Odie Hawkins

The Black Matador, "Sugar" Odie Hawkins

The Matador Negro ?Azucar? (Black Matador, ?Sugar?), is the story of a young African-American man, born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, who is obsessed by the idea of becoming a matador. Chester Simmons is opposed by his parents. ?Bullfighting!? Get serious about yourself, Chester!? Dondisha Phillips, the kindergarten teacher who loves him, ?Chester, you could get hurt messin? around with those bulls?. Chester trips to Mexico City. He spends time in the projects called Tlaltelolco before he does an ?espontaneo?/jumps into the bullring during a fight in the Plaza Mexico. He does four suicidal passes and is taken under the wing of an unscrupulous promoter, -- re-named Matador, Juan Negro, ?Azucar?. Señor Flores holds him as an indentured servant/bullfighter until Maya de las Reyes, the great Mexican artist, bails him out. He returns to Chicago to work under his father in Gelman?s Electronic Affairs. He uses his knowledge of the bullfight to create a bullfighting video game (funded by Mr. Gelman) that makes him a wealthy twenty some year old. Whenever he is asked about his year as a Matador, he answers, ?I lit my fire, I greased my skillet and I cooked.?