Fast Talk on a Slow Track

Author: Rita Williams-Garcia Setting: contemporary United States Protagonist's culture/ethnicity: African American

Fast Talk on a Slow Track tells the story of Denzel Watson, who for 18 years has been an academic success story. Accepted at Princeton University and elected valedictorian of his graduating class, Denzel's future seems assured -- until he attends the Princeton summer program for minority students. When Denzel experiences his first taste of failure he discovers that his “fast talk” does not make him invincible, and he begins to lose confidence in his ability. Convinced that he will not survive at Princeton, Denzel decides not to attend college in the fall and struggles with how to break the news to his proud family. For the first time in his life, Denzel is unsure of who he is and where he is going.

Suffocating beneath the burden of his parents' expectations and his community's desire to make him a role model, Denzel takes a job as a door-to-door salesperson. He becomes obsessed with beating out fellow salesman Mello, a poor high school dropout with none of Denzel's advantages of a supportive family and a good education. As Denzel's rivalry with Mello intensifies, he moves further away from regaining the courage he needs to confront his fear of failure and return to Princeton.

Denzel's final show-down with Mello sets him back on the path of self-discovery where he finally begins to understand how his rejection of his cultural identity and his attempts to talk his way through life are responsible for his fear of failure. Through the support of his family and the African-American community he discovers at Princeton, Denzel is able to regain his confidence and begins to work toward his goals.

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