Short Book of Short Stories with Short Titles , livre ebook

Austin Macauley Publishers - Henry Harris

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43 pages

English

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This short book contains eight short stories with short titles. 'Lessons' speaks of a father and son and the power of redemption, with the West End of Atlanta as the setting. 'Notions' speaks of brothers in a Scottdale, Georgia, barbershop discussing politics and other notions. 'The Attendant' speaks of a night in the life of Luther, restroom attendant at a posh Buckhead restaurant/club. 'Gifts' speaks of the exploits of Booker T., a Harlem dishwasher who won a 70-million-dollar lottery. 'Secrets' speak of family stuff left unsaid, as Danny searches quaint streets in Centereach, Long Island. 'Kin' speaks of the revelations unearthed by Evan during an ancestral journey through Philadelphia and New Bedford, Massachusetts. 'Sons' speaks of the adventures of Detective J.D. Hill, murder police in 1995 Harlem, New York, during the infamous riots on 125th Street. 'Choices' speaks of challenges faced in a world of unbridled technology and climate upheaval.

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Short story

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Publié par	Austin Macauley Publishers
Date de parution	30 août 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781528972246
Langue	English

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A Short Book of Short Stories with Short Titles
Henry Harris
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-08-30
A Short Book of Short Stories with Short Titles About the Author About the Book Dedication Copyright Information Acknowledgement Lessons Notions The Attendant Gifts Secrets Kin Sons Choices
About the Author
Henry Harris was born in Brooklyn, New York. He spent most of his adult years in North Carolina and Georgia. His most endearing childhood memories are times spent in New Bedford, Massachusetts – home to his father and grandparents.
About the Book
This short book contains eight short stories with short titles.
‘Lessons’ speaks of a father and son and the power of redemption, with the West End of Atlanta as the setting.
‘Notions’ speaks of brothers in a Scottdale, Georgia, barbershop discussing politics and other notions.
‘The Attendant’ speaks of a night in the life of Luther, restroom attendant at a posh Buckhead restaurant/club.
‘Gifts’ speaks of the exploits of Booker T., a Harlem dishwasher who won a 70-million-dollar lottery.
‘Secrets’ speak of family stuff left unsaid, as Danny searches quaint streets in Centereach, Long Island.
‘Kin’ speaks of the revelations unearthed by Evan during an ancestral journey through Philadelphia and New Bedford, Massachusetts.
‘Sons’ speaks of the adventures of Detective J.D. Hill, murder police in 1995 Harlem, New York, during the infamous riots on 125th Street.
'Choices' speaks of challenges faced in a world of unbridled technology and climate upheaval.
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this work to the late great Charles Chesnutt, whose work inspired my interest in the genre of short story and the power of storytelling; and to my late mother and father, whose love and dedication made this life possible.
Copyright Information
Copyright © Henry Harris (2019)
The right of Henry Harris to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528947428 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528972246 (ePub-e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgement
I would like to acknowledge the support from my friends and family. Their love and support assisted me greatly in helping this work come to fruition. My wife, Charlene; and my close friends, Fred, Calvin, James, Anthony, Emma, and Rouzier, were great sources of encouragement.
Lessons
James Suggs Jr. stood at his bedroom window and peered down at the pecan trees in his back yard. He could also see Booker T. Washington High, located a few blocks from his home on the West End. He taught science at the school and was happy to be on break for Thanksgiving week. He needed a respite from the routine. Now he could catch up on some much needed rest, or so he thought. His wife, Frances and his mother, Mama Lady Mae Suggs, were driving him crazy! The latter expressing the urgent need to see him, and the former constantly reminding him to go see his mother.
“James, are you coming down, it’s almost noon?”
“Be down in a minute, honey.” James donned his robe and descended the staircase. As he entered the kitchen, he saw Frances standing pensively by the microwave. She sure looks serious, he thought, as he noticed how her robe perfectly accentuated her buxom figure.
“Stop looking at my butt. I fixed us some coffee and bagels. Let’s sit, eat, and yes James, talk about Lady Mae!” Frances’ tone was firm but gentle. Deep down, she was glad that he was still attracted to her. Her youthful, sexy elegance made her look more like 19 than 30. Her beige scarf seemed to complement a dark brown, velvety complexion, round face and high cheekbones. As they sat at the kitchen table, Frances raised her eyebrows as she began spreading cream cheese on her bagel.
“Honey, Lady Mae has been burning up my cell. She says she left you a message on your phone yesterday. She insists that you come by the house. She needs to speak with you, James. Do you have any idea what this is about?”
