Going Down

“Too busy with the work thing. I just don’t have the time anymore,” I said, and thought about my upcoming interview.

“Now that’s an excuse if I ever heard one.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. That is nothing but an excuse,” Tyhedra said and poked me lightly on the chest. “If you really want to do something, I mean really want to do something,” she said with her fists balled, “you would make time to get it done.”

“You know, I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right. You gotta follow your dreams, Tavarus.” I liked the way she said my name. Tyhedra put her hand on mine and looked deep into my eyes. “You gotta have a dream, if you’re gonna make a dream come true. Believe that.”

“You’re right.”

“I usually am. So tell me about this job that got you so busy.”

“I’m an accountant.”

“Sounds pretty boring, but I can see where it would keep you kind of busy. But I still say that’s no excuse for doing what you have a passion for. You were the one who said ‘Music is a part of me,’ right?”

“I did say that, didn’t I.”

“Well, did you mean it?”

“Yeah, I meant it.”

“Well then, you know what you have to do then, right?”

“I need to pick up my horn and play.”

“That’s right. Even if you have to play in the park with a hat in front of you, you gotta play,” Tyhedra said and touched my face. She held my face in her hand for a second or two. “You definitely have the lips for it,” she smiled and said before letting go and picking up her drink.

I started to say, “That’s not all these lips are good for.” I had been mesmerized by the way her nipples pressed against her outfit. I would love to wrap my lips around those nipples and play them.

The band broke into a fast number and a few people got up and headed for the dance floor. “Would you like to dance?”

“Not right now, but I’ll take a rain check.” My second rain check this evening.

As the band played on, Tyhedra and I talked, laughed, and had a good time getting to know one another. Among other things, she told me that she had just moved to Atlanta recently from LA, and worked as a business consultant. “I thought you were going to tell me that you were a musician,” I said and touched her hand. “You have the fingers of a piano player.”

Tyhedra laughed and I enjoyed the sound of it. “That’s not the first time I’ve heard that. In fact, my musician friends have been telling me that for years. But no, I don’t play; I just love to listen.”

The band finished their set with their somewhat upbeat rendition of Lee Morgan’s You Go To My Head. He is one of my favorite trumpet players. Hearing the trumpet player do that number, hearing Tyhedra’s words, and watching the audience’s response, made me think seriously about blowing off that interview and going for it.

When the song ended, the audience gave the band a big round of applause and then the DJ came back on. “ I hope it’s not too soon to claim my dance?”

I smiled, and reached for her hand and led her on to the dance floor. I spun her around and drew her slowly to my chest. “It seemed like an eternity.”

“It’s only been a few minutes,” Tyhedra said, with her head on my chest.

“I know, but it definitely felt a lot longer.”

We danced slow and close in silence, until I worked up enough nerve to say what I was thinking. “I like you, Tyhedra. I’ve really enjoyed talking to you.”

“I enjoyed talking to you, too, Tavarus. I like a man that can hold a conversation.”

The song ended. Tyhedra started to pull away from my embrace. “Come back here. I’m not through with you yet.”

The Dells classic Stay in My Corner came on; I drew her back to my chest. I liked the way she felt there. Tyhedra was tall: five nine, maybe five ten. I looked into her eyes. She felt good in my arms. I held her tighter.