Chapter 4: Superstar
It was summer 08, and Ronnie had promised Lucky that after he graduated high school he would move to New Orleans an begin his promising entertainment career! It was mid June and Ronnie was packing his bags for his life changing trip,
"Hey honey, how you feeling?" Delilah asked
"To be honest, I'm kinda nervous, I never been so far away from home before....oh momma I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or not!" Ronnie lamented
"Ronnie don't worry, this is what you wanted right, besides you got lucky, who being a drag queen would get you out this hell hole!" Delilah said
"You're right, oooooh mama thank you!"
"For what?"
"For not disowning me or callin me a fag like everybody else does, I know I ain't a woman I got a dick an balls it's just entertainment that's all, some folks just don't get that I'm gay!"
"Ronnie what I tell you, I will always love you whatever road you go down in life, so what you're gay, I rather have you gay than gangsta, don't worry what the rest of the world thinks...be yourself!" Encouraged Delilah
Then Ronnie gave his mom a big hug, and they both shed a few tears so filled with emotions. Deep down Delilah didn't really want Ronnie to go, but she knew he needed better than the hoods of Harvey. Ronnie took the train to O'Hare and for the first time he was on his own! Ronnie said goodbye to all his friends and Hoped for the best in the big easy!
NEW ORLEANS
The plane touched down at the airport and Lucky had a car sent for Ronnie to be picked and while in the car Ronnie saw a whole new world! All the lush trees, the mighty Mississippi River, the streetcars there was just so much culture. Ronnie then saw all the gay flags on various New Orleans streets, which meant being a drag queen here wouldn't be an issue unlike all the haters back in Chicago. The car then took Ronnie to this rental in the neighborhood of Bayou Saint John, where it was a furnished studio on the third floor. Ronnie was so glad, I instantly called Kaleem,
"Omg chile I got my own place you should see this I got a balcony an everythang!"
"A balcony okaaay Ronnie I see you, thinkin you in gone with the wind!" Kaleem joked
"Nigga I got a view of the French quarter and there's like so many gays here, I think I might catch me a few cuties (laughs)!" Ronnie joked
"Omg you is so crazy, but stay focused boo on the reason why you there, to slay as miss Renee!" Said Kaleem
"Alright alright How's everything goin?" Lucky asked as he came outta nowhere
"Oh shit I gotta go it's business, bye (hangs up phone) it's really something Lucky, I mean wow I never had it like this before!" Ronnie said
"Well trust me once you really get to the top you'll have wayyyyy bigger, but first order of business......you need a makeover!" Lucky said
"Why what's wrong with me?"
"Oh nothing is wrong, we just wanna enhance the look, I mean new wigs, new dresses, and some new heels STAT! See you can't be singing like Whitney Houston lookin tore up like Nicole Richie,"
Ok, when do I perform?" Ronnie asked
"In the next few days it's a really big show this will really give you the exposure you need, which is why you need the makeover, this is Cindy, she will be your stylist if you will.....Cindy I want you to bring out the over the top diva which is Renee Harvey!" Lucky said
"Well alright, looks like we goin shopping honey!"
Then Cindy took Ronnie to these gay friendly boutiques that lined up an down Canal street, buyin super fabulous $360 shoes, new $2000 gowns, new zesty $150 wigs, Cindy made sure that Ronnie looked absolutely stunning for his debut performance, and a first for Ronnie....some Botox! After getting some shots in the face and around his nose, Ronnie kinda felt different, an after spending at least $24,000 total Ronnie felt kinda uneasy, but Lucky assured him that it was for the best. It was the night of Ronnie's debut performance in a major setting, Lucky already booked Ronnie at a few prominent clubs around the city, the first show would be at the Cascade club in the French Quarter and it was huge! When Ronnie got to the club he saw how big it was, and he was kinda nervous but he was ready!
"Just imagine this place being packed and folks adoring you, this is your destiny can't you see that!" Lucky said
"Yesss, yesss, I'm gon slay this!"
It was evening time, and the club was packed, gay folks drinking an dancing, then around 9pm Ronnie came out onto the main stage to a supportive crowd, wondering what he was gonna do,
"Ladies an gentlemen, introducing, MISS RENEE HARVEY!" The Club owner said
And Miss Renee Harvey came onto the stage and did a dance number to a dance remix of Ciara "1, 2 Step" and she wore a purple velvet corset with matching colored heels doing very risqué moves on stage! Then it was time to showcase the vocals, and Renee decided to do a song very close to her heart, "It Hurts like Hell" by Aretha Franklin and she WENT IN!! The crowd was so amazed they wanted Renee to do another song! So Renee sang her own rendition of "Living All Alone" by Phyllis Hyman and when Renee put her all into the song it was spectacular!! After Renee did another dance number on the stage the crowd was satisfied and gave her a roaring round of applause, Renee then went backstage, took off the wig and Ronnie knew his entertainment was done for the night,
"Ooooooh that was fun!" Ronnie said in glee
"Yes an you looked fabulous as hell, I told you that lacefront would do the trick it just complements the outfit, oh an that stage really made those cute shoes pop!" Said Cindy
"Cindy, you ain't gotta kiss my ass the show is over.....BUT I DID LOOK CUTE THO HEYYY!" Ronnie shouted
"How's my superstar doing yes yes, tonight was excellent, um can I speak to Ronnie alone for a minute?" Lucky said
"Well Lucky how I do out there?" Ronnie asked
"You did fantastic, I mean when you was singing Aretha oooh I almost cried, but enough of that, 750 people that's the attendance, this is the just the beginning, I got you booked at more clubs around the city and then the big one, your own show at the Orpheum theater it'll be huge!" Lucky said
And when Ronnie heard this he became even more motivated, throughout the summer and fall of the year, Ronnie's appearances at various clubs really put him on the map and all at 18! Miss Renee Harvey was quickly becoming a gay club favorite and Lucky proposed that in the winter Ronnie go on a mini tour throughout the south in bigger gay hotspots such as Houston, 2 shows in Atlanta, 4 in Miami Beach and joined along other drag queens for a special New Years Eve performance in Orlando, and when Lucky gave Ronnie a check for $3800 it was like a dream come true.......at least so he thought.
2009
Ronnie started off the year with a lil break, he got on a plane an flew home to see his mom. Delilah was surprised to see Ronnie show up at the front door and saw the new designer clothes, Ronnie really made it for himself.
"Hey baby how you been?" Delilah asked
"I been busy, mama it's so much fun bein in the road, seeing other gay folks, and all these people cheering for me it just made me feel like somebody!" Ronnie said
"Well I'm doing fine, your auntie had a stroke so I don't know how she doing, it's so much goin on Ronnie sometimes Im just so tired....but I'm glad to see you doing well, that makes me real happy," Delilah said
"You know mama imma get you up outta here, don't worry I just gotta do more shows and...."
"Baby don't worry, you just do what you need to do I'm fine, the important thing is that you focus on yourself, I'm proud of you!" Delilah said
"Thank you mama, for everything!" Said Ronnie as he hugged his mom
Then Ronnie went out thru his old hood and saw how not much has changed, and he went to his gurl Marlo's house, he needed to see an old friend,
"Heyyyyyy gurlllll!" Ronnie shouted
"Bitch come in here yasss, lookin all fly in them boots those real cute.....so how you been!"
"I Been performing in the clubs and bein a diva, gurl I swear it's
like dream come true, if it wasn't for Tyrese takin me to that gay club awhile back I wouldn't be here right now, now I feel kinda bad I mean Tyrese was a good nigga, he was just DL,"
"Yeah about Tyrese, he um isn't here anymore,"
"Oh where his fine ass at?"
"He killed himself....." Marlo said depressingly
"What, why?"
"Well he actually had a boyfriend on the side and some hatin ass niggas found out he was gay and they taunted him an the next thing ya know he jumped from the 10th floor of his apartment, so...."
And Ronnie was hurt by this, the boy who was his first crush was dead, but deep down he was glad that he ended it with Tyrese before shit hit the fan. After a lil one on one with Marlo and some of this other friends Ronnie went back to New Orleans where he was in for some surprises...