Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Flyover States

Red Dress Ink

Doris

I, Doris Weatherall, am in the process of becoming a hateful person, or a snob, or just flat-out bitter. Largely it's because I have done-that-which-I-ought-not-to-have-done (begun relationship with pretentious,sexually ambiguous, any-fool-would-know-better poet-worseyet-poetry professor),and not-done-that-which-I-oughtto-have-done (left town years ago, with or without my advanced degree, begun the process of falling for the standard married professionals and computer-dating last-ditch efforts like my citified sisters). Being in your early thirties and single is a challenge no matter where you are. Being in your early thirties and single in a college town in the Midwest is sort of like an extended episode of Sex and the City but minus the sex and minus the city.It is,of course,possible to have sex in the Midwest,just as it's possible to drive two hours to Louisville or Indianapolis — ferent officials, and finally someone fessed up to the fact that they digitally altered a picture that they'd taken of me shaking Professor Lind's hand after some reading last year. They just cut me out, dressed me up, and figured that 'for the sake of diversity " and I'm quoting Dean Stone on that one, I wouldn't mind."

I hand the picture back to Ronnie carefully, as if it might self-destruct at any second."This is insanity," I say. "Aren't they worried you'll sue?"

"Evidently not,"Ronnie says."Not worried enough to make sure I get summer teaching. And now I have to get to the temp agency before they close,since my tennis-playing skills aren't going to keep me fed this summer. And they wonder why black folks run like hell from Langsdale University.I could write three dissertations on the subject."

"Are we still meeting later?" I ask."Paolo called. He's expecting us at the Wing Shack at six."

Excerpted from Flyover Statesby Grace Grant/P.J. McAllistar Copyright © 2005 by Grace Grant/P.J. McAllistar. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.