“Dirty Mack & Cheese”

*(ya grand-mama mama house, 1934)*

“Now, don’t you go callin’ that gal, Cheryl.”

“Oh, no, Samuel — that hussy is gonna hear from me — both of you cockroaches is gonna hear from me.” Cheryl swung, then flung the cast iron; a stone kettle follows.

“Now you done did it, Cheryl. That Janice is a nice woman. Look’a her — she’s not even my type — she got a big ol’ jungle behind.” Cheryl was a bit of a slimmer version of Josephine Baker; with a red tint to her skin that made her shine and glow all year long. Samuel walked up on her at the diner over on Eads Street one morning, after a work accident sent everyone home early for the day. The diner was his favorite place to eat that wasn’t home, and it was because of Janice.

Her hair sat in its net, unbothered and perfect. Her lips were always painted a different color; Samuel liked her most with red lips, green, lilac, or magenta. Her uniform was always fitting and exact. And Janice would smell like fresh baked banana cake, with a hint of hot cocoa. And she was as physically thick as her robust personality. Her laugh was high-pitched. Her mouth would open wide. Samuel stood close enough to smell her angel’s breath one time, as she told a joke. Then, Janice kissed him on his cheek at first; hovering barely, right above his beard line to bare skin; taking his lips. Samuel took his hat off and held it to…