18 February 2004 WHO AM I WITHOUT HIM?: SHORT STORIES ABOUT GIRLS AND THE BOYS IN THEIR LIVES by Sharon G. Flake, Hyperion/Jump in the Sun, May 2004, ISBN 0-7868-0693-1

"You look in the store windows at the boys' clothing for the coming season, and there's comfortable baggy pants and sneakers. But when you look at the girls' fashions there are skirts about this long." (She holds her index fingers about ten inches above one another.) "It is such a patriarchal society. I can so see how a girl would suddenly become a radical feminist. It's no surprise that a quarter of teenage girls are reportedly depressed and that so many of them are cutting themselves."

After a pleasant meal together at the all-you-can-eat salad place in the mall a few nights ago, I cruised down to Petaluma to see a performance by my favorite after-dinner speaker on the planet--Gary Paulsen--while Shari wandered around the mall with the girls. According to the subsequent reports by Shari and our ninth grader, there was no sign yet of feather skirts (à la Beyonce at the Grammys), but much of what was on display was so revealing that many young women will be getting bikini waxes in preparation for donning their Back to School outfits in September.

Such is the culture adolescents are immersed in today. I'd venture to say that the MTV fashions, language and poses of Gwen, J-Lo, Christina, Brittney, Alicia, and that herd of long-limbed young women grazing on the African savannah in the Outkast video, have an unequaled impact on the teens (and preteens) who are in the midst of creating their own images. (No, not an indictment, merely an observation.)

" 'Yeah, man, I mean, I don't wanna hook up with nobody--for long,' D'Little says, holding out his arms like wings. 'I gotta spread myself around. Pollinate the place, you know.'

"Marimba's hand goes up. 'How come in nature it's the male animal--like peacocks--that's gotta be extra pretty to get the woman. But with people, it's the girl that's gotta do all the work to get a boy?'

" I wanna tell her not to worry. Ain't nothing she can ever do to make herself look good."

The urban culture that both inspires and is inspired by MTV serves as a main character in Sharon Flake's seamless collection of short stories, WHO AM I WITHOUT HIM? Flake's collection is nearly as revealing of adolescent life within that culture as is one of Christina's outfits.

Check out these story titles:

"So I Ain't No Good Girl"

"The Ugly One"

"Wanted: A Thug"

"I Know A Stupid Boy When I See One"

"Mookie in Love"

"Don't Be Disrespecting Me"

"I Love White Boys"

"Jacob's Rules"

"Hunting for Boys"

"A Letter to My Daughter"

And while these stories are so immersed in that culture, they possess a thematic universality with which most any reader will identify: A girl is worried about keeping her man. Another is contemplating going after someone else's guy. There are money problems, pregnancies, sweet talking guys, parents who are seen as too controlling, best friends who screw up everything, an innovative teacher, and a poignant and honest letter from a long-absent dad.

Sharon Flake has written for a slightly older audience than she did with her previous couple of books. She provides authentic dialogue. Yet, as Shari (ever the teacher) pointed out to me, the author succeeds in doing this without the use of a single word that would prevent middle school teachers from utilizing the book in their classrooms.

"Pastors can read minds, you know. So right then ours gave us a mini sermon on boys. He pointed to a really cute guy on the steps across the street. 'I see him looking over here every time you girls step foot in church.' He took Satina's hand. 'I don't blame him. We got a whole church full of pretty gals.'

" 'Thanks, Pastor,' we said blushing.

" 'But don't be fooled. That's trouble sitting on that step.' He pointed to Jamaica, then to me, K'ya, and finally Satina. 'You looking for trouble?'

" 'No.'

" 'No, sir.'

" 'Pastor, I ain't looking for nothing,' K'ya said.

"Pastor smiled. 'Good. Life has enough trouble without you all chasing it down like a two-for-one shoe sale at the mall.

"I wanted to look him in the eyes and say, 'Amen,' like I do in church sometimes. But I couldn't, 'cause I figured he would see what I was really up to."

From fun, to the outrageous, to the downright scary, WHO AM I WITHOUT HIM? provides readers with plenty to ponder--frequently including the question, "Isn't she better off without him?"

Richie Partington

http://richiespicks.com

BudNotBuddy@aol.com