BooksBarbecue
Back Early Departures
Chapters (122)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. Facts
  5. 101
  6. 100
  7. 23 Months After the Funeral
  8. 99
  9. 98
  10. 97
  11. 96
  12. 95
  13. 94
  14. 93
  15. 92
  16. 91
  17. 90
  18. 89
  19. 88
  20. 87
  21. 86
  22. 85
  23. 84
  24. 83
  25. 82
  26. 81
  27. 80
  28. 79
  29. 78
  30. 77
  31. 76
  32. 75
  33. 74
  34. 73
  35. 72
  36. 71
  37. 70
  38. 69
  39. 68
  40. 67
  41. 66
  42. 65
  43. 64
  44. 63
  45. 62
  46. 61
  47. 60
  48. 59
  49. 58
  50. Postreanimation Day 1
  51. 57
  52. 56
  53. 55
  54. 54
  55. 53
  56. 52
  57. 51
  58. 50
  59. 49
  60. 48
  61. 47
  62. Day 2
  63. 46
  64. 45
  65. 44
  66. 43
  67. 42
  68. 41
  69. 40
  70. 39
  71. 38
  72. 37
  73. 36
  74. Day 3
  75. 35
  76. 34
  77. 33
  78. 32
  79. 31
  80. 30
  81. Day 4
  82. 29
  83. 28
  84. 27
  85. 26
  86. Quincy
  87. 25
  88. Jamal
  89. 24
  90. 23
  91. 22
  92. 21
  93. 20
  94. Day 4
  95. 19
  96. 18
  97. 17
  98. Day 5
  99. 16
  100. 15
  101. 14
  102. 13
  103. 12
  104. 11
  105. 10
  106. Day 6
  107. 9
  108. 8
  109. 7
  110. 6
  111. 5
  112. 4
  113. 14 Days Postreanimation
  114. 3
  115. 2
  116. 1
  117. 0
  118. Acknowledgments
  119. About the Author
  120. Books by Justin A. Reynolds
  121. Back Ad
  122. About the Publisher

CUT TO: a park bench

Chess Player: Okay, umm, would you rather live forever and be liked but never loved or live for a short time but be really, truly loved?

Whit: Hella love, easy.

Mama B: Better to have love, even for a short while.

Autumn: Love, hands down.

Jamal: I mean, love is always the answer.

*Zoom in slowly on Q’s face*

Q: Yo, if I got the choice to lead the life I’ve led, or start over and live forever but even slightly differently? Honestly? I’d choose this. Knowing everything I know now, I’d still choose this life. Exactly the same. Every time.

Chess Player: You must have an awesome life, young man.

*A chime plays and CORRECT flashes on the screen*

Q: Well, that’s our time, guys.

J: It’s been hella fun.

Q: A wild ride.

J: Super rad.

Q: You forgot how we wrap the episode, didn’t you?

J: Umm, nooo.

Q: Yeah, you did.

J: Yeah, I did.

*Jamal cracks up*

Q (also laughing): You’re supposed to say we hope you enjoyed this special edition of . . .

J: Then we say Jauncy in the Streets, right?

*Q applauds, both Jamal and Q laughing into the camera*

Q: There he is, ladies and gentlemen. The Jamal we know and kinda love sometimes. Welcome back, man. So, you got it now? You ready to finish this thing?

J: I got it, man. I’m ready.

Q: Okay, let’s try it again. This time together.

J: Again, but this time together. I got you.

*Fade to black*

Acknowledgments

Writing is often a solitary endeavor, but truly this book isn’t in your hands without an abundance of contributors, most of whom I addressed in OOA’s hella long acknowledgements. So, this time we’ll keep it short and sweet—

Educators, librarians, teachers, I can’t thank you enough for your enthusiastic support. Growing up in an educator-librarian household, I understand the power of placing the right book in the right hands. Thank you for helping my stories find great new homes.

Thank you to my incredible family, near and far, but especially Kennedy, Brooklyn, Pam, Mama, Ally, Pops, and Grey. Thank you for forever holding me down, especially in the ways I don’t always see, but most definitely feel. I love you all.

Thank you to a few of my oldest and wisest friends and family: Scales, Ariana, Aunt Sheila, Aunt Dana, TJ, Tosha, Michael and Melanie G., Pam H., Tanya W., Carolyn Z., Esther H., Joyce S., Terry K., Rob B., Drew O., Amma O., Jesse M., Khadijah J., Karen M., Becky L., Michelle S., Alechia P., Bailey C., and Jillian G. You are some of the rock-steadiest people I have the privilege of knowing.