between us.’
Number five: ‘You know what they say,
once you go black you never go back.’”
Lennie yells, “Tell them!”
Next comes my
burlesque routine.
I perform a strip tease
with my lip sync
to “Back to Black”
sung by Beyoncé.
I suggestively
open and close
the pink faux fur coat
before I let it drop
to the floor.
I snatch off
the pink wig
and throw it
into the audience.
I shimmy
with the feather boa,
then wrap it around
a smiling stranger in the front row.
I slip out of the tutu
and kick it away.
The crowd
goes wild for it. For me!
I stand triumphant
in a leotard and heels,
a full face of makeup