1/
The other day at Grady
You: “Heeeey!”
Me: “Heeeey!”
You raised your eyebrows in a mischievous expression. You started laughing before you could even get it all out.
You: “So these folks got you out here being the #COVIDVaccine cheerleader now, huh?”
You laughed again.
The other day at Grady
You: “Heeeey!”
Me: “Heeeey!”
You raised your eyebrows in a mischievous expression. You started laughing before you could even get it all out.
You: “So these folks got you out here being the #COVIDVaccine cheerleader now, huh?”
You laughed again.
2/
Me: “That low key sounded like shade.”
You: *shaking head* “Nah doc. You know I got love for you.”
Me: “Mmm hmmm.”
We both forced out a chuckle. From our prior conversations, I knew you weren’t a fan of the vaccine and only got it because you had no choice.
*silence*
Me: “That low key sounded like shade.”
You: *shaking head* “Nah doc. You know I got love for you.”
Me: “Mmm hmmm.”
We both forced out a chuckle. From our prior conversations, I knew you weren’t a fan of the vaccine and only got it because you had no choice.
*silence*
3/
Me: “So. . . You doing alright?”
You: “Yeah. My ear didn’t fall off and I’m not magnetic. So far so good.”
Me: *sigh*
That ask was general. I wasn’t in the mood to banter with you about all that you thought about the vaccines. Not right now.
Even me—“the cheerleader.”
Me: “So. . . You doing alright?”
You: “Yeah. My ear didn’t fall off and I’m not magnetic. So far so good.”
Me: *sigh*
That ask was general. I wasn’t in the mood to banter with you about all that you thought about the vaccines. Not right now.
Even me—“the cheerleader.”
4/
Plus you’d gotten vaccinated already. And I was tired.
Me: “Okay, fam. Good to see you.”
You: *ignoring that* “So what’s your take on your boy?”
Me: “Huh?”
You: “Your boooy. The General.”
Seriously?
Now I knew who you were talking about. But I was tired.
For real.
Plus you’d gotten vaccinated already. And I was tired.
Me: “Okay, fam. Good to see you.”
You: *ignoring that* “So what’s your take on your boy?”
Me: “Huh?”
You: “Your boooy. The General.”
Seriously?
Now I knew who you were talking about. But I was tired.
For real.
5/
I decided to stay vague.
Me: “It’s sad.”
You: “Yeah, especially since the brother got that magical vaccine.”
Magical vaccine.
The way you said that was laced with sarcasm. And, honestly, I was tired. Like, for real tired on this day.
Let me explain.
I decided to stay vague.
Me: “It’s sad.”
You: “Yeah, especially since the brother got that magical vaccine.”
Magical vaccine.
The way you said that was laced with sarcasm. And, honestly, I was tired. Like, for real tired on this day.
Let me explain.
6/
I’d just gotten off of the phone with one of my son’s teachers. And the feedback wasn’t the kind that puts moms in the happiest places. So I was fretting. Fretting because, when it comes to my kids, I do that sometimes.
Yeah.
And so. I wasn’t in the mood for sarcasm.
Nope.
I’d just gotten off of the phone with one of my son’s teachers. And the feedback wasn’t the kind that puts moms in the happiest places. So I was fretting. Fretting because, when it comes to my kids, I do that sometimes.
Yeah.
And so. I wasn’t in the mood for sarcasm.
Nope.
7/
Me: *shrug* “He was vaccinated. You’re right.”
There. I responded with out biting.
You: *chuckle* “So I guess it’s not so magical after all.”
My phone buzzed with a text and I saw my son’s name flash on the Home Screen. Two more notifications came right behind it.
Sigh.
Me: *shrug* “He was vaccinated. You’re right.”
There. I responded with out biting.
You: *chuckle* “So I guess it’s not so magical after all.”
My phone buzzed with a text and I saw my son’s name flash on the Home Screen. Two more notifications came right behind it.
Sigh.
8/
I looked up from my phone and back at you. My phone vibrated two more times and I put it in my pocket.
Just then you seemed to notice that I looked distracted,
You: “I’m sorry, doc. You okay?”
Me: *nodding* “Yeah. I’m good. Just tired today.”
*silence*
I looked up from my phone and back at you. My phone vibrated two more times and I put it in my pocket.
Just then you seemed to notice that I looked distracted,
You: “I’m sorry, doc. You okay?”
Me: *nodding* “Yeah. I’m good. Just tired today.”
*silence*
9/
I’d been seeing you around Grady for more than a decade. We were friendly. And I knew that you meant no harm. I felt a wave of shame wash over me as I saw your brow knit above your mask.
Me: “It’s cool.”
You: “Nah. My bad for that. I know you feel real strong about this.”
