NUMBER 139
It's been a few weeks since the “Part Time Job at the Asylum” Christmas party (I need to find a shorter name…how about “The Sanctuary,” it does have a horror movie sound to it, don’t you think?). As I’ve stated before, a storm was brewing. Nothing there stays calm for long.
When I returned on Saturday, the woman who gave me a Secret Santa gift was fired. She called out again one day last week and the manager, Kat, decided right then to fire the woman. There appeared to have been many complaints from employees and customers of her rude treatment and her absences. Kat contacted the owners, who forcefully stated, "Fire her and cut the bullshit." Kat had been going back and forth on this, especially since the woman was given two warnings before. Kat, who does not have the gumption to really fire anyone, knew she had to do it or it was going to be her job.
Before Kat fired the woman, she showed up the next day and resigned. She then proceeded to write a few nasty e-mails to the company owners about the horrible condition of the place. How the employees were always eating the food, serving free food to friends, and not cleaning up properly. I don't disagree on some of those things, but I have seen her do the same things. Yes, some of the employees do not clean as well as they should. When I come to work I bring some Clorox from home. That cheap one dollar bleach they use does not work for me and I can’t stand a dirty kitchen. Just can’t stand it. I clean places there I don't think they know exist, but that's another story. Oh, well, another one bites the dust. This place is beginning to look like "American Idol for part time jobs." Who can hang and who cannot.
I just finished reading Carl Weber and Eric Pete - The Family Business - $9.87. When this book came out in February last year, I was there at his store, Urban Knowledge, listening to him and Eric and purchasing 10 books for friends and myself to get autographed. I am a HUGE, BIG, FANATIC fan of Carl Weber and his story telling. That's what it is, "Story telling" in the best layout ever. Once I got home, I gingerly placed the book on the counter, stared at it, held it, and glided my fingers over the cover and binding. I opened and smell it. Then put it face front on the top shelf of my bookcase to view whenever I walked into my library. I knew I would read it, but not yet. I had to savor it for a long while, with salivating eagerness. Waiting patiently for the right time to read it. Then it was time. Two weeks ago. Why in the hell did I wait so long? Weber’s next book, THE MAN IN 3B - $11.99 comes out January 29. On February 1, he will be at Books A Million and I will be there, front roll, waiting and salivating.
Carl Weber, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Pamela Samuels Young, Eric Jerome Dickey and many, many, many more authors, I buy their books, some 5 or 10 copies, and I hold mine until I know the date of their next book. I cannot read Carl, Kimberla, Pamela as soon as I get it, because the thrill and ride is over. It’s over too fast and I cannot wait, just cannot damn wait until the next book. So I sit, watch, wait, like “Gollum/Smeagol from the Hobbit. “My Precious, my precious!!!!!
The Duncan’s, run by the Patriarch, L.C. Duncan, his beautiful wife Chippy and their kids, run a successful car business. There’s the out of control, who knows she is one of the American top model crazy ass daughter, Paris. Ostentatious, son Rio who may or may not be gay. Orlando, ladies man with just a small addiction problem, not necessarily drugs (Sonny Corleone – Godfather part 1). Vegas, favorite son with some “jail issues (Michael Corleone). A “Black Paris Hilton” daughter, London and her husband, Harris (Tom Hagen – Godfather part 1) who feels out of place in the family.
If this sounds familiar, it is, it’s The Godfather – The African American version. I love it. Drama, secrets, mafia, Mexican cartels, wit, love and scandal with Carl Weber’s story telling touch. You think you are reading just an average book of secrets, murders, etc from a soap opera, no ding dong way. You are hit with the “What the hell, I did not see that coming.” The father, L. C. Duncan, wants to retire and give the business over to Orlando, but dirt starts flying and it’s sticking to everyone at the same time. You can’t keep good secrets down; they are just too succulent to keep quiet. You can also tell whose writing style is who. Carl tells the story and Eric adds the flavor. It’s like a Louisiana gumbo with kick ass Texas Pete Hot sauce.
The next books, “FAMILY BUSINESS 2” in September 2013. “TO PARIS WITH LOVE continuation of the character Paris from Family Business” in December 2013 and “CHOIR DIRECTOR” in March 2014. I also heard that there may be a TV show in 2014 based upon the Family Business saga. I cannot, cannot, cannot wait to get my hands on his books, “my precious, my precious, I will wait for my precious.” And remember, "It not personal, It's business."
