1/
You: “Is Atlanta home for you?”
I finished tying the back of your gown and stepped around to face you.
Me: “Sir?”
You: “Is here your home town?”
Me: “No, sir.” *shaking head*
You: “Hmmm. But Georgia, right?”
I laughed and shook my head again. You furrowed your brow.
You: “Is Atlanta home for you?”
I finished tying the back of your gown and stepped around to face you.
Me: “Sir?”
You: “Is here your home town?”
Me: “No, sir.” *shaking head*
You: “Hmmm. But Georgia, right?”
I laughed and shook my head again. You furrowed your brow.
2/
Me: “I’m was born and raised out west. Specifically Inglewood, California.”
You smirked and squinted an eye at me. Then you sucked your teeth.
You: “Yeah right.”
Out came a gravelly chuckle then your face grew serious.
You: “California, you say?”
I nodded.
Me: “I’m was born and raised out west. Specifically Inglewood, California.”
You smirked and squinted an eye at me. Then you sucked your teeth.
You: “Yeah right.”
Out came a gravelly chuckle then your face grew serious.
You: “California, you say?”
I nodded.
3/
You studied my face as you folded your leathery fingers on your lap.
You: “California by way of where?”
Me: “Huh?”
I paused, trying to see what you were getting at. A warm expression came over your face and your eyes twinkled.
You: “By way of where in the south?”
You studied my face as you folded your leathery fingers on your lap.
You: “California by way of where?”
Me: “Huh?”
I paused, trying to see what you were getting at. A warm expression came over your face and your eyes twinkled.
You: “By way of where in the south?”
4/
You: “Wait—your peoples been here for a while? Like from the time of slavery?”
Something about that punched me in the chest. I gave a tiny nod.
You: “Okay. Then California by way of . . .?”
Me: “Alabama.”
I drew in a deep breath and held your gaze.
You: “Wait—your peoples been here for a while? Like from the time of slavery?”
Something about that punched me in the chest. I gave a tiny nod.
You: “Okay. Then California by way of . . .?”
Me: “Alabama.”
I drew in a deep breath and held your gaze.
5/
You: “When did y’all go out there?”
Me: “That’s where my daddy got his first job out of college.”
You: “Where ‘bout in Alabama?”
Me: “Birmingham.”
You nodded. Just then I noticed that your long eyelashes were a mixture of white, grey and black. Your eyebrows, too.
You: “When did y’all go out there?”
Me: “That’s where my daddy got his first job out of college.”
You: “Where ‘bout in Alabama?”
Me: “Birmingham.”
You nodded. Just then I noticed that your long eyelashes were a mixture of white, grey and black. Your eyebrows, too.
6/
You: *whistling* “Birmingham was tough back then. What his daddy do?”
Me: “Worked in a ore mine. And my Mudear, his mama, worked in the home.”
You gave a knowing nod. Your nearly nine decades had given you wisdom.
You: “I shole tried to leave. But didn’t get a chance.”
You: *whistling* “Birmingham was tough back then. What his daddy do?”
Me: “Worked in a ore mine. And my Mudear, his mama, worked in the home.”
You gave a knowing nod. Your nearly nine decades had given you wisdom.
You: “I shole tried to leave. But didn’t get a chance.”
7/
Me: *listening*
You: “But a lot of us made due, you know? I like to think we kept the light on for the next generation to come on back.”
You laughed.
Something about that made me immediately want to cry. I placed my hand on my chest, closed my eyes, and sighed.
Whew.
Me: *listening*
You: “But a lot of us made due, you know? I like to think we kept the light on for the next generation to come on back.”
You laughed.
Something about that made me immediately want to cry. I placed my hand on my chest, closed my eyes, and sighed.
Whew.
8/
Me: “I love that. So, so much.”
I reached out to touch your hand. And you squeezed my fingers. Taking in my white coat and stethoscope, you gave me a nod of approval.
And that’s when that tear slipped out and under my chin.
You: “Why you crying, sugar?”
*laughter*
Me: “I love that. So, so much.”
I reached out to touch your hand. And you squeezed my fingers. Taking in my white coat and stethoscope, you gave me a nod of approval.
And that’s when that tear slipped out and under my chin.
You: “Why you crying, sugar?”
*laughter*
9/
I gave a lopsided shrug & wiped my chin.
Me: “I’m just grateful is all. Grateful to be your doctor and grateful you kept the light on for me.”
You patted my hand & squeezed it once more.
You: “I’m grateful, too.”
We exchanged a hug before I stepped out.
And that was it.
I gave a lopsided shrug & wiped my chin.
Me: “I’m just grateful is all. Grateful to be your doctor and grateful you kept the light on for me.”
You patted my hand & squeezed it once more.
You: “I’m grateful, too.”
We exchanged a hug before I stepped out.
And that was it.
10/
I’ve thought about and read a lot about the Great Migration. But I hadn’t given much thought to those who stayed.
Stayed and kept the light on for us while we sought the warmth of other suns.
On this day, thanks to you, I did.
I love this job.
#humanismalways 💛
I’ve thought about and read a lot about the Great Migration. But I hadn’t given much thought to those who stayed.
Stayed and kept the light on for us while we sought the warmth of other suns.
On this day, thanks to you, I did.
I love this job.
#humanismalways 💛
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