“Whatever you are, be a good one,” I reminded myself as ladies clad in thongs alone strutted, bounced and swiveled beneath the flashing lights. I tried not to judge. In another life, that could me scampering up the pole.
The reporter in me wanted to know these anonymous beauties’ backstories: what were their childhood dreams? What their family and friends think about their places of employment? Who are they outside of the strip club, when they are off-duty and clothed? (more…)
It was one of those days: You know, those once in a blue moon 24-hour Murphy’s Law Days completely dedicated to fighting the elements.
My white flag was waved when I arrived at my evening gig soaked to the bone, bra and all. I still don’t know whether to blame my missing umbrella, my genius decision to simply walk to the mall rather than wait an extra 10 minutes for the next shuttle, or the rain men who saw fit to start a monsoon-worthy downpour when I was literally smack, dab and in the middle of nowhere with no place for shelter. (more…)
I w
oke up this morning at 5, surprised to find myself curled up on the couch in the living room. Yesterday’s 10 -5 shift at the mall and an evening gig covering a local arts event had taken its toll. Around 10 p.m., I entered the warm house, ate and collapsed to the tune of “Stepping to the Bad Side” from DreamGirls lulling in the background. (more…)
The scent of Rudy’s signature chicken wafted throughout the rattling city bus.
“Mmmmmmmm,” I moaned while hungrily sniffing the air.
The culprit was a young girl with burgundy hair hunched over the front seat, guardedly nibbling away.
Gotta love it.
In Dallas, many jokingly dub it Rudy’s “crack chicken,” because on any given day at any given time, rain or shine, passersby will find a faithful line of customers weaving down the meager restaurant’s stairs and a constant stream of cars in a drive-thru queue that almost always spills out into the bustling street. (more…)
Menacing eyes, evil grins and whispers of world domination readily identify villains in the world of Hollywood. But in reality, spotting a ne’er-do-well is a much murkier task; the dividing line between heroes and villains, saviors and victims often weaves, twists, and turns, blurring the distance between the two. Those heralded as heroes sometimes engage in questionable acts to meet their goals. In such instances, good intentions justify the unsavory behaviors. But do good intentions conquer all? (more…)
“I feel like a used condom,” one government official mused upon learning that he had been manipulated by another in R. W. Johnson’s South Africa’s Brave New World. I have been working on this 600-page book since the sticky days of summer, flipping through its dense, but well-written highlights of the flagrant acts of nepotism and corruption in the “rainbow” country post-apartheid in stops and starts. (more…)
“How do you know my husband?” the stranger hissed as the doors to the train clamped closed behind her.
My eyes widened as I searched my mind for a decent explanation. (more…)
I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. Its wrinkled pages, discolored with time, are lined with scribbles and stickers, highlights and underlines. Whole chunks of chapters are on the verge of falling out. I really need to get a new one, I thought as my eyes scanned a randomly selected page: James, the first chapter. I chuckled bitterly at God’s sense of humor as I read verses 23 and 24. (more…)
Tonight, I received the oddest text from a guy friend of mine.
“Have a question for u,” it began.
“Why would a young, beautiful attractive intelligent lady like yourself be interested in me? I’m never around and I’m doing nothing for u. I got my good attributes but I’m not there for u. Honestly, why?”
“Order a White Russian,” a friend suggested over the pulsing beats of the club. The name made me giggle. A White Russian? Now, that’s redundant, I mused. I had just spent a month in St. Petersburg. Though I certainly wasn’t the lone brown speck in the beautiful city, it often seemed that way. (more…)
