PHENOMENAL WOMAN: MAYA ANGELOU (excerpt) by Nambi E. Kelley

PHENOMENAL WOMAN: MAYA ANGELOU by Nambi E. Kelley Maya is 17, she's just left her mother's home after the birth of her son and is trying to make a way for herself in San Francisco.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RITA: These trolley cars coming coming coming Running up and down coming coming coming Slanted streets sure are pretty!

Ain't never seen nothing like this here in all my life!

San Francisco is a place.

A place that's got me feeling good and grown!

Got my own place That really nice lady Mother Cleo.

She didn't trust me at first I could feel it.

She look me up and down With my baby boy on my hip And me all of 17 and just knew I wasn't right.

I could feel it.

But I got that job down at the restaurant By my wits.

I can't cook!

Can't cook!

Ain't never learned how to cook...

Until I took that sign off that door looking for a creole cook And waltzed right up to the owner of that restaurant And said I was her girl.

Lucky me I got good folks in my family.

Family who tell me Throw some onions in there, girl.

Some garlic.

And make it spicy.

So I do.

I get there and mix up that food so well If it wasn't creole before it's creole now.

And there are all kinds of folks who come through there.

I'm putting my foot in this san francisco creole cooking And in walks this tall drink of wonder.

Every time he walks in.

Stalks in.

Time stops in.

And I breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breath stills.

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And well.

I just keep on cooking.

He's older than me Quite a bit older than me.

And well.

He asks me.

CURLY how old are you, ma?

RITA 19.

CURLY More like 17.

RITA I don't say anything Can't say anything My anything His everything Is everything.

I can scarcely keep my breath in one place My breath is in haste My sweat in mouth I taste.

He's looking at me Cooking with me.

I look at him looking at me And I feel.

Feel something I haven't never felt Smell some kind of way I haven't never smelt My anything His everything Is everything.

When I lost it Lost IT. IT was just a matter of fact IT wasn't anything but an act Wasn't anything but slip and slap Slap Inside thighs Slapping on my insides Taking me/Giving mine Wasn't refined Or pretty Wasn't bouncing up and down my last year's titties Like in the movies of the saddity I wasn't cool 2

Or even hot There wasn't anything I was not Just feeling him Inside Wasn't nothing at all Making love?

Wasn't nothing at all.

Folks around school said he was cute Nothing weak in my knees His cute did not compute I just grabbed him That boy Grabbed him And saidLet's do it.

And we did it.

And I said “That's it?”

And he stumbled over it Mumbled over it CUTE BOY Yeah.

That's it.

RITA And then he faded away And was gone Like a whisper in a song.

CURLY Want me to take you home?

RITA Again I can't speak.

Taken by his sleek.

His slick HisCURLY -Pick You up later.

Later ma.

RITA Over another customer's head I speak.

Barely above a whisper.

“Ok.” 3

And he ambles on out the door Ambles on out I adore Ambles on out I am floored He ambles on out With a strut that strikes struck.

He ambles out. A cool ass older black man ass black AF strut.

RITA And he ambles in.

And we begin Have begun And it feels like I've/We've/Won. We giggle and we laugh We talk deep We unique We are good Really good I let go Without knowing I was holding on Holding out Holding tight I let go Without knowing I was holding tight Holding right Holding fight He holds my son He picks him up and holds him.

And cuddles him And laughs with him And allows with him And smiles with him And whispers to him Only things fathers and daddies could know And my son likes him Likes him good Likes him enough To not fuss And fidget Allows him to coo him Change him Win woo him.

And he looks at him and says “I could get use to you�

I like him too.

And something in me breaks/splits wide open 4

Something in me flows Becomes unlocked and doesn't stop To think Or reel Maybe I should not feel...

No. He's honest My curly He isn't trying to play me or front me or lay me then stump me He means it He means me I'm spinning Swimming In the curly of him.

CURLY Rita. I like you. A lot.

RITA I like you a lot too.

CURLY And I gotta let you know.

RITA Let me know...?

CURLY I got a girl.

RITA A girl?

CURLY Yeah.

RITA --CURLY We engaged.

RITA --CURLY Yeah.

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RITA --CURLY Yeah.

RITA --CURLY So. I want you to know RITA --CURLY That I like you a lot.

RITA --CURLY But when she comes back...

RITA ...I understand. (then) And then he tries to leave Cause he's a good man And he wasn't looking for me Just fell into me The way I fell into him The way we fell.

And he gets close to the door And I tell him toWait.

CURLY Rita, I can't give youRITA I know. I know.

CURLY 6

So I should leave.

RITA --CURLY It's not okay.

RITA It's okay. Really. (then) And then he lay me down CURLY I'm going to lay you down RITA And he put on my crown CURLY A queen.

RITA And he crowns me.

CURLY Penetrating her RITA Penetrating me.

CURLY Inside/outside RITA And in.

And out.

And in.

And out.

And in.

And in.

And deep.

And neat.

And sweet The sweeter Sweetest Thing I've ever known.

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And we implode In a good way Like lovers Who fell into each other way Lovers who are also friends way Lovers alive in this moment way Who only have this moment way. (then) We never speak of it Her Again The whole next 3 months.

We just Lavish and play And lavish and stay In the moment This moment This curly/joy-ment.

CURLY Rita RITA With a box CURLY Open it RITA I do.

CURLY For the boy.

RITA A blue onesie. He will love it. Thank you.

CURLY RitaRITA No. CURLY But RitaRITA 8

Don't say it.

CURLY She's back.

RITA --CURLY I gotta go.

RITA --CURLY You are going to make some man a perfect wife some day.

RITA --CURLY Don't go mute on me.

RITA --CURLY Be good, okay?

RITA You too. (then) Curly is gone Steps out of my life As quickly as he steps in.

Is this a dream.

Was he actually here?

I don't dare say I love him But this is close to what I think love must feel like To hurt so bad Hurt so good Hurt so bad Hurt so good So bad So bad More bad Than good Can't sleep 9

Can't eat Can't feelBailey is there.

BAILEY Maya.

RITA What?

BAILEY Why you so skinny now.

RITA I don't dare say.

BAILEY This over a man?

RITA Over a man? Hah! __________________________________________________________________________________ End of Excerpt

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