“Hey, take your pick with all that’s going on,” James Jr. responded with a tone of sarcasm and resignation. “Let’s see, Daddy, the Bishop, is dying and the church is in disarray as a result. Mama is frantic, trying to plan the perfect catered Thanksgiving meal at her home, and let’s not forget the unforgettable absence of her other son, my sorry younger brother, Jay, who’s been missing in word and action for the past three years. She probably wants me to spend my week off trying to find that fool.”
“Who can blame her James? What if our daughter decided to cut ties with us when she turns 21? Would that absence not ring loud and clear during this holiday season in particular, on the eve of Bishop’s death? I think you underestimate the pain the good Bishop and Lady Mae are feeling. Bishop James Suggs Sr. is in a hospice, on his death bed. Baby, your mama needs you now, more than ever.”
“Hell, Frances, what about my pain? Papa was, and still is, in my mind invincible. Now, he’s dying. I have come to accept that. He sure has. Faith that his soul lives on gives him peace of mind. He’s no more afraid of dying than of having been born into this world. When it comes to Jay, my brother and I slept in the same room for years when we lived on Auburn Avenue. When Daddy took over Antioch Baptist, we moved into a home where we had our own room. How many times was I late for football practice, making sure my brother got home safely from thug bullies at his middle school? Don’t you think I miss Jay, despite his ‘feckless nature,’ as Daddy would say?”
Frances reached across the table and squeezed James’ hand. “I know, honey,” was all she said. As he rose from the table, James leaned over and kissed Frances on the forehead.
“I’m out after I get dressed. I’ll head over to Mama’s and see what’s up. Love you.”
“Love you more,” Frances responded, as she began clearing the table.
Before James Jr. got three feet into the foyer of his mother’s home, she gave him a warm embrace and buried her head in his chest. She was crying, but when James looked into Lady Mae Suggs’ face, something wasn’t quite right. Her expression seemed to indicate that these were tears of joy, not of despair.
“Mama, what’s wrong, is it Papa?” he asked with a sense of urgency.
“No son, I just got back from seeing Bishop. He’s resting peacefully.” Lady Mae wiped her tears away and held James’ hand as she led him into the living room. She was dressed casually in blue jeans and a bright orange tee shirt which across the front read ‘Judge Less, Love more.’
“I like the shirt, Mama. Sounds like the title of one of Bishop’s Sunday lessons; Lessons from the book of life, as he would call them.”
“Son, the Lord has answered my prayers. Jay called yesterday! Oh, he apologized for his absence, said he was going through changes and turmoil these past three years.”
“Did you tell Daddy?” James asked.
“No, I didn’t know how he would take it, in his frail condition. That’s why I called you. Son, please don’t let your Daddy die without reconciling with his son. You are the leader of this family now. I need for you to make this happen. Son, don’t let Bishop meet his maker with malice in his heart towards Jay. Now, Jay is coming by the house later this evening. I’m fixing you and your brother’s favorite meal, you know, fried chicken, candied yams, collards and sweet potato pie. Thank you, Jesus, we can come together as a family. Talk with your brother, and convince him to visit Bishop with us tomorrow.” Lady Mae was holding James’ hands tightly in hers, as she was pleading with him. Her tears of joy were now replaced with tears of sorrow welling in her eyes.
“Mama, I’m glad Jay called, but I’m skeptical of the timing. He probably heard that Daddy was dying and he wants to ingratiate himself into Bishop’s grace, and his will. You know that Daddy practically disowned Jay a year ago. Bishop probably left Jay out of the will. How often have we heard him refer to Jay as feckless, especially after he used his college trust fund to abscond to New York to pursue acting? I know he is your baby, Mama, but the boy is self-serving. He doesn’t care about me, or you, or Daddy. He hasn’t had the decency to call his own mama in three years to see how she was doing, or if she was in need. He probably needs a place to live, and hopes that Bishop will leave him a part of the estate.” James Jr. had a sardonic grimace etched across his face as he spoke to Lady Mae.
“Don’t say that, James. So I suppose, you that boy’s judge and jury. You done walked in his shoes and taken into account all that that boy has been through. Don’t be too quick to judge son, until you hear the whole story,” Lady Mae offered.
“Okay Mama, I’ll keep an open mind. I will do my best to judge less, and love more; not a bad lesson for the day I suppose. Anyway, I’ll see you all tonight for supper, and we can hear for ourselves about the trials and tribulations of Jay Suggs.” James Jr. kissed Lady Mae on the cheek and left the house, anticipating the reunion with his brother over a home cooked meal.
Apparently, the lesson for the day carried over to the evening reunion at Lady Mae Suggs’ abode. James’ anger and skepticism gave in to a genuine joy at seeing his brother after a three-year absence. Jay wasted little time explaining the inner turmoil he was experiencing. Jay Suggs refused to accept who he was all his l