Could There be an Odder Odd Couple?
Could There be an Odder Odd Couple?:
The Unlikely Sisterhood of Tanisha and Vida in The Legend of Tanisha Biggers: a novelette
When I began writing this story, I had no idea it would include a bond between two characters that transcended friendship. Tanisha, the story’s main character, and her best friend Vida have different upbringings in the fictitious neighborhood of Black Haven. Tanisha was raised by her parents and has specific goals for her life after her parents’ deaths. Vida, on the other hand, was raised by the streets and seems to be content with life in “the hood” – even though she expresses otherwise.
Tanisha and Vida represent two concurrent realities in Black Haven. Tanisha embodies the enterprising spirit of the people of Black Haven’s past, when it was like a Black Wall Street. Vida gives a street-level view of what it means to thrive and survive in the present-day economic state of her neighborhood. The jagged edges of their individual quirks interlock and fit together, and their bond is more like a sisterhood than anything else.
Instead of staying “separate in the same space” like a bottle of oil and vinegar, the closeness between Tanisha and Vida is more like a savory vinaigrette that adds a unique, but necessary, flavor to Tanisha’s story in The Legend of Tanisha Biggers: a novelette.
(In the video below, I speak about how the image used for this blog post is related to the story.)
