Page 97 of You've Got a Place Here, Too
I nod, grateful for the advice. “Thank you,” I tell him, placing my hand over his, the fever hitting us like it did freshman year. Or again last week.
His grin goes goofy. “Always.”
I quickly move my hand and stagger over to Ms. Morrison, trying to keep my composure with the influx of emotions I’m feeling, about Assad and meeting my role model.
When I walk up to her table, Ms. Morrison looks up at me from her seat, and her disposition is so composed I feel minuscule. “Hi, it’s so nice to meet you, I love your work. My mom didn’t understandThe Bluest Eye,but I did.”
Ms. Morrison laughs. “Maybe one day she’ll have a better understanding. What’s your name?”
“Maybe,” I say, and she extends her hand for me to shake. ThankGod.“And Lynetta.”
“Are you a writer as well, Lynetta?” she asks.
“I am, Ms. Morrison. And an editor atThe Hilltop.”
Her eyes perk up. “Do you like being an editor?”
“Yes ma’am,” I say. “More than writing…I think.”
“Well, as you’re thinking about a job post-graduation, you should consider being a book editor. You know,” she continues, “I was the first female African American editor at Random House when I started.” I just shake my head, stunned.
“I promise I will. Well, I…I don’t want to hold you. I know you’re busy here, but it really was a pleasure. Thank you for taking the time,” I say, and shake her hand again with all my might.
“The pleasure was all mine,” she responds.
As I think about what it would mean, to pursue a career like hers, I’m both awestruck and humbled by the possibility. “Lynetta…” I hear someone call out, and Assad is crossing Blackburn quickly before the event begins. He silently chuckles. “It went well, I take it?”
“Yes!” I whisper-squeal. “Toni freaking Morrison?”
“She’s so gracious,” he says. “We tried apologizing for not having her books and she hushed us and said today is about Ms. Davis. She’s leaving early, so it’s good you spoke to her.”
I eye him a beat longer. “You already knew that, huh?” I say, and he shrugs.
“If you couldn’t get a quote from her for the paper, at least you got tomeether. I’ll never forget watching you readTar Babysophomore year. I checked it out the very next day.”
My stomach flutters, impressed he still remembers. Enchanted.
“I should let you work,” I say. “Thank you so much, Assad. I’ll never forget this.” This time, I slip my number into his hands before I go into reporter mode. “How about you call me when you have free time?”
“You got it,” he says.
Assad
I rush to the phone after playing phone tag with Lynetta for the last few days, my suitemates in the Towers teasing my excitement. We decide to meet up after classes the next day and grab food at a diner in Adams Morgan.
“How did everything after the event go?” she asks after our waiter takes our order.
“It was cool, man,” I reply. “I got to network with a few people in that world. It got me thinking about new career paths after college.” I want to mention how her editor idea sparked something inside me and meeting another Black man in this profession might have sealed it. But first, I need to wrap my head around it. “What about you? You get inspired talking to Ms. Morrison?”
“Absolutely,” she says, picking at the tablecloth. “I, uh, actually just got a letter from USC. I was on the fence about taking this domestic exchange opportunity I applied for, but now I think I’m going to go for it.”
“Oh,” I reply, my voice falling flat. I quickly try to cover it up. “That’s…that’s awesome. When is it?”
“Thank you,” she says. “It’s spring semester.” For a moment we’re silent, until I fill the silence with asking her if she’s ever been to California before, and about all the plans she has for herself while she’s there. And as we pay for our food and I walk her to Meridian, I know even if I wanted to visit her, which I would in a heartbeat, I couldn’t afford to.
Instead, I wish her well. And as our phone conversations simmer down the closer she gets to leaving, I hope and pray Los Angeles doesn’t get ahold of her and take her away from me for good.
Summer, Following Senior Year
