1/
#WhatsYourWhy
You: “It’s a no for me, dog.”
That’s what you said when I asked your thoughts on getting a #COVIDVaccine. We both laughed—but the way you paused, then returned to your industrious task of clearing crumbs from the table made me know you weren’t joking.
Nope.
#WhatsYourWhy
You: “It’s a no for me, dog.”
That’s what you said when I asked your thoughts on getting a #COVIDVaccine. We both laughed—but the way you paused, then returned to your industrious task of clearing crumbs from the table made me know you weren’t joking.
Nope.
2/
I lifted my laptop on cue as your hand swept under it quickly and collected the crusty bread remnants into your other cupped hand.
Me: “You sound serious. Are you?”
You: *shrug* “Serious enough.”
I nodded slowly and tightened the drawstring on my hoodie.
I lifted my laptop on cue as your hand swept under it quickly and collected the crusty bread remnants into your other cupped hand.
Me: “You sound serious. Are you?”
You: *shrug* “Serious enough.”
I nodded slowly and tightened the drawstring on my hoodie.
3/
It was a cold day for outdoor dining—especially of the solo nerdy type. But seeing newly arranged and spaced tables thrust along the sides of some my favorite ATL eateries made me happy and willing to brave the chill for a slice of normalcy.
I was glad to see you.
It was a cold day for outdoor dining—especially of the solo nerdy type. But seeing newly arranged and spaced tables thrust along the sides of some my favorite ATL eateries made me happy and willing to brave the chill for a slice of normalcy.
I was glad to see you.
3/
You: “It’s mad cold out here.”
Me: “Y’all the ones who set up the tables out here!”
*laughter*
You: “Truth.”
Me: “Plus you’ve got this heater lamp thingie. So I’m good.”
You: *pouring water* “If you like it, I love it, sis. It’s good to see you back here.”
*silence*
You: “It’s mad cold out here.”
Me: “Y’all the ones who set up the tables out here!”
*laughter*
You: “Truth.”
Me: “Plus you’ve got this heater lamp thingie. So I’m good.”
You: *pouring water* “If you like it, I love it, sis. It’s good to see you back here.”
*silence*
4/
Me: “So. . . I mean since you don’t have ten other customers at the moment. . . can I ask you why it’s a no for you?”
You: “What? You talking ‘bout that vaccine still?”
Me: *leaning chin into my hand* “Yeah.”
You paused for a moment and placed the pitcher on the table.
Me: “So. . . I mean since you don’t have ten other customers at the moment. . . can I ask you why it’s a no for you?”
You: “What? You talking ‘bout that vaccine still?”
Me: *leaning chin into my hand* “Yeah.”
You paused for a moment and placed the pitcher on the table.
5/
You: “It seem like everybody trying too hard. And it’s too much, man.”
Me: *squinting* “Say what now?”
You folded your arms and sifted your mind for the right words.
You: “Like. . . if I’m honest? I feel like I’m in the middle of a tug-o-war.”
I kept listening.
You: “It seem like everybody trying too hard. And it’s too much, man.”
Me: *squinting* “Say what now?”
You folded your arms and sifted your mind for the right words.
You: “Like. . . if I’m honest? I feel like I’m in the middle of a tug-o-war.”
I kept listening.
6/
You: “Like, one side is trying hard as hell to get Black folks to get this vaccine, right? But then—if you Black—you also got the other side going just as hard to get you NOT to take it.”
I narrowed my eyes and leaned back in the rickety metal chair.
Hmmm.
You: “Like, one side is trying hard as hell to get Black folks to get this vaccine, right? But then—if you Black—you also got the other side going just as hard to get you NOT to take it.”
I narrowed my eyes and leaned back in the rickety metal chair.
Hmmm.
7/
You: “And what’s crazy is that both sides feel hella strong about they position. So I’m just like, damn! Can everybody just chill out so I can think?”
I realized that I’d mostly been insulated from the “other side” of that pendulum.
Even though I’m Black, too.
Me: “Wow.”
You: “And what’s crazy is that both sides feel hella strong about they position. So I’m just like, damn! Can everybody just chill out so I can think?”
I realized that I’d mostly been insulated from the “other side” of that pendulum.
Even though I’m Black, too.
Me: “Wow.”
8/
You: “Wow what?”
Me: “Like . . . wow, I hadn’t thought of it that way. I think as a doctor I didn’t realize just how much comes from both sides.”
You: *shaking head* “Yeah, man. If I get one more video telling me about how bad this vaccine is, I’mma lose it.”
Me: *listening*
You: “Wow what?”
Me: “Like . . . wow, I hadn’t thought of it that way. I think as a doctor I didn’t realize just how much comes from both sides.”
You: *shaking head* “Yeah, man. If I get one more video telling me about how bad this vaccine is, I’mma lose it.”
Me: *listening*
9/
You: “Then I got this doctor lady sitting in my section outside in the cold coming at me, too.”
*laughter*
Me: “But real talk—I didn’t come at you. I just asked.”
You: *smirking under mask* “Yeah right. That ‘ask’ was the set up.”
Ooph.
You: “Then I got this doctor lady sitting in my section outside in the cold coming at me, too.”
*laughter*
Me: “But real talk—I didn’t come at you. I just asked.”
You: *smirking under mask* “Yeah right. That ‘ask’ was the set up.”
Ooph.
10/
Me: “Fair.”
You looked around to see if there was more you needed to do. It was mid-afternoon so pretty quiet.
Me: “But like. . . . there’s urgency, you know? To move people to feeling like they want to get vaccinated.”
You: “But IS there? For people like me?”
Huh?
Me: “Fair.”
You looked around to see if there was more you needed to do. It was mid-afternoon so pretty quiet.
Me: “But like. . . . there’s urgency, you know? To move people to feeling like they want to get vaccinated.”
You: “But IS there? For people like me?”
Huh?
11/
You: “Y’all go through all this trouble to get folks to say yes but ain’t got no vaccine when they ready.”
Me: *listening*
You: “It’s like walking somebody to the end of the high dive and expecting ‘em to wait on the edge until you done filling the pool with water.”
Damn.
You: “Y’all go through all this trouble to get folks to say yes but ain’t got no vaccine when they ready.”
Me: *listening*
You: “It’s like walking somebody to the end of the high dive and expecting ‘em to wait on the edge until you done filling the pool with water.”
Damn.
12/
Me: “That’s real talk.”
You: “Damn right.”
*silence*
Me: “Okay. So can I ask you 2 questions?”
You: *raising eyebrows*
Me: “So first—what’s the way to approach this then? Like, from the want-you-to-get-vaccinated side?”
You: *pointing back and forth* “Kind of like this.”
Me: “That’s real talk.”
You: “Damn right.”
*silence*
Me: “Okay. So can I ask you 2 questions?”
You: *raising eyebrows*
Me: “So first—what’s the way to approach this then? Like, from the want-you-to-get-vaccinated side?”
You: *pointing back and forth* “Kind of like this.”
13/
You: “Talking without no pressure. And realizing that you ain’t the only one in my ear that believe what they saying is in my best interest.”
Me: *nodding* “Wow. That’s a word.” *pause* “So, my other question—like, how do I counter the other stuff you hearing?”
You paused.
You: “Talking without no pressure. And realizing that you ain’t the only one in my ear that believe what they saying is in my best interest.”
Me: *nodding* “Wow. That’s a word.” *pause* “So, my other question—like, how do I counter the other stuff you hearing?”
You paused.
14/
You: “By not acting like it’s beneath you to talk about other views.”
Me: *listening*
You: “On EITHER side, folk need to listen and not act like they words is the gospel, man. Like. . . let me listen and think. That heavy hand approach don’t ain’t it, man.”
On either side.
You: “By not acting like it’s beneath you to talk about other views.”
Me: *listening*
You: “On EITHER side, folk need to listen and not act like they words is the gospel, man. Like. . . let me listen and think. That heavy hand approach don’t ain’t it, man.”
On either side.
15/
You: “And for a lot of folks, you can ease up and just chat since we DO got time.”
Me: “To fill the pool with water.”
You: “Exactly.”
*silence*
Me: “I just thought of something. We also got to have the pool right by you when you do feel ready.”
You laughed. I did not.
You: “And for a lot of folks, you can ease up and just chat since we DO got time.”
Me: “To fill the pool with water.”
You: “Exactly.”
*silence*
Me: “I just thought of something. We also got to have the pool right by you when you do feel ready.”
You laughed. I did not.
16/
You: “As opposed to over the river and through 5 websites? And across town?”
Even though you were chuckling when you said that, it was clear that we were on the same page.
Yup.
Me: “Well. When I see you, always feel like we can chat about it, okay?”
You: “Bet.”
You: “As opposed to over the river and through 5 websites? And across town?”
Even though you were chuckling when you said that, it was clear that we were on the same page.
Yup.
Me: “Well. When I see you, always feel like we can chat about it, okay?”
You: “Bet.”
17/
I closed my laptop and squared up my check. As you handed me the receipt to sign, I thanked you for your candor.
Me: “You gave me a lot to think about.”
You: “Did you add it in my tip?”
*laughter*
You: “Alright then, doc.”
Me: “Alright then, fam.”
And that was it.
I closed my laptop and squared up my check. As you handed me the receipt to sign, I thanked you for your candor.
Me: “You gave me a lot to think about.”
You: “Did you add it in my tip?”
*laughter*
You: “Alright then, doc.”
Me: “Alright then, fam.”
And that was it.
18/
Too much noise drowning out the signal—on both sides.
Too much pressure to jump when the pool is still empty.
These were your concerns.
Yours.
You know? I never thought of myself as a “public health” person. But really? We all are.
Yup.👊🏽
#BlackWhysMatter
Too much noise drowning out the signal—on both sides.
Too much pressure to jump when the pool is still empty.
These were your concerns.
Yours.
You know? I never thought of myself as a “public health” person. But really? We all are.
Yup.👊🏽
#BlackWhysMatter
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