Part 3 1/2

She glanced at him seductively and blew him a kiss. Damon smiled and nodded, knowing that she would be back. Margoles tried not to show the nervousness in her step as she strutted away from him. Nadia understood the cue and let her customers know she would return in a few minutes. There was a meeting in the ladies room and she would be back real soon. Dee and Dot, the Karoke DJ’s, were singing Physical Touch by Genesis. Instead of Philip Bailey and Phil Collins: they looked like Seephus and Reesee from In Living Color. They smiled at Margoles and Nadia as they sped by. Dot mouthed “What You Won’t Do For Love” at them. It was the favorite duet by the two sisters and a house favorite. It was requested by Elton, so Margoles and Nadia nodded to Dot and kept it moving straight to the bathroom.

“Girl, what are you doing to that man?” Nadia leaned back against the sink and lit a Benson and Hedges cigarette. “You got him wound up like Grandma’s stockings around her waist!”
“His name is Damon”, she said as the Tom Collins began to make its exit, “He is something!”
“He sure is! I saw you make a beeline straight for him when you got off the stage and usually you ignore most of the men that walk in here. I can’t remember that last one.”
“Cause he aint worth remembering! Nah…I think Damon might be the one.”

Margoles straightened her clothing and guided Nadia away from the sink so she could wash her hands. Nadia was still standing there with her mouth open. Maroles ignored the silence as she waited for her best friend to get her mouth off the floor. As she refreshed her lipstick, she looked at Nadia and said “You aint got nothing to say?”

“Girl, I’m just shocked that you could see that so soon. I think you right.”
“You do? Seriously?”
“Yeah man, I seen the sparks between yall. You may just have found one who might be on the level.”

“On the level”. That was a phrase that was constantly repeated by their grandmother once they began to like boys. “You need to get somebody on the level”, Grandma would say, “You need a man that is on your level financially, mentally and spritually.”
The reasons were very simple and the girls had committed them to memory. If a man is not higher or at least on your level financially, he is more likely to resent you for making more money and having the freedom that comes with it. If he isn’t on your level mentally, he will not be able to participate in your conversations or mingle with your friends without feeling embarrassed, and this will cause him to feel inferior to you. If the man doesn’t have a spritual bone in his body, in no way would he be able to understand the love that you have for God and the respect that is taught from having a religious background. All of these inadequacies could lead to problems, arguments and eventually, to fighting. Grandma made sure that she imparted these gems of information about selecting a mate, and although the girls tried to avoid these prerequisites, they always found that the men who weren’t ‘on the level” were not worth their time.

“Chile, if he on the level, I’m keeping him.”
“Well, I hope he is. Let’s go sing!”

Part 3

“Man, ain’t nobody falling in love. I been done told you I’m done wid all dat mess!”
At the end of the statement, Margoles and Nadia waved 2 fingers in the air and snapped twice. Both of the women collasped into giggles, and Margoles leaned into Damon’s chest. She put her hand out to steady herself while at the same time caressing his chest muscles. He leaned into her touch and cocked an eyebrow up at her.
“I know what you’re doing”, he said.
“Trying to make sure I don’t fall is all”, she replied, laughing at being caught out there.
,“Hey Nadia, Sam the Man is up next!”
“Dammit! If that retard tries to kiss me in the mouth one more time, I’ma clock his ass!”
Nadia began to shake the drink mixer vigorously. The action made her ample buttocks bounce seductively under the mini dresses that she favored. She was the most famous barmaid in Harlem, her bodacious behind was a star attraction at 22 West. Not to mention she had a beautiful face to match. A weava diva, Nadia’s blond streaked brown hair could be found in spirals, crimps or a straight windblown style depending on the season of the year. Her outfits were always low cut, high cut and brightly colored. Lime green, sunshine yellow and flurescent fuschia made her resemble butterflies from the Bronx Botantical Garden in springtime. Nadia’s attitude matched her attire; she flitted among her customers with a crackley cadence in her stiletto heels behind the bar.
“What you think he’s gonna sing M?”
“Girl does it really matter? He gonna wild out on anything he sings!”
Damon quickly realized that he was losing Margoles’ attention. “Hey! Maybe you girls are being a little too harsh on a brother”, he said and he looked toward the makeshift stage. Sam the Man was a sight to behold. Dressed in a silver jumpsuit (ala Mase in the Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems video) with a large utility belt, Sam had on huge brown Timberland construction boots that looked like they could be on Shaqille O’Neal’s feet. To top off the outfit he wore a large red hunter’s cap with the flaps down and the strings hanging. Damon had to stare at the spectacle; it was his first time experiencing Sam the Man. Sam was approximately 5 feet tall, with large coke bottle glasses. At the first glance it could be determined that he was slightly off. As in mentally challenged. However, 22 West was an equal oppurtunity bar, if you came to have a good time and didn’t cause any trouble, you could enjoy yourself no matter what your disability or mental state. As Sam waited for the screen to queue up, he began to give background history on the song he was about to sing.
“Luther Vandross!”, he shouted, “1983! And this is dedicated to all the fine young ladies in here. Nadia! This is for you!”
“Damn!” Nadia moaned, “Now I know he’s gonna come over here afterwards. And why is this fool singing Lufa?”
“Chile, you know Sam think he can sing anything! At least they’ll turn up the music loud!” Margoles laughed as she leaned over to get her drink. “We’ll sing it here at the bar and we won’t even notice how he’s gonna decimate the song.”

