Harlem Duet

Aretha Franklin’s version of “Spanish Harlem” plays under the sounds of the famous Dateline interview with Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley. Canada retells the story of his first trip to Harlem in the late 1960s. He was hesitant to go, as he had heard that Harlem was a dangerous place, but he wanted to experience the neighborhood, so he assumed a “baddest mother in the city” (79) attitude and embarked on a tour. He soon realized that Harlem was filled with people like him: “I’m the same as them. I look just like them. I look like I live in Harlem” (79).

Over a pot of tea, Billie and Canada catch up. Canada has been sober for nearly five years and wants to reconnect with his children, especially since he has had some recent health issues. Billie balks when he calls her Sybil, but he defends the choice: “I gave you that name. It’s a good name. It was your grandmother’s name. It means prophetess. Sorceress. Seer of the future. I like it. I don’t see anything wrong with that name” (81). He then gives Billie a small box containing one of her mother’s rings. He admits that after she died, he wasn’t able to cope with the loss and the responsibility of raising two small children by himself.