GI Joe and Ebony, An American Love Story by Brenda Stokes Lee Page A

smiled and winked as their eyes met for the very first time. “ Maybe we want be strangers by the time I finish changing your flat. ”
    Intrigued by her beauty the young man could not keep his eyes off of Ebony. Her deep roasted almond skin was as smooth as silk and it begged him to touch her.
    “So what ’ s your name? ” He asked as he pulled the spare tire and the jack from the trunk. “ I ’ m …”
    “No names. This is nerve racking and awkward enough. ”
    “Okay well … It ’ s going to make it a little hard to talk if I don ’ t know your name. So, I ’ ll just call you Barbie and you can call me Joe. ”
    Ebony burst into laughter. “ Seriously, as in GI Joe? Yeah right! ”
    “What ’ s so funny? ” He chuckled.
    “I know the relationship that Barbie and GI Joe had and trust me, that will never, ever happen. ”
    “Why is there a Ken somewhere? ” He teased.
    “No, there ’ s no Ken at the current moment, but that still doesn ’ t mean that Barbie wants to play with GI Joe. ”
    “So, Barbie doesn ’ t like to play with other Barbies, does she? ”
    “Oh hell no! Barbie likes Kens and GI Joes exclusively. ” She laughed. “ The question could be raised if GI Joe had an occasional rump with Ken? I know the policy in the military is Don ’ t ask, don ’ t tell, but you need to tell me something .
    “There ain ’ t a damn thing to tell, so you don ’ t even need to ask. ”
    “Alright, but I ’ ve learned from experience that you ’ d better ask. If not you may walk in on somebody getting in your man ’ s tail. ” Ebony joked.
    “So you ’ re single? ”
    “Yes, for the moment. It ’ s a hell of lot easier being single then playing all of these countless games men seem to want to play. ”
    “I ’ m single too. ”
    “Yeah right. ” Ebony quickly dismissed the thought that this fine ass man was unattached. Intrigued, she took careful inventory of the extraordinary specimen of manhood who claimed to be free and single. Tall, about six foot two inches, with a strong muscular build and a head full of short curly blonde locks he appeared to be just about her age or slightly older. Deeply tanned with an urban swag Ebony instinctively knew that GI Joe had a thing for Chocolate Kisses. “ So, you ’ re single? ”
    “Yes, extremely single and I ’ m tired of it. ”
    “How old are you? ”
    “I ’ m twenty seven. How old are you? ”
    “I ’ m twenty five. ” Ebony replied as she entertained the thought of spending time with a man whose name wasn ’ t Ben & Jerry. “ So, exactly how many baby mamas do you have waiting on you to bring some pampers and Similac home? ” Ebony teased.
    “What? ” GI Joe laughed. “ I don ’ t have any children. I ’ m not married. And I damn sure am not caught in any baby mama bullshit. ”
    “Something must be wrong with you then. Are you sure you never played with Ken. ” She laughed.
    “Look, you ’ re straight and I ’ m definitely straight. You ’ re single and I ’ m single. It ’ s Friday night, so let ’ s go out and have a few drinks and some fun. Okay? ”
    “As tempting as that is, I don ’ t even think that ’ s going to happen. In fact I know it ’ s not going to happen. ” She giggled as she went back to playing with her phone. “ You are cute though. ”
    “So, what ’ s the problem? ”
    “There is no problem. Who said there was a problem? ”
    “Oh I see, Barbie only likes to play with the black GI Joe. She doesn ’ t like the white GI Joe. ”
    “Oh no you didn ’ t just take it there! What does GI Joe ’ s skin color have to do with anything? ”
    “It shouldn ’ t but obviously something ’ s holding you back. ”
    “Holding me back from what? ” She challenged.
    “From having a drink with me when I ’ m done. ” His voice softened and became sincere. “ I like you Barbie and I ’ d like to get to know you before I deploy to Saudi Arabia. ”
    “Okay, the fact that you ’ re