“Decimate? Wow, the pretty girl has a large vocabulary.” Damon smiled and handed Margoles a napkin for her drink.
“Yeah, I’m an English Literature major in school.”
“You like to read?”
“Everything I can get my hands on. I’ll even read the back of a toothpaste tube.”
Damon threw back his head and roared. “Now that’s funny! Hey, I like this song he’s gonna sing. Never Too Much, right?
“Yeah, It’s one of my favorites.”
“So lets sing it together.”

The beat was catchy and they looked at each other with soft eyes. Heads bopping, they started singing.


“I can't fool myself, I don't want nobody else to ever love me
You are my shinin' star, my guiding light, my love fantasy
There's not a minute, hour, day or night that I don't love you
You're at the top of my list 'cause I'm always thinkin' of you

I still remember in the days when I scared to touch you
How I spent my day dreamin' plannin' how to say I love you
You must have known that I had feelings deep enough to swim in
That's when you opened up your heart and you told me to come in

Oh, my love
A thousand kisses from you is never too much
I just don't wanna stop

“I have to stop”, Margoles thought, “Nadia is right…You can fall in love at the bar!”

“I’ll be back, I’m probably coming up again soon.”
Damon stopped singing and looked at her and said, “You leaving me already? I haven’t had a chance to show you the rest of my talents!”

How it began Chapter 2

Margoles lay back on the bed. She wanted to listen but her mind kept trying to take her back to their first meeting. Before the strange rules and long beards. She thought of the song she sang when she first noticed him sitting in the bar. Love Hangover by Diana Ross. Her sister Nadia loved the song and always requested that she sing while Nadia bartended. Margoles also knew that only she, in the karaoke crew of regulars, could really give the song justice. A petite female with burnt caramel skin, her slanted eyes would hood and her lashes would almost caress her cheeks. She laid it on thick when she sang. She would lean her long black hair forward and glance at the audience when the beginning beats began to pump. "If there's a cure for this, I don't want it", she crooned, pursing her full red lips. Margoles gave a sensual performance, curving her hips and arching her back as she painted the picture of a female's afterglow. The men sat transfixed at the sight of her swaying suggestively on a 2-foot makeshift stage with dusky lighting. She never looked at the words on the screen; her mother had played it every Sunday morning while she cooked breakfast for her father. The passion with which her mother hummed and made huevos con arroz etched the lyrics in her brain. She threw her gaze over at Elton. Her friend and fellow singer. Elton had the voice of a throwback to the Teddy Pendergrass era. He also had a wife named Ruth who was the size of a football linebacker. They traveled the karaoke set together but she never allowed him speak of his attraction to her. She knew he wanted her but she knew it would destroy their friendship. She also knew that Ruth would destroy her face. She looked to the back of the room and she saw Damon for the first time. He was sitting at the bar with a blue and white striped shirt and beige khaki pants. His long, lanky legs were splayed out on either side of the stool. He was talking to a man who looked like Uncle Fester from The Addams Family. Damon was nodding his head in time with the music and occasionally leaned around his friend to look at Margoles on the stage. "Wow", she thought, " I might have to get a closer look at him".
"Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, looooooove," she drawled as she finally came to the end of the song. As the applause rang out, she shyly ducked her head. It was always best to remain humble. She knew that she certainly didn't have the chops of Whitney Houston.

She stopped at the tiny red tables on the way to the bar. Men reached out to touch her hands and to tell her "she sure sounded good" and "she sure hit those notes." She smiled and thanked them politely while trying to make it to a drink. They meant well but she had something she wanted to see. She eased to the right of Damon. She felt like she was Prince standing unseen behind Apollonia in Purple Rain. Invisible sparks were crackling in the three inches between them.
"Go 'head Girl," Nadia shouted, "Damn, you can sing that song."
Damon turned and said,” Wow that was you wasn't it? I thought I might have been seeing a dream."
"No, I'm real."
"I'm glad."
She smiled and asked for her Tom Collins. He turned his body to face her and said “What a tall drink for such a tiny lady."
"I like everything tall."
"Hmmmm, well I'm 6'3". I guess I fit the size requirement."
"Yeah, you just made the cut off. Any shorter and I would have had to dismiss you for lack of qualifications."
"Can I find out the rest of the necessities that this pretty little singer requires?"
"After I ask a question."
"Go ahead."
"Are you gay?"
"No. Are you?"
Margoles tilted her head back laughed. "I see you're a Prince fan too!” she cooed, "You have already passed test number 2."
Damon placed the tip of his index finger and pulled her closer by the edge of her chin. The warmth of this light intimate touch made her stomach pulse. "I will pass all of the tests. Believe that!"

