When I Was the Greatest

At the party, Ali recognizes some of the partygoers from the neighborhood but also sees rougher “straight-out-the-pen” guys (96). He tries to blend in, but when he looks around for Needles, he finds his friend has taken a bolder approach and is center stage on the dance floor with a grin on his face. His dancing impresses both Ali and the cheering crowd. Noodles is at the front door chatting to Tasha and misses the show. Ali is glad Noodles is occupied because he might have pulled his brother away out of fear of his Tourette’s syndrome.

Ali spots the woman who entered the party ahead of them and, after checking on Noodles, goes to talk to her. Ali is emboldened by a cup of “loose juice” (119), and he and the woman, Candace, dance intimately. She leads him to a room to take things further. They kiss and begin undressing, but Ali stalls because he is nervous and not ready to have sex for the first time. Before he has to admit this, they are interrupted by a commotion—there is a fight. Ali searches for Noodles and Needles to ensure they are okay, but neither is where he left them.