Last summer, I sat at a sidewalk cafe in Italy, and three or four “black” Italians walked casually by, as well as a dozen or more blacker Africans. Each spoke to me ;rather, each modded his head slightly or acknowledged me by a glance, ever so subtly. When I was growing up, we always did this with each other, passing boats in a sea of white folk. What is the purpose of Gates including these details in his letter?

Read the excerpt from dominique’s personal narrative. tired of waiting for the bus, which was late for the fifth day in a row, i sat leafing through an old magazine i had stuffed in my purse the previous night. it was terribly warm for a september afternoon, and the sun cast fleeting shadows on the bus stop sign with each car that passed. i wondered when the weather would get cooler and when the new bus driver would start arriving on time. it was about then that i first noticed the apparent agitation of the man sitting next to me. finally, the bus arrived and ambled to a gradual stop directly in front of the restless man. the doors widened, and the bus driver greeted the man with his usual banter in his usual monotone. "good afternoon. how are you today? ” when writing the next few lines of dialogue, dominique should be certain that the lines provide clues about what will happen later on in the narrative. contain made-up details that make the story more exciting. include everyday language that seems real and natural. use precise words that make both men sound educated.