What Color Is Lonely?

By April King

Short stories that share a view of the African American experience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: April King
• Release date: Nov 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215450956

April King

I write contemporary novels, poetry, short stories, romance novels and whatever else that may tickle my fancy from the comfort of my Southern home.

Book preview

What Color Is Lonely?

Published by April King at Smashwords

Copyright 2023 April King

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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THE ROCK

It was one of those indecisive days. The sky varied between tinges of majestic blue and powder blue as if it were trying on different dresses to impress special guests. The sun hung loyally in one corner of the sky—brilliant and golden. It waited patiently to see if it would be an accessory on this day—a trinket, a bauble, an ordinary brooch on the breast of the sky. Or, would it shine for the purpose of merely being the sun?

It decided to glow hot and heavy. This caused numerous people in downtown Memphis to take notice of its beauty, while wondering if its intense heat was giving them pleasure or pain. No one was certain of what was happening with the sky, which was tumbling too fast between various shades of blue for anyone to be complete in his to her description of it. Yes, it was one of those indecisive days.

One thing was certain—Myra loved the new color of her hair. She enjoyed curling the kinky strands around her finger, while watching it reflect the shades of orange leaves succumb to in autumn. For her, it was extreme. Like her lifestyle, she had always been subtle. She never tried to attract attention, but now her hair made people take notice, even if they only did so with side glances. And nothing more.

Like the sun, Myra needed to waste time as she waited for her grandmother to finish making her number of calls inside the bus terminal to family members who would meet them later on Beale Street for blues and barbeque. So she wandered out the path of city buses and Main Street trolleys that would eventually take her and her grandmother to the bar that Uncle Gary worked as a cook.