"Hey Man! No falling in love at the bar!" Nadia was standing with her hands on her voluptuous hips staring at the interaction. The two jumped apart as if they were 6 year olds, caught playing house.

Charcoal in the living room Chapter 1

She rushed into the house. It was raining delicate wisps of droplets, which stuck to her black wool jacket like a light sheen of silver. Balancing her bags and umbrella, she looked forward to running hot-as-fire water in her mauve tub. "Maybe I'll put in some bath beads," she thought while closing her umbrella in front of her door, "I know he's not home and it will give me some time to myself!” As she turned the key in the door, she shook her head at the thought. "He's my boo, I shouldn't want him to be away." Opening the door she was overwhelmed by the thick black smoke that greeted her. "Oh my fucking God," she thought, "What in the hell? I must have left the damn curling iron on and damn near burned up the place!"

She ran down the extremely long hallway with her two white Siamese cats, Simba and Nala, at her heels. "Lord, lord lord!" she thought, "I can't burn up all my shit!" In the darkness she saw the bottom of the bathroom door gleaming with a sliver of yellow light. She burst through the door and there he was dripping wet.

"Baby!” he cried, "Where's the fire?"
"I'm trying to find it myself! Did I leave the curler on?"
"No" he said, "why you think that?"
"Man don't you see the house is full of smoke?
"That's not smoke, it's charcoal."
"Nigga, you in here barbecuing? It's wintertime!"
She knew Damon was crazy but now he had gone too far!
"Margoles, I'm burning some frankincense and myrrh crystals",he cooed. Dripping water on her waxed floor he walked her to the living room. 6'3", with a chocolate brown complexion, he wasn't very muscular. Matter of fact, he was down right skinny but Damon had a smooth way of talking that would make her give him her last dime for a get rich scheme. Margoles tripped over the groceries she drooped in haste to reach the living room. Damon turned on the lights and smiled at her with a great big grin.
"I was showering and cleansing the house because the Sabbath is over and we can make love tonight!"
Margoles shook her head. "Here he goes again with this shit!"
"The Sabbath honey?” she sighed.
"You remember what I told you. The brothers say we ain't supposed to have sex from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday! It's Saturday night baby!"

The Brothers. Those damned Hebrew Israelites. For the last 2 months she watched Damon begin to change. When they first got together they had a discussion on religion. She clearly stated that she could take it or leave it. At 23, who thought about such things? Damon became very still and silent. He sat straight up in the bed and looked her with the most serious face she'd ever seen.
"We have to agree on a religion. It's so important to our relationship that we agree."
"Well to be honest with you, I'm not convinced there really is a God. I mean all they ever cared about at my church was their clothes and fur coats. Seems like a big pretense to me."
He sadly slumped off to the bathroom and she laid back looking at the ceiling. "He'll get over it," she thought, "he just gets too excited."

Then exactly 9 weeks ago he stayed out past his promised time of arrival. Margoles wasn't alarmed but she did find it strange. Damon and Margoles were the best of friends as well as soul mates. They stayed up and played chess long into the night, listening to Lite FM and making fun of the songs by changing the lyrics. They went bike riding in the park and usually found a secluded place for him to bend her over and indulge in their favorite pastime. Doggy style. Best sex position ever made! Animals knew just what they were doing by instinct and it worked so well for the couple's unequal height dimensions.
When Damon came home at 1 am, Margoles was eating butter pecan ice cream and playing Tetris on her Nintendo. She turned to ask him where he had been and he ran to her, rushed her back on the bed and gave her the longest kiss, full of passion, starting the faucet in her panties.
"Wow" she thought, " what the hell done jumped into him?"
"Baby", he said when finally coming up for breath, " I have the most wonderful news!"
"Oooh what baby? You got a job?"
"No, even better!"
"Damn," she thought, "what could better than your ass getting a job? Maybe he found a wallet full of money."

Damon held her face gently, his eyes were bloodshot, and his breath was coming out in tune with his rapid heartbeat. "Margoles, baby, we the real Jews! His crooked teeth with the overbite were spread in a Kool aid smile and you would have thought the Negroes had been set free again. Margoles took a breath and said "The real Jews Damon? What are you talking about and where you been?"
"I was coming home from the interview I had today. Nah I didn't get the gig. But as I was walking I saw some of those guys on the corner in Times Square."
"The ones who wear all the fringe? With the long beards?"
" Yeah baby, The Brothers!"
" The Brothers?"
" Yeah, the priests of the ISPK. The Israelite School of Practical Knowledge."
" How they have Priests in a school?"
"It's not only a school, it's a church."
"What kinda crazy bullshit?”, she thought.
"Yeah I was passing by and one of them asked me if I knew who I was. I said "of course". He said I know you think you black but do you know who you really are? Baby, he started breaking it down to me and I have so much to tell you!"
"OK baby," she said. She thought to herself it was going to be long ass night and her pussy began to dry up like the Sahara Desert.

Where do I start?

So I have set up the connection for the Hebrew Israelite story. The characters are fictional but the story can be considered real. Email me for the truth!