Thread by @gradydoctor

1/
You were off the floor when I’d tried to see you earlier. You were gone again when I came back after lunch.

Now it was late afternoon. I tapped on the wall next to your bed and was glad to see the mound of your feet under the covers.

You: “Heeeey. Come on in.”

So I did.

2/
The television was blaring overhead. A guest chef was doing a cooking demonstration and lauding the merits of lime zest.

You: “Lime zest?” You snorted and gave your head a tiny shake. Then you repeated yourself. “Lime zest.”

I looked at you and gave a neutral nod.

3/
Me: “How’d the procedures go today?”
You: “I lived to tell! So I guess that’s a good sign.”

We both chuckled.

Me: “You in any pain?”
You: “Right now? Nah. I’m good. How you doing?”
Me: “Me? I’m good.”

You sat up for me to examine you without me even asking.

And so I did.

4/
You kept your eyes trained on the flatscreen TV. Now the chef was on to avocados and pineapple salsa for shrimp tacos.

With lime zest, of course.

I sat on the edge of the bedside chair and watched with you. After a few moments, you turned toward me.

You: “Know what?”

5/
Me: *turning to you* “What’s that?”
You: “Of all the things money come with, the biggest luxury of ALL is time and peace.”

I let that marinate as the chef dropped shrimp into a sizzling pan.

You: *snorts* “You have time to think about lime zest.”

*laughter*

Me: “Yeah.”

6/
I started to say something about how the point of the cooking demo was that it was quick. You know, for busy people.

I think you read my mind.

You: “It ain’t how long it take. I’m saying it’s just a gift to have your life so free of troubles that you grating a damn lime.”

7/
You: “And making a pineapple salsa thang to go on it.” *sigh* “Chile, when your life got stress? You just eat what you can eat.”
Me: *listening*
You: “Shiiiid they need somebody like ME to come on that show.”

We both chuckled.

Me: “I’d be down to see that.”
You: “Shiiiid.”

8/
Me: “So what would your demo be?”
You: *laughing*
Me: “I’m for real!”
You: “Me calling somebody to say take that chicken out the freezer. Then me cussing somebody out cause they didn’t.”

*laughter*

You: “Or realizing your gas off so you can’t use the cooktop. I’m dead ass.”

9/
You: *claps hands* “I’d be like, ‘Okay so BOOM. Here’s where y’all should go to get something cheap if your son ain’t thaw the chicken or your gas off. I mean it ain’t gon’ be fancy but y’all ain’t gon’ be hungry neither.’”

*silence*

10/
You: “I hope my kids have the kind of life where they can think about lime zest after work.”
Me: *listening*
You: “Real talk? You need space in your head to be able to do that, feel me? That right there? That’s the shit I want for them. A MF lime zest life.”

*silence*

11/
After that you moved on to asking what I think of the Dallas Cowboys. And about how Barbara Walters was the GOAT.

But me? I was still thinking about lime zest lives and how, really, it’s what we all want for our kids.

And ourselves.

Yeah.

12/
When I left your room I felt a wave of emotion mounting. Part of it just from feeling overwhelmed by the socioeconomic gaps I see. But on this day, especially . . . the peace gaps that go with it, man.

Sigh.

And to be clear? You weren’t a sad person. Just an honest one.

13/
And I’m grateful that things worked out for us to have that time together. And that you trusted me with that sage wisdom.

About time.
About money.
About choices.
About peace.
About life.

I don’t think I’ll ever see lime zest the same way again.

Yeah.💛

#humanismalways