I’d been seeing you around Grady for more than a decade. We were friendly. And I knew that you meant no harm. I felt a wave of shame wash over me as I saw your brow knit above your mask.
Me: “It’s cool.”
You: “Nah. My bad for that. I know you feel real strong about this.”
10/
I suddenly felt this intense urge to cry. Like, I could feel myself on the tippy-tip edge of full on weeping. I was too scared to even open my mouth because I was just that close.
I took a drag of air and waited a beat.
You: “Doc?”
I suddenly felt this intense urge to cry. Like, I could feel myself on the tippy-tip edge of full on weeping. I was too scared to even open my mouth because I was just that close.
I took a drag of air and waited a beat.
You: “Doc?”
11/
I finally spoke.
Me: “Did you know he was a granddad?”
You: “Who?”
Me: “General Powell. He was somebody’s granddad.”
Something about that seemed to scour away every trace of your condescension. I needed you to connect this to a real person.
Not just an idea.
I finally spoke.
Me: “Did you know he was a granddad?”
You: “Who?”
Me: “General Powell. He was somebody’s granddad.”
Something about that seemed to scour away every trace of your condescension. I needed you to connect this to a real person.
Not just an idea.
12/
Me: “He had 3 kids. And 2 grandkids.”
Just then I wondered if a teacher ever had to call him about his kids. Or if, in the middle of him being a whole entire Black man 5 star General, he had to fret about what he was going to do or say as a parent between work stuff.
Hmm.
Me: “He had 3 kids. And 2 grandkids.”
Just then I wondered if a teacher ever had to call him about his kids. Or if, in the middle of him being a whole entire Black man 5 star General, he had to fret about what he was going to do or say as a parent between work stuff.
Hmm.
13/
You stayed silent. I was glad.
Me: “He made 84. You know? That’s what the Grady elders call the years you get after 3 score and ten years. They say you ‘make’ those years.”
You: *listening*
Me: “That granddad made 84! And he made history. And died of . . . COVID? COVID?”
You stayed silent. I was glad.
Me: “He made 84. You know? That’s what the Grady elders call the years you get after 3 score and ten years. They say you ‘make’ those years.”
You: *listening*
Me: “That granddad made 84! And he made history. And died of . . . COVID? COVID?”
14/
Me: “Listen. If you line up the last 100 people to die from COVID since January, 99 of them wasn’t vaccinated. And the one that WAS vaccinated was counting on the rest of us to protect them.”
My phone shook again. And you just stared at me. Not speaking.
Which was fine.
Me: “Listen. If you line up the last 100 people to die from COVID since January, 99 of them wasn’t vaccinated. And the one that WAS vaccinated was counting on the rest of us to protect them.”
My phone shook again. And you just stared at me. Not speaking.
Which was fine.
15/
Because I was tired.
Me: “Let me get going, fam.”
You: *pause* “I. . . .I hear what you saying. I mean, I wasn’t big on Colin Powell, but I hear you.”
Me: *shrug* “This has nothing to do with what either of us thought of him.”
My voice grew firm.
Because I was tired.
Me: “Let me get going, fam.”
You: *pause* “I. . . .I hear what you saying. I mean, I wasn’t big on Colin Powell, but I hear you.”
Me: *shrug* “This has nothing to do with what either of us thought of him.”
My voice grew firm.
16/
Me: “He was somebody’s granddad, man. Somebody’s granddad.”
I emphasized it that second time. And you got the point.
We awkwardly said good bye and that was it.
Yup.
I fished my phone out of my pocket and saw the screen filled with texts from my son.
Sigh.
Me: “He was somebody’s granddad, man. Somebody’s granddad.”
I emphasized it that second time. And you got the point.
We awkwardly said good bye and that was it.
Yup.
I fished my phone out of my pocket and saw the screen filled with texts from my son.
Sigh.
17/
So, before folks worry, things are fine and will be with my son. But I’m thinking about the power of family and all that COVID has done to interrupt every day moments .. . like fretting over a teenaged son who has 2 late assignments.
I now count it all joy.
So, before folks worry, things are fine and will be with my son. But I’m thinking about the power of family and all that COVID has done to interrupt every day moments .. . like fretting over a teenaged son who has 2 late assignments.
I now count it all joy.
18/
Yeah. Even the optimists get tired.
But.
84 year-old granddads deserve to be protected, man. And so does everyone else. Whether they’re famous or not.
Yup.
So if it means preventing an unnecessary death? Call me what you want.
Rah rah. Sis boom bah.
#BlackWhysMatter
Yeah. Even the optimists get tired.
But.
84 year-old granddads deserve to be protected, man. And so does everyone else. Whether they’re famous or not.
Yup.
So if it means preventing an unnecessary death? Call me what you want.
Rah rah. Sis boom bah.
#BlackWhysMatter
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