The Carmel Chronicles – The Introduction..
The spring of 2007, I finally got my secret wish. Well one of them. I wanted to have a few girlfriends who are as adventurous as me, yet are brainy, ballsy, and a little soft and pink. I finally realized this dream in March after attending a hip-hop poetry showcase at ClubAlibi in the Village. I was there to support my friend Zena who was trying to support her boyfriend, the half latin, half phillipino macho man, Luis. We'd just rushed over there after spending 3 hours at my job preparing the annual report for the company awards dinner. My boss handed me $40 while I manipulated our brand new copier, and told Zena and I to get ourselves some Chinese food for dinner. "Bitch", Zena drawled watching me as I slid the cash in my bra. "That's our drink money". "And you know this girlfriend" I replied as I went back into the copy room. We copied as much as we could before the machine got overheated and we had to stop. Let's get outta here, I said as I started gathering my things. Zena pulled out her make-up bag and started to touch up her face. Zena's a gorgeous Sepia colored woman with a coke-bottle body and a nice juicy booty. She's a stylist and dresses herself sexily with her creativity on display. Today she'd paired tight Seven Jeans with a tank top, cropped plaid jacket and brown pumps. She was looking quite trendy and fashionable. She also designs the windows for a major department store on Lexington Ave. We left the office and jumped into a cab on 5th Ave over to MacDougal street. The club was pretty full when we got there, and we were able to grab two seats at the bar. The DJ was spinning hip-hop and folks were bobbing their heads to the beat. Zena went off to find Luis so I sat down and checked out the scene. The crowd was kinda young and multi-racial but the vibe was friendly. After 20 minutes, our other friend Lauren breezed in. "Hey girl, she said air kissing my cheek. "I can't stay because I have an 8 O'clock dance class." Lauren works in fashion like Zena does but takes several dance classes for fun and relaxation. She ordered a dirty martini and settled in at the bar. "So Kendra, who's performing?" Lauren asked taking a sip of her drink. "Girl, I don't know," I replied. "Let's ask Zena" who was walking up to the bar. Zena told us that Luis was managing this rapper named J-Shawn who's been working his grind on the hip-hop circuit for a few years. Lauren and I moved from the bar and took a seat on one of the couches. I spotted some around the way girls lounging in the front looking like they definitely don't hang out in places like this. They were either here to perform or support someone who was performing. We sat around waiting for the organizers to get things started. Luis stopped by to greet and thank us for coming. He had this weird aggressive vibe, like something was about to jump off. I shrugged it off and grooved to the music. We had a great time listening to the performers and chatting with the other people around us. "Girl, I gotta go," Lauren said after 20 minutes glancing at her watch. "I'll try to stop back by here after class." We hugged and Lauren dashed out the door with her dance bag slung over her shoulder. I got comfortable, leaning back on the soft cushions of the couch. After a few minutes, I saw a somewhat familiar face. It was Dan, a writer-poet I'd met at a fundraiser Zena and I did for Dress for Success last month. He's a 28 year old short, huskily built dark chocolate brotha from New Jersey. He was wearing black dress pants paired with a black button down shirt and fuzzy black dreadlocks spiraling out of his head to the middle of his back. He's studying for his PHD on-line so talking to him is always filled with a lot of pontificating by him about women and what he perceives are their problems. "See," he said taking a seat next to me, "you women need to get over the "bad boy". Women always want the bad boy but we good, decent guys never get a shot. We always get the "oh, I only like you as a friend" line. Maybe it's because you look like you need a good hair washing and need to get rid of the "know it all attitude". I thought to myself. "I'm independent, I don't need no man is what all you women are saying and that's not good." Dan continued earnestly. "Men are the protectors and providers and you women are not allowing us to do our job. Your generation messed it up for us coming behind you." I looked at him like he was one of those cavemen from the Geico commercial. "You need to consider that the women of my generation are the first to fully take advantage of the strides made during the feminist movement of the 1970's." I began. "Women who'd married young and helped take care of their families were being ditched for younger women. These women had nothing to fall back on. What do you think they were going to teach their daughters? Be able to take care of yourself, that's what. It's you men who dropped the ball. In the 80's it was common for men to get a girl pregnant and then skip out on the responsibility. Maybe men were confused with the new roles women were assuming in the workplace and in the home and didn't know how they fit in. Add the crack epidemic and you have a breakdown of the male/female relationship." Dan tried to argue me down but eventually he had to admit I had a valid point. Dan goes to church regularly and thinks we're supposed to be following the teachings of the bible. I don't have a problem with that. I just think his interpretation of women being subservient to the almighty Man is skewed. Perhaps he's using that as a shield to cover the fact that he is insecure and no match for the type of woman he wants to attract. But he's a good conversationalist and I had a great time debating the merits of being an independent woman. Zena re-appeared while a Hispanic rapper spit his rhymes pacing the floor trying to rustle up some enthusiasm. "Where's Lauren?" she asked waving off-handedly at Dan. I explained that she went to class. "I'm about to get out of here," I said. Its 9:45 and I still have a long subway ride home. You know I have the awards dinner tomorrow." "Yeah, me and Luis are leaving as soon as J-Shawn does his thing," Zena said scanning the crowd. "Ain't no industry people here and the performers are griping that they are here performing for each other." "Can I take you home?" Dan interjected. "I don't really know my way around Manhattan but I could figure it out if you gave me directions". And how are you going to get back to Jersey if you don't know your way around Manhattan? I wanted to ask. Instead I replied, "No, that's ok," I said while visions of him lost and confused on the Deegan Expressway danced in my head. "Just drop me at 14th street and 7th Ave." We gathered up our things and I hugged Zena goodbye. "I'll hit you on e-mail in the morning," I told her as we left. Dan and I walked up McDougal over to the parking garage on West 4th . Just as we got in the car, we saw police cars speeding in the direction of the club. I didn't give it a second thought until my cell rang and Zena shouted in my ear, "Somebody just got shot and the whole block is on lockdown!" "What???" I shouted back incredulously. "Girl, me and Luis were out here beefin with Miguel who was pissed off that no industry people came to the party and this guy ran past us going top speed with the cops not far behind. Next thing I know the whole block is on lockdown" Zena finished breathlessly. "Oh my God," I said, thankful that Dan and I got out of the area just in time. Zena told me she and Luis were going to get the car and head home as soon as they could. "Just call me when you get back to Queens," I told her. Dan seemed confused just getting to 14th street so I was grateful to get out of the car and rush down the subway steps. "It was great seeing you Dan," I said upon my exit. The 2 train was approaching just as I hit the last step I jumped into the first car. Luckily, there was an empty seat right near the emergency doors so I plopped down, put my headphones on and settled back for the hour ride back to the Bronx.