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Me, Gabe?"

"Guess who’s playing trumpet on Mamie Smith’s new record?"

"Hey, brother!"

"Heard froht in the club They wantfor Miss Mamie Smith"

"What about Mamie Smith?" Alma dropped into the seat next to Gabe and helped herself to some of his potato salad

"Did I invite you?" Gabe teased

"I invited ht this table needed some class"

"Mr Gabriel Rolly Johnson here is now a recording artist for Okeh Records, blowing his horn for none other than Miss Mamie Smith"

Alma let out a little squeal of excitement and threw her arms around Gabe "You knohat this means, baby?"

"What?"

"It ie!" she shouted "I’ll take a meat-loaf sandwich, and you can put it on Gabe’s tab And add ayou?"

"Just haven’t been sleeping much"

"Oh?" Alma said and pursed her lips playfully "What’s her name?"

"Her name is Berenice, and she’s a very persistent bird," Gabe joked, breaking hi the rabbit’s foot jump

"There’s nobody," Memphis said quickly

"That’s your trouble, brother," Gabe said, wiping his eyes He doused his sandith hot salt-and-pepper pickles that et your head out of that notebook and coirl"