Just smiling to myself and thinking things over quietly here in my room. Rosetta Thurman says I should share my thoughts, tell my story because, "We need more love stories, especially for black women who are being told we can’t find love…"
So, I am trying to think back on the events, the long conversations and occasional pauses, the defining moments that broughtme us here, to this present moment of being and deciding to be in love. Here goes.
Saturday August 27, 2005 8am - 2 days before Hurricane Katrina.
Its raining. Great. I've volunteered my friends and I to do a cleanup, the first ever DC Public School Beautification Day at Banneker High School across from Howard. Gotta get moving, round up the troops and head out. To get myself pumped, we stop at McDonald's for an egg McMuffin (no meat). This has been my energizer of sorts for years. Even helped me tackle that wonderful PSAT but I digress. We arrive and there are no supplies, no people and the principal has other things to do. No sense in wasting a good morning so I call the number I received at registration and wait for the mulch and plants to arrive. They arrive - hurray - along with fewer tools than we have people so, being what I'd like to call a leader and my friends call bossy, I help to delegate tasks. A very handsome man shows up with 2 more people and asks who is in charge. They all stop and look at me. Ah well. I say we've run out of tools and he volunteers to bring some over from his house which is apparently a block away. Good, we will get things moving after all. He returns and we begin again. His friend asks what I do and if we all go to Howard (MeMe had on her trusty HU hoodie). The three of us talk for a little while and I walk away. Little did I know I had just encountered the love of my life.
He took pictures throughout the day and said he'd email copies to the group. He asks who he should contact. Again they all point to me. I write down my email address and take his card. He says he will keep in contact. We part ways and he emails me a few days later. Thank God for Yahoo Messenger. :-) We spent a lot of time talking on the internet after that day because of his hectic work and service schedule but as we talked I found myself intrigued and looking forward to our talks on family, politics, education, the Caribbean, our community, everything under the sun.
About a month later he asks if I'd like to go have dinner with him after he finishes his lodge meeting and I finish my Management Info. Systems homework. Would I like to try the crab cakes from Duke's City that he's been raving about? Umm, yes! He shows up to the dorm in a tux carrying a little styrofoam container. Suddenly, I feel underdressed and unsure but we start walking and I soon feel comfortable again. Our food arrives and I'm ready to dig in but he reaches for my hand and we say grace first. We enjoy a great night and as we reach my building he hands me the container. Two girls rush past us and he holds the door. They look a little shocked and one glances back to tell him how nice he looks in his tux. I ask about the container and he says he thought I'd enjoy it. I go up to my room with my doggie bag and this container. I open it and see the prettiest slice of casada cake with white piping and silver beads. Tyria finishes my food and I bite into the cake. It tastes just as good as it looks. Had he remembered that the way to my heart is through my stomach? I am thoroughly impressed. We talk again that night before bed and the next night and the next. The rest, I guess, is history.
So, I am trying to think back on the events, the long conversations and occasional pauses, the defining moments that brought
Saturday August 27, 2005 8am - 2 days before Hurricane Katrina.
Its raining. Great. I've volunteered my friends and I to do a cleanup, the first ever DC Public School Beautification Day at Banneker High School across from Howard. Gotta get moving, round up the troops and head out. To get myself pumped, we stop at McDonald's for an egg McMuffin (no meat). This has been my energizer of sorts for years. Even helped me tackle that wonderful PSAT but I digress. We arrive and there are no supplies, no people and the principal has other things to do. No sense in wasting a good morning so I call the number I received at registration and wait for the mulch and plants to arrive. They arrive - hurray - along with fewer tools than we have people so, being what I'd like to call a leader and my friends call bossy, I help to delegate tasks. A very handsome man shows up with 2 more people and asks who is in charge. They all stop and look at me. Ah well. I say we've run out of tools and he volunteers to bring some over from his house which is apparently a block away. Good, we will get things moving after all. He returns and we begin again. His friend asks what I do and if we all go to Howard (MeMe had on her trusty HU hoodie). The three of us talk for a little while and I walk away. Little did I know I had just encountered the love of my life.
He took pictures throughout the day and said he'd email copies to the group. He asks who he should contact. Again they all point to me. I write down my email address and take his card. He says he will keep in contact. We part ways and he emails me a few days later. Thank God for Yahoo Messenger. :-) We spent a lot of time talking on the internet after that day because of his hectic work and service schedule but as we talked I found myself intrigued and looking forward to our talks on family, politics, education, the Caribbean, our community, everything under the sun.
About a month later he asks if I'd like to go have dinner with him after he finishes his lodge meeting and I finish my Management Info. Systems homework. Would I like to try the crab cakes from Duke's City that he's been raving about? Umm, yes! He shows up to the dorm in a tux carrying a little styrofoam container. Suddenly, I feel underdressed and unsure but we start walking and I soon feel comfortable again. Our food arrives and I'm ready to dig in but he reaches for my hand and we say grace first. We enjoy a great night and as we reach my building he hands me the container. Two girls rush past us and he holds the door. They look a little shocked and one glances back to tell him how nice he looks in his tux. I ask about the container and he says he thought I'd enjoy it. I go up to my room with my doggie bag and this container. I open it and see the prettiest slice of casada cake with white piping and silver beads. Tyria finishes my food and I bite into the cake. It tastes just as good as it looks. Had he remembered that the way to my heart is through my stomach? I am thoroughly impressed. We talk again that night before bed and the next night and the next. The rest, I guess, is history.
Nicole of Chestnut Orange fame tagged me to share so here goes...
1. My biggest pet peeves are people who drag their feet, chew with their mouths open (yuck) and add "S" where it doesn't belong. Ex. 1 Bison: a herd of Bison -- there is no such thing as "Bisons" people!
2. I wanted to have 7 kids when I was in high school, I was going through my big family phase. I think I'm over it.
3. I HATE when people ask questions back to me! Ex.
G: "Hey, Melissa did you go anywhere?"
M: "No."
G: "You didn't go anywhere!?"
Umm, I answered already. Thanks.
4. I love my family. They are hi-LARI-ous. From my nephew saying the baby smells like a skunk to my grandma asking "So...what are you doing with your hair?"
5. Traveling is one of my passions. Mlle M and I want to write a book about our collective adventures, be on the look out for that!
6. I'm pretty boring, lol. I love reading random books that catch my eye (yes, I judge by the cover sometimes). I also choose staying home watching one of my fave syndicated shows or planning my takeover of the world over going out 9 times out of 10.
7. I've wanted a pet pig and a monkey for forever. Thats why I gave up pork (and I never ate monkey so that was easy).
*And a bonus:
I had braces 2x.
I just found out yesterday, raccoons have people hands! Who knew!? But aren't they cute!
Now Tagging:
La Princesa: http://princesaashleigh.blogspot.com/
Ms. K. Elise, BAP Extraordinaire: http://misskatrinaelise.blogspot.com/
W. Elaine, of 1016: http://thebadgirlsguide.blogspot.com/
1. My biggest pet peeves are people who drag their feet, chew with their mouths open (yuck) and add "S" where it doesn't belong. Ex. 1 Bison: a herd of Bison -- there is no such thing as "Bisons" people!
2. I wanted to have 7 kids when I was in high school, I was going through my big family phase. I think I'm over it.
3. I HATE when people ask questions back to me! Ex.
G: "Hey, Melissa did you go anywhere?"
M: "No."
G: "You didn't go anywhere!?"
Umm, I answered already. Thanks.
4. I love my family. They are hi-LARI-ous. From my nephew saying the baby smells like a skunk to my grandma asking "So...what are you doing with your hair?"
5. Traveling is one of my passions. Mlle M and I want to write a book about our collective adventures, be on the look out for that!
6. I'm pretty boring, lol. I love reading random books that catch my eye (yes, I judge by the cover sometimes). I also choose staying home watching one of my fave syndicated shows or planning my takeover of the world over going out 9 times out of 10.
7. I've wanted a pet pig and a monkey for forever. Thats why I gave up pork (and I never ate monkey so that was easy).
*And a bonus:
I had braces 2x.
I just found out yesterday, raccoons have people hands! Who knew!? But aren't they cute!
Now Tagging:
La Princesa: http://princesaashleigh.blogspot.com/
Ms. K. Elise, BAP Extraordinaire: http://misskatrinaelise.blogspot.com/
W. Elaine, of 1016: http://thebadgirlsguide.blogspot.com/
Let's see if I can make this a regular feature. Men who make a difference...I love it.
"We tend to want to start our history with slavery and not understanding that we were free before slavery and that makes a big difference in people's mentality…We had our own identities, we had our own cultures. You didn't come from nothing, you came from something great." Dr. Williams
I love positive men.
Man of the day: Adam Morgan, great-grandson of Garrett Morgan and co-founder of The International Men of Excellence, Inc. a nonprofit working with young men in East Cleveland, OH. Hear his radio interview here: Images Radio Program – Black Studies Dept of CSU
A few things came to mind after listening to this…
Eva McCorvey wouldn't give up her seat on a bus either. She was 15 and pregnant so she didn't become famous. Not to undermine those who did make it into the public eye but just to highlight the fact that we all can contribute. You may never become famous or rich because of it, it may not be your season but your strength and dedication is needed for our collective success.
Best quote of the whole show: After talking about how he went through so many things, (being molested, having a 14 year old mom, running amuck after high school), Mr. Morgan talks about how God allowed him to go through things to better understand the people he'd meet later in life.
"I can't walk in your shoes but I can buy the brand that you have on."
His email is: Iamwhoiam8@hotmail.com. He even gave out his home number but I'm not going to post that.
Hit him up on myspace. Tell him you heard about him from me. ☺ www.myspace.com/IamWhoIam8
"We tend to want to start our history with slavery and not understanding that we were free before slavery and that makes a big difference in people's mentality…We had our own identities, we had our own cultures. You didn't come from nothing, you came from something great." Dr. Williams
I love positive men.
Man of the day: Adam Morgan, great-grandson of Garrett Morgan and co-founder of The International Men of Excellence, Inc. a nonprofit working with young men in East Cleveland, OH. Hear his radio interview here: Images Radio Program – Black Studies Dept of CSU
A few things came to mind after listening to this…
Eva McCorvey wouldn't give up her seat on a bus either. She was 15 and pregnant so she didn't become famous. Not to undermine those who did make it into the public eye but just to highlight the fact that we all can contribute. You may never become famous or rich because of it, it may not be your season but your strength and dedication is needed for our collective success.
Best quote of the whole show: After talking about how he went through so many things, (being molested, having a 14 year old mom, running amuck after high school), Mr. Morgan talks about how God allowed him to go through things to better understand the people he'd meet later in life.
"I can't walk in your shoes but I can buy the brand that you have on."
His email is: Iamwhoiam8@hotmail.com. He even gave out his home number but I'm not going to post that.
Hit him up on myspace. Tell him you heard about him from me. ☺ www.myspace.com/IamWhoIam8
