The real you comes to the surface...

For the record this incident happened about 3 weeks ago. I wasn't sure if I should even take the time to address this in my heart due to the total lack of tact people use when saying their true feelings. But as the old saying goes..."When a man shows you who he is, believe him."

My manager who is alleged Jewish decided that he would put some of heritage to work that his people have shown as comedians to good use. However, he did more than tell a joke. He exposed his soul briefly and let his true nature of a bigot and an insecure man show.

Yes, it's true. I play basketball. And before all the injuries, I was considered a player going somewhere with my game. However, today I only play for fun and the love of the game. And even though this was an "corporate event", I truly wanted to win. Well, long story short, of course I'm the only brother (black man) on the team and the other team had 4 former college players (3 Black and one Asian), and they were on the short side, but these cats could ball. Well, after being down 15 early, I decided to be a little more selfish and take some control. Well, with 2 minutes left I got the game within in 5. I blocked a shot which led to a lay up. They came back and scored, I got the ball came off a screen and knocked down a short jump shot. But just as they were about to inbound the ball I saw my chance. With only a few seconds on the clock I tipped the inbound pass, chased the ball to the corner, turned and elevated as I heard the crowd yell "4, 3, 2,...

I let the ball fly from my finger tips. The perfect follow through. My fingers spread, my wrist popped, and my form was perfect, only to see my shot fall short and hit the side of the rim. Game over.

Well, its whatever. I shook the other team's hand like a gentleman, we exchanged jokes and headed back to the bench. Everyone else stayed on the court except me and the manager. And what was said next rather puzzled me. "Dang. We would have one if we had more black guys on the team. "

I just got up and walked away. Because to me....Everything made perfect sense at that moment. For every time I heard " I have plenty of black friends" or "I grew up around black people" made me realize they were trying to make themselves comfortable about me being black and intelligent. It wasn't the fact I'm almost 6'6 and have broad shoulders. It bothered them cause I don't have gold teeth, don't smell like weed, don't have a 20" plus rims. And it upset them because I use correct English and I stood up for myself. It made them uncomfortable that I'm strong in mind, body, and spirit. And that I could not and would not conform to their way of thinking, living, or business. I am what God made me...A black man.

But in the end, it's nice to know where people's hear lay. Don't look for me to be here at T-Mobile too much longer. I'm looking to get more out of life. Peace.

Mixed feelings...

It's 3 in the morning and the end of a very memorable birthday. New York City has got to be the most beautiful, exciting, wonderful, dirtest, nasitest, rudest place on God's green Earth. This place is just jumping for no good reason. The only reason I'