After the last bite of pie was
swallowed, after the leftovers were doled out, after the family had a
wonderful time together eating a magnificent dinner of tender turkey
and scrumptious sides, after hugs were exchanged and many kisses
given, after pictures and “selfies” were digitized, after
everyone else left to go beach themselves in the privacy of their own
homes to freely boogit, after all that food and love three of us sat
at Gramma Rose’s house, two of us just about to leave.
My Unk Koon, Gramma and I had a silent
moment of ahhhhhh!!! Just being happy and satiated and secretly
relieved there was no family dispute whatsoever and I think we all
heaved a deep, grateful sigh of relief. Then we burped.
That moment of silence triggered
something in Rose’s head. She turned to me and asked, “Are you
related to (name withheld on my dad’s side)” and I said yes, but
I thought he was dead? Rose handed me a newspaper cut-out from The
Big City and it read, “Career Criminal Strikes Again” or
something very like that. I looked at my Gram and she had a
inquisitive expression on her face. I laughed and read on.
Turns out this perp (ay!) is in fact
my relation but one unknown to me until then. He is the son of my
uncle who has passed on and who’s a very colorful character and
that’s all I can say. LOL!
I looked straight at my Gramma and
said, “Yanno, we were just about to get out of here with no fights
at all and you bring this sh*t up? But Nooooo!!!! We Shotley’s just
have to go there!” I dissolved in laughter and my Unk Koon snorted
and Gramma had to laugh too. I felt better though, it was all too
good to be true so hey! I shall cherish this for the rest of my life:
did I ever tell you about my cousin the career criminal??? And how no
one at that occasion stomped out the door vowing to never darken it
again? Okay it was Gramma’s house but you get it.
Whew! Good times, good times!
For something to do I bought
Thursday’s local newspapers just for the ads so I could peruse the
“Black Friday” bargains. I admit here there were a few items I
would like to buy at that price BUT at what price to my soul? No
amount of money saved could move me to join the materially-obsessed
culture that infests this nation. Yes I enjoy modern technological
benefits but I also don’t believe that having the newest, latest
objects will make me better than yooz or anyone else.
My main purpose and concern is an
ongoing one; the slaughter of People of Color worldwide and how to
stop it. So yeah, I have a lot on my mind and hurt in my heart. By no
means am I daunted because of my small voice in a cacophony of hate
and cultural oppression, rather I am inspired by the challenge and if
I die for my spiritual cause? The more power to me because I lived
what I believe and therefore? I matter.
There is no soft or easy way to segue
into my next topic and I really don’t think there should be. I
could holler every day at the injustice of our non-white children
being murdered every week by white police officers and that is
horrendous. The worst is that no matter how much media sound bites
are dished it has become an “oh well” another dead kid, musta
deserved it, cops know what they’re doing.
Ahem! Yes, the cops do know what
they’re doing and they have never been called out for their crimes
and it is disgustingly apparent they never will. Have gun and badge?
Shoot a minority, it’s all good. You will get off and if you’re
lucky like former Officer Darren Wilson you will become a
millionaire!
I said to my son, at 5 years-old,
entering Kindergarten: “My love, some people are going to be mean
to you because your skin is brown.” His face was a study of
confusion and he understood the hurt on my face and wondered why I
was crying. I was talking to the most wonderful, beautiful,
compassionate and uninhibited person I knew. I don’t know who was
hurt most by this; yes I know it was too soon and difficult for my
son to comprehend but at the time I thought it may save him some
grief. I killed his innocence to prevent other people doing it to
him. How many white people if ever have had to do that?
None. None at all ever in this nation.
Do I cry? Yes but that’s not all I’m
gonna do for my son and my grandchild. This Gramma’s a badass yo!
