Chapters (31)
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Room in the Dark I
- Fawns of the Diaspora Court Liliane in Paris, While Tabou Combo Whispers “Coq Qualité” in Her Ears
- Room in the Dark II
- “I Usedta Drink, Smoke and Do the Hoochie-Koo,” or What’s a Girl to Do When Her Mother Looks Like Ruth Brown
- Room in the Dark III
- “El Bochinche” es que only Fe Cortijo Knows or All the LeBron Brothers Know If Victor-Jésus María Sang Lili to Her Freedom
- Room in the Dark IV
- And Where Is Garnett Mimms?
- Room in the Dark V
- I Know Where Kansas City Is, But Did Wilbert Harrison Ever Get There?
- Room in the Dark VI
- Zoom Went the Strings of Liliane’s Heart, But Arsenio Rodriguez Could Have Told Her the Music Sounds Just as Sweet When We’re Blind and Still We See
- Room in the Dark VII
- I Know Where the E Train Stops But I’m “Sendin’ Out an S.O.S.” and I’m Not Edwin Starr Either
- Room in the Dark VIII
- “Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby” or Wouldn’t It Be Great If the Lead Singer of The Crests Wasn’t a White Boy and I Could Be My Mother?
- Room in the Dark IX
- Every Time My Lil World Seems Blue, I Just Haveta Look at You and Learn Eye-Hand Coordination
- Room in the Dark X
- “That’s Why I Love Her So and Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I Want to Know” or Why Jackie Wilson Died in Silence
- Room in the Dark XI
- There’s No Use Cryin’ “Forever” or Hyacinthe Returns from a Very Blue Holiday for Real B(l)ack at Ya
- Room in the Dark XII
- Lollie Struts Her Stuff Thru “The Sea of Love” or the Brides of Frankenstein Catch the Bouquet
- By Ntozake Shange
- Acknowledgments
- Copyright
——— She walked out the front door. She walked out the front door and went past the weeping willow tree, the azaleas, the roses, and Japanese ivy and died.
——— But how, Liliane?
——— My father said she was dead, that’s how. If she set foot out the door, she was dead as far as he was concerned.
——— And you? What about you?
——— Daddy said she died in a boating accident. No body. That’s why there was no body at the service, just flowers. No body. Everybody was very sad. They had food and told stories. Patted my head cause she was dead. She was going to Heaven, they said. Daddy said we’d be all right. We’d be fine.
——— And your mother?
——— I don’t know…. She had to go, I know she had to go. She couldn’t take me with her. Daddy said she had to go and to forget she’d ever had a daughter. Forget she had me, or he’d see her rot in jail. Unfit! Slut! Tramp! Whore! Rot in jail! She’s going to Hell. Mommy. Mommy, why didn’t you take me! Mommy, Mommy, come get me, Mommy. Daddy said she’s dead, she’s dead. Better. Sluts can’t raise children. Sluts run off with their lovers and die. They die and they can’t take their children. I can’t go with Mommy. She’s dead. He said she was dead.
——— Is she, Liliane? Is your mother dead?
——— No, I don’t think so. I don’t know. She said not to worry. She said I’d understand, someday I’d understand. She couldn’t live with my father anymore. She said she’d die if she stayed, if she stayed, she’d die. She went out the front door and died anyway. Oh, Jesus, you must really think I’m crazy now, huh?
——— No. You are making a lot of sense. If Roxie had done what your mother did, she might be alive now, like your mother.
——— My mother’s been dead for years.
——— No. She’s very much alive in you. She’s helping you, even now.
——— Helping me, how’s she helping me?
——— By reminding you of the window.
——— The window?
——— Yes. The window that opens to a world, worlds of beautiful trees and flowers and sunlight. A world full of life, Liliane.
——— But I’m not a part of it.
——— I beg to differ, Liliane. You are very much a part of it. If you need to call me for an emergency or just to chat, you know the number.
——— Could you, I know this is irregular, but do you think you could find the time to go see Roxie’s show? It’s the last of her we’ve got.
——— I think we should definitely talk some more about that, Liliane. Call, if you need me.
——— Yeah. I think I’ll try the door this time. See you.