Call On Me

February 27, 1987

Atlanta, GA 

Escape Hair Salon 

"Like I was sayin'. You need to hook me up Marie." I dried my customer's hair after rinsing the last of her shampoo out. "What you and I both need to do is focus on the heads we're working on. Get your head out of the clouds, or punani shall I say, and focus Tee. I'm not trying to have Ms. Angie down my back again."  "Speakin' of the devi- I mean diva. Hey Ms. Angela." I waved while parting and blow drying, shit what is this woman's name,  Ava's hair. Yeah Ava that's it. She kind of reminds me of a friend I go to school with. "Tionne. Marie. Ava Tionne's not being too talkative or neglectful is she?" Damn hoe.. Just bust my chops then. I know I'm seventeen and all but give a bitch some credit. "She's doing just fine Angela. You don't have to be a guard dog all the time. Matter of fact here. ." She handed her a hundred dollar bill. "take this and go buy Tionne, yourself, and myself some lunch from Anderson's. Ask for Rozonda. She'll handle the order." Rozonda. Rozonda. Why does that name sound so familiar. "Ms. Ava tilt your head just a tad to the left please." "I'm sorry sweetie." She indulged herself back into the Vibe magazine she'd been reading prior to her shampooing. "Tionne what do you eat at Anderson's?" I chewed my lip cliping her dead ends then responded to Angie. "I'll take a burned ends sandwich with extra barbeque sauce, beef rib plate with potato salad, baked beans, and light bread. Sweet tea." "Tee you sharing?" "Does it look like my scrawny behind can afford to share?" Marie, Ms. Ava, and I all burst into laughter after that statement. "You right. I'll pick something up after I clock out." "Which reminds me. I need one of you to stay over since Miguel is out." We both groaned but I knew Marie had no choice since I pulled his shift last weekend. 

"No Jellybeanz for you tonight Marie." "Shut yo brighter than the sun banana pop banged out as-" "Don't even let the word slip out your mouth." I playfully placed the scissors near her face. "I'll cut the tongue right out ya mouth boo." Just as I began to press and curl Ms. Ava's hair in walked the source of Marie and I's previous conversation. Shorty was all that. Literally. She may wear baggy dips from time to time but I can tell she got a little body banging underneath. Plus she got a baby face and some doe eyes that kill. "Honey dip you mind if I sit in the free chair. Its raining  cats and dogs out and I ain't about to perform til it let up." "Ain't no thing. Just know I need ten of what you make shorty." I teased throwing a smile back her way as she sat  her keyboard and bag down. "Who's this?" "Marie?" "No no. I know who Marie is. I mean the jerry curled dripping, hoops through my earlobes wearing, Rico Suave brother." I looked up from the top curl and noticed my brother from another mother. "Devyne. What's up?" "Wait wait wait. You're name is Devyne?" He licked his lips and nodded with a smirk. "Yeah it is. What's yours? Let me guess. Linda. Because you are looking breathe takingly beautiful." "Slow ya roll Jack. My name's not Linda. That line is tired. Those earrings are tired. That Jerry curl is overly tired. And I'm not interested in what you're selling." Ms. Ava peered over her magazine laughing. "Devyne leave that girl alone. Gone home to your mom and help her cook. Tell her I'll be looking for my cake tomorrow. " "Yes ma'am Ms. Ava. See ya Tee!" "Bye knucklehead!" 

Now Lisa, my fault I never even mentioned shorty's name to y'all, is a different type of Atlalien. She's not from Atlanta. Neither am I for that matter but we're not discussing Tionne right now. When I first met her she was on the corner of nineth and Peachtree, ha yeah I know there's fifty Peachtrees, rapping and playing her keyboard for money. No lie she got mad skills on a mic. But what caught my attention the most was the fact that here she was all of maybe five feet rocking from side to side, spitting words that flowed better than Niagra falls, and smiling like she had not a care in the world. I managed to drop a fifty in her box without being noticed and walk back into the crowd. Her squeaky voice stuck out like a needle in a hay stack. And every day after that I'd come back, careful not to be noticed, listen for a while, then dip out thinking about how to get time alone. That was until she caught my hand and stopped me one afternoon. Since then we been coolin'. Which is fine for friends that just want to be friends. Its just I kind of got a thing for her. Marie knows it. Let me just take you to that day so you can understand better.