Juke and Opal (1973)

WINTER 1973 Late afternoon the entracte between dusk and darkness when the people who conduct their business in the street numbers runners in gray chesterfields outofwork barmaids playing the dozens adolescents cultivating their cigarette jones and lust smalltime hustlers selling authentic gold wristwatches that are platinum brightlook for a place to roost and to drink in the days sin Young black guy looks like the comedian Richard Pryor walks into one of his hangouts Opals Silver Spoon Café A greasy dive with a R B jukebox it could be in Detroit or in New York could be anywhere Opals has a proprietor Opal a young and wise black woman who looks like the comedian Lily Tomlin and a little bell over the door that goes tinkalink announcing all the handouts and gimmes who come to sit at Opals counter and talk about how needy their respective asses are Hilton Als