A Deeper Darkness by Jamel Cato

Author:Jamel Cato [Cato, Jamel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-07T22:00:00+00:00

Black Tie Express only guaranteed a same-day turnaround if customers remained in the store for the entire fitting process, which could take up to three hours. I spent most of that time in a waiting room sitting next to Alonzo. We hit it off, discovering many shared views on sports, politics and how being a black man in America was often akin to walking barefoot over broken glass.

We discussed our dashed dreams, his of becoming a fulltime jazz saxophonist and mine of flying into space.

Jasmine came up. He said many of their marital problems orbited his recent decision to take a sabbatical from his partner-track position at an elite law firm to spend a year playing his horn.

“My frat brother told me to come to NYC and make his jazz trio a quartet.”

“Why didn’t you go?”

“Have you ever seen Jas?”

“You’re a lucky man, Bruh.”

“If I’m being real, I’m afraid another brother might take my place while I’m gone.”

“Is that why you decided to go to the ball tonight?”

“Yes, even though I think they should call it a masquerade party instead of a charity ball.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because it’s so fake and pretentious. Half the time, Jas will introduce me to someone like they’re the best thing since sliced bread and then as soon as they walk away, she’ll be like, ‘I hate her.’ And there are all these unspoken etiquette rules about who can talk to whom. I’m the type of brother who judges people based on who they are, not whether they own or rent their vacation house in Oaks Bluff.”

“But you’re showing up for Jas?”

“I love that girl like a fat kid loves cake.”

“What did Little Joe say about the situation?”

“He said I should find common ground where both our passions can thrive. When I asked him what that means, he told me to imagine how happy we would be if I had a part-time law practice that allowed her to brag about me at work and play gigs from Thursday to Sunday.”

“That sounds like the move.”

“If I had the contacts to do that, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking.”

“You know why I’m going to the ball?”

“What’s the 411?”

“To help out my ex’s new man.”

“What? That’s out of order! I wouldn’t do a damn thing but give the gas face to another cat I knew for a fact had seen my lady naked.”

I was quiet.

He looked over. “I’m not judging you, Bruh.”

“It’s all good. I pretty much felt the same way as you until somebody told me that true class is respecting the dignity in everyone, even people you think don’t deserve your respect. And you know we’d rather be classy than ashy.”

“That’s some Kendrick Lamar deepness right there.”

“I know, right. The crazy part is that he’s actually a cool dude. I mean, if I met that brother under different circumstances, we might even be homies.”

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