weight on my own/ Had to be strong/So I believed/And now I know I've succeeded/In finding the place I conceived/ I had a vision of love/And it was / all that you've given to me/I had a vision of love/And it was all that you've given me….”

    “Man, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to piss you off,” said Tony throwing up his hands. “Are you with her, or what?” Antoine glared at him. “Ms. Bennett is my best friend, and I respect her as a lady, therefore, she should be regarded no less than one,” he said firmly. Reyjah was singing with passion, but at the same time she wondered what the heck was going on with Antoine and the guy with the beer gut.

    “I’ve realized a dream/And I visualized a love that came to be/Feels so alive/I’m so thankful, that I’ve received/ The answer…that heaven has sent down to me/ You treated me kind/Sweet destiny/And I’ll be eternally grateful, holding you so close to me/ prayed through the night/ so faithfully/knowing the one that I needed/would find me eventually/ I had a vision of love….”

    Reyjah hit that dog-whistle high note!!

    “And it was aaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllll /that you turned out to…beeeeeeeeeeeeeee/ yeah /mmmmhmmhhmmm.”


    The audience stood and clapped. People were whistling. Reyjah blew a kiss to Antoine. “Thank you,” she said. As she left the stage, the lead singer returned to his duties. She saw Tony sitting beside Antoine. “You okay, Ant?” she asked. A waiter gave her a glass of water. “Graci!” she said as she took a swig.  She fanned herself. “Reyjah, this is Tony,” said Antoine gruffly. Reyjah shook the fat man’s hand. “You looked great up there, sounded good, too.” She gave him the awkward eye. “Thanks,” she said flatly. Judging by Antoine’s face, she could tell that Tony was a dumbass. “Tony, here, wants to ask you something, Bellissima,” said Antoine.  Tony blanched. “Go right ahead, Tony,” she grinned. “Well, uh, I asked Antoine how black women were in bed,” Tony stammered. “Uh huh, I see, and what did Ant, say?” she asked taking a sip. “He said to ask you.”  “Wise decision. Well Tony, I don’t know what urban legend you’ve been reading or what stories you’ve heard in the alley, but I couldn’t tell you how a black woman is in bed. I’ve never been with one!” she smiled so sweetly.  “Now, please get your ignorant, fat, ass away from me. Please?” she was still smiling. Tony quickly got up. His face was beet red. “You can laugh, Ant,” she said. “Don’t get mad, he can’t help being ignorant.”  “I know”, said Antoine. “But I appreciate you defending my honor, just like Ardeth Bay would have,” she said. He threw a breadstick at her and laughed.


    Tales From Sha-Hair-Azad: These Walls Can Talk - Chapter 19