Jasm

Lola sighed as she dropped her pencil onto the table. What she really wanted to do was break it in half or slam it down, but the noise to her frustration would not have been appreciated in the IUPUI campus library. Finals was just one week away before winter break and, between working a full time job and attending all her classes, that did not leave her with much time to study for the twelve credit hours she assigned herself this semester. Note to self: check for online courses next semester, she thought to herself as she grabbed her water bottle for a drink. She then noticed the weight of the bottle, letting her know that she had emptied it out some time ago. Lola looked at her Fitbit watch to see that she still had another hour before the library closed. She did not want to go back to her dorm with the residents throwing parties late into the night, leaving no place for a person to sleep in peace, let alone study.

             As she made her way to the water fountain for a refill, Lola could have sworn that she heard jazz being played through the floor. She stopped in her tracks and strained her ears for the unusual sound, but heard nothing. Shrugging it off, she hurried over to the water fountain and stuck the container under the spout. As she waited for her bottle to fill up, the sound of jazz whispered in her ears again. This time Lola knew she was not imagining it. She quickly set her bottle down on the table with the rest of her things before following the lively tune. It was faint, but she could still make out the smooth sound of the saxophone and the strumming of the bass.

             Lola found herself beneath the stairs next to the emergency exit. A wooden door stood hidden in the far corner that could not be easily seen from the high trafficked stairwell. The jazz music played even louder than it did from the third floor where Lola was studying. Curious as to what was going on inside, she timidly knocked on the door. Lola jumped as a slot in the door suddenly opened and a pair of golden eyes stared back at her.

             “Password?” a rough male voice barked.

             “Uhhh…I don’t know,” Lola slowly responded. She watched as the golden eyes took in her mocha skin, black maxi dress under a black wool cardigan, black cloche hat with a gold chain wrapped around it and hiding her curly shoulder length black hair, gold thread necklace and earrings, and patent leather Mary Jane heels. The eye slot quickly closed and the door creaked open. A short chubby black man stood in front of her dressed in black slacks, white shirt, and black suspenders.

             “Since you know how to dress, young cat, I will give you a pass.” The man opened the door wider to let Lola through. She took a quick look at her attire, which she wore to a funeral for a church member earlier that day, before hurrying over the threshold just in case the man changed his mind.

             Lola’s eyes widen at the scene that laid out before her. The music that she had followed was being played by a live jazz band on the stage across the room. Even though the room was filled with people talking and laughing, it did not diminish the band’s pleasant tune.

             “Welcome to Bart’s Juice Joint,” the bouncer replied. “Fill free to go on a toot at the bar or join a game or two.”

             Lola felt as if she was in a daze as she made her way to the bar. She timidly sat on a stool before turning her attention to the young mulatto man with gray eyes fixing the drinks. His handsome smile showed off a straight row of white teeth as he nodded in greeting.

             “First timer, huh?” he asked as he made his way over to her.

             “How can you tell?” Lola asked with a smirk.

             “The way you look around in amazement.” The man threw a dish towel over his shoulder before extending his hand. “The name is Bart.”

             “Lola,” she sighed out as she shook his hand. “So this is your joint. Aren’t you a little young to have all this?”

             “Hey, gotta do what we gotta do to get around the ridiculous Prohibition, but as I look at you, I’m questioning whether you are old enough to even set foot in my joint.”

             “I’ll have you know that I just had my twenty-first birthday last week.” Suddenly, what Bart just said had clicked in her mind. “Prohibition? What’s the date?”

             Bart let out a heartfelt laugh. “For someone who just turned twenty-one, you sure act like a dumb Dora. It December 9.”

             “What year?”

             Bart rolled his eyes but the genuine smile never left his face. “1925.” His smile slowly disappeared as he watched the look of panic appear on Lola’s face. He quickly poured a shot glass of whiskey and placed it in her hands. “It’s okay, doll. It can’t be that bad.”

             “You will be surprised,” Lola choked out as she quickly slung back the shot. How did I wound up in 1925? Lola slowly glanced around the room, listening to the people speak and took in their attire. Either all these people are really good actors or I have actually traveled back in time.

             “You sure you’re okay?” Bart asked. “You’re not late for a blind date are you?” Lola smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood.

             “I’m just surprised that this year has gone by so fast,” she replied, hoping that what she stated would explain her shock.

             “That’s good because I would hate that some rich Daddy has already claimed you.”

             Lola let out an amused giggle. “Now you are making fun of me. Look at me. Men are not exactly beating down my door for a chance with me.”

             “Them hoods don’t know a doll when they see one.” Bart then leaned over the bar and looked directly into Lola’s eyes so that she could see the sincerity in his next words. “Good thing for me since I know a Sheba when I see one.” Lola blushed at his words. She remembered her great-grandparents talking about people growing up in 1920s when she was a young girl. Her great-grandfather had always called her great-grandmother “his Sheba” or “his sexy woman.”

             Lola lost track of time as she and Bart continued to talk. He told her about how he came about making his bootleg liquor and opening his bar to get around the Prohibition law. Lola was fascinated by his stories about life in Indianapolis in the 1920s. Bart explained how he had to dodge not only the policemen because of his bootleg, but the Ku Klux Klan, which had a very large number in the city. To get off the not so pleasant topics, Bart took Lola’s hand and led her to the dance floor. The band had switched over to a lively jazz number and Lola couldn’t help but smile at the familiar dancing. Being a trained dancer, Lola had taken classes for all types of dancing, including the Charleston. She could tell that Bart was impressed with her effortless and sleek moves.

             “You are definitely nifty,” Bart sighed out as he led Lola back to the bar. “You might find yourself going down that middle aisle with me sometime soon.”

             Lola smiled at his hint at marriage. “I do not plan on doing that until I finished by education.”

             “What are you going to school for?”

             “I want to be a history teacher.” Lola could not help but think of her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents constantly trying to teach her generation about their history and how many of her friends, siblings, and cousins shrug it off. “I believe that if we don’t remember the past, then we are doomed to repeat it. There are so many polititians who would be more than happy to reverse time to where black people were slaves and had no rights to anything.”

             “And how!” Bart agreed.

             Suddenly, shots rang out, causing people to duck for cover. Bart quickly dragged Lola over and behind the bar for safety.

             “Applesauce!” Bart exclaimed. “Those saps are destroying my joint!” He then turned to Lola. “You’ve gotta scram! Stay low!” He then grabbed her hand and led her back to the entrance, where the bouncer was already shoving other people out the door. Bart suddenly turned Lola to face him, a look of wonder on his face. “I’ll find you!”

             Lola smiled lovingly at him, knowing that she would never see this wonderful man again. She quickly grabbed his face and gave him a deep passionate kiss. The sound of panic and shooting guns disappeared as they surrendered to each other in the passion. Just as suddenly as it started, Lola quickly broke the kiss off. “No, you won’t.” Before Bart could say anything, Lola raced out the door.

             Lola landed on her knees with a hard thud. As she gasped for air and willed her racing heart to slow down, she looked at her surroundings to find herself back at the university library. She quickly turned around to notice that the wooden door was no longer under the stairs. She scrambled back to her feet and raced to where the door once was, feeling up and down the wall in hopes to find some evidence of where she was.

             “Hello!” Lola looked up at the sound of a male voice and footsteps coming down the stairs. A light shined in various areas as the man looked for her. “Is anyone down there?” Lola quickly hurried up the stairs and collided into the man. Strong arms wrapped around her as the sound of the flashlight he was holding clattered to the floor. Lola was surprised to be staring into a very familiar set of gray eyes. A flash of recognition shone in his eyes before confusion settled in.

             “I’m sorry,” Lola replied. “I thought I heard a noise.”

             “It’s okay,” the man answered as he picked up his flashlight. As the light glided over the man’s face, Lola gasped. A man with the same features as Bart dressed in a security guard’s uniform stood in front of her.

             “Bart?” Lola gasped out.

             His confusion had suddenly switched over to amazement. “Actually, it’s Benjamin. Barthalamew is my middle name.”

             “I’m sorry. You reminded me of someone.”

             Benjamin smiled and Lola couldn’t help but picture Bart smiling at her behind the bar. “Funny. I was going to say the same thing. I also have the urge to say something like ‘told you I would find you’.”

             Lola couldn’t help but chuckle as she went back up to the third floor to gather her belongings. She remembered Bart’s last words to her before she left. And he did find me. “I take it that the library is now closed.”

             Benjamin laughed. “Your assumption would be correct. I saw your things here and wanted to make sure that you were still around.”

             “That’s thoughtful of you.” As Lola continued to throw everything in her backpack, she accidently knocked over her history folder, scattering loose pages to the floor. She and Benjamin quickly bent down to gather the pages, but one page caught Lola’s eye. It was a list of essay questions that the professor listed as topics for the final paper. One question jumped out at Lola: “Explain how the poor and black community survived the Prohibition law.” Lola smiled as she hurried to her feet. I know what to write about now.

             “So,” Benjamin said as he handed Lola the rest of the loose pages he had gathered. “Would it be too forward for me to ask if you would like to go out sometime.”

             “I’m not exactly the type of girl men ask out much,” Lola replied. Whoa! Déjà vu. Her mind had went back to the similar conversation she had with Bart.          

             “Them hoods don’t know a doll when they see one.” Lola couldn’t help the warmth that swept through her at the same line that Bart told her earlier.

             “So, what do you say?” Benjamin extended his hand as he waited for her response. Lola did not hesitate to take his hand and let him lead her out of the library and into the unknown.