For the Love of Money (66 page)

I wanted to make
certain
that
no one
would miss my arrival that night. So I wore a red, beaded tank dress that shimmered in the light, with matching elbow-length gloves, all designed by Marvin Pratt. My hair was wrapped in a long bob, and dyed honey brown to the roots, to match my skin and eye color. I wore diamond-studded earrings, carried a small, beaded purse, and stood on high-heeled sandals that finished my knock-out ensemble.

I took a deep breath and prepared to step out of the limo with my purse in hand. “Well, here goes my dream,” I told myself, as I climbed out with the help of my driver. However, I wasn't dreaming anymore. It was real, and people were waiting for me with their cameras. So I stood tall and proud and struck my pose as the cameras lit up and illuminated my dress and gloves. Tracy Ellison Grant, the black sister movie star from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had arrived. And I was as
flyyyy
as I
ever
was!

Assata
was revolutionary
for yesterday.
Camara
is revolutionary
for tomorrow.
But today
was wasted
again
on more parties
and bullshit.

Copyright © 2000 by Tracy Ellison Grant

O
mar Tyree is an author, journalist, lecturer, and poet. His books include
Flyy Girl, A Do Right Man, Sweet St. Louis, Single Mom, Capital City,
and
BattleZone
.He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

To learn more about Omar Tyree, view his Web site at
www.OmarTyree.com
.