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160 Unit 2 ■ Analyzing Comparisons and Representations

14 SHIFT Immediately after noting the definition gangsta / No I’m not / You’s a gangsta.” No one at school poked out his tongue
of “Ride or Die,” readers may reasonably expect [Not as in “So You Wanna Be a Gangsta” and called her that, like they did in the poem
Fatima to compare her friendship with Violet to from Bugsy Malone, which Fatima and her Wally read, but Fatima thought about Wally,
this type of friendship. However, she does not; younger brother and sister used to sing his affectations, and Principal Lee.
instead, she makes an academic assessment of 335 around the house.] 375 “It’s not always comfortable,” she said. “It
the new language she’s learned. 14. Ride or Die = a friend who’s down for can be real awkward, but I’m awkward.”
anything and will stand up for your cause, “You sure are,” Violet laughed, and Fatima
15 TENSION Fatima thinks that Violet even unto death. laughed, too. She was learning to do more of
understands the weight of Fatima’s name upon 14 “So basically,” Fatima summarized, “you that, and to wear a kind of self-assuredness
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs were used with this sample chapter.
“So basically,” Fatima summarized, “you
her identity; however, Violet’s acknowledgment 340 want me to turn good things into bad things 380 with her side-swooped Aaliyah bangs.
want me to turn good things into bad things
is very brief. While Violet also responds with an and vice versa.” Even with her usual levels of discomfort
and vice versa.”
empathetic anecdote of her own, it’s unclear if Violet said, “Mostly.” in place, most interactions were easier with
Violet actually resonates with Fatima’s highly Fatima tried pumping her shoulders in a 15 Violet. Violet understood things. When she
Violet. Violet understood things. When she
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
intellectual assessment of her name.
brief Bankhead Bounce, but it was obvious told Violet, for example, the history of her
told Violet, for example, the history of her
name and how its spirit hovered over Fatima
345 she lacked the follow-through and wasn’t 385 name and how its spirit hovered over Fatima
ready for dancing yet. like Jiminy Cricket or a mirror of unholiness —
like Jiminy Cricket or a mirror of unholiness—
even without an accent or an “h,” wedging
And it was almost like any romantic even without an accent or an “h,” wedging
comedy where the sassy black person her between two religious worlds, both
her between two religious worlds, both
agreeing on her need for chastity and
moves in with the white people and agreeing on her need for chastity and
immaculate conduct — Violet said, “Word,
350 teaches them how to live their lives in 390 immaculate conduct—Violet said, “Word,
that’s deep,” and explained that she, too, felt
color and put some bass in their voices, that’s deep,” and explained that she, too, felt
the weight of her name, because the Johnson
only Steve Martin wasn’t in it, no one was a the weight of her name, because the Johnson
family was all single moms and dads with
maid or a butler or nanny, and the romance family was all single moms and dads with
eight kids and three jobs and no peace, and
was between two girls, it was platonic, and eight kids and three jobs and no peace, and
she couldn’t end up like her mother, even if
355 they were both black this time, but one 395 she couldn’t end up like her mother, even if
it meant she had to run away and start a
didn’t look like it, and one didn’t sound like it meant she had to run away and start a
new identity one day.
it consistently. new identity one day.
Violet confided that, despite her
• • •
confidence, she had a complex about
“They racist up at that school? I can’t stand 400 her albinism. She could call other black peo-
cocky white people,” Violet said one day ple like Fatima white, but to be called white
360 while they sat at their usual table, near the herself pushed Violet to violent tears. Just
flower divider in the mall’s arboretum. Some ask her ex-boyfriend and her ex-friend
white guys from Hillwood sat across the way, Kandice from middle school, who had called
laughing loudly. 405 her Patty Mayonnaise in a fit of anger and
Fatima didn’t like to talk about her gotten a beatdown that made her wet her
365 school, but everyone in the Inland Empire pants like Fatima’s preschool friend.
knew Westwood and Hillwood, their analog “Why Patty Mayonnaise?” Fatima said.
and football rival. “I don’t think so,” Fatima “You know, from Doug; she was the black
said. 410 girl on the DL who looked white, and
“What do you mean you don’t think so? mayonnaise is white. It’s a stupid joke.”
370 Either something’s racist or it’s not.” “Patty was black?” Fatima said.
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160 Unit 2 Analyzing Comparisons and Representations

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