An enchanting intro to a collection of unforgettable
characters--Elizabeth, "Queen of the Projects"; the girl "Billie" who
sings like Lady Day; young Randolph who, to his family's embarrassment,
grows a second head for a while; Dean Dale Jackson, talented writer,
sculptor, auto mechanic, and dedicated to the underbelly of a bottle;
the Vernon family upwardly mobile but required by a will to grow cotton
in their suburban backyard; and Marlene and James, who find happiness in
an unexpected way, in marriage.