When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost

[CrimsonTide4]

I received the following excerpt from an AKA SF on a listserve and was impressed but what I read. Has anyone read this book? Comments?


Excerpt from "When Chicken Heads Come Home to Roost" by

To Whom It May Concern:

For reasons of emotional health and overall sanity, I've retired from being a STRONGBLACKWOMAN. Since I've been acting like a SBW for most of my life, I've taken the liberty of drafting a re-orientation memo.

To the white folks I work with--the fake "Fine" and compulsory smile? Gone. Deaded. Don't look for it. From now on, when asked "How are you?" I'm going to tell you the truth -- so if you really don't give a sh*t, do yourself a favor and don't ask. Some days I really am an evil black woman.

To the folks in my life who are used to calling me at all hours of the A.M. or P.M. and repeatedly dumping their emotional refuse --start looking for a therapist. I apologize for not telling you before that I'm not the "strongest sista" you know, that my sh*t is not "always so d*mn together" (Then again you would have known if you'd interjected an occasional, "Hey, girl, how you doing" in your tirades.) There are days my sh*t is downright raggedy and on those days I'm not feeling you. I've officially given myself permission to ignore all twenty of your messages on my machine, especially the ones telling me you feel abandoned.

To the brothers trying to kick it. Stop. Let me save you some time. If my financial independence, education, ambition, looks, or basic determination to survive makes you question whether or not you'd have anything to give such a STRONGBLACKWOMAN, don't bother. Return to the valley of the chickenheads, cuz I don't f*** wit' that anymore. SBWs do not have needs. I got plenty---and I'll gladly tell them to you while I'm running your bathwater, or you're rubbing me down with oil, or we're playing tag with our tongues. Bring it on if and only if you really beleive you deserve me.

And while I'm at it, mad love for my peeps who didn't need anything of this, who knew I was never a STRONGBLACKWOMAN---just fronting. Thanks for sticking around while I was tripping. Y'all know sh*t goes. We get there in the by and by.

Peace & Love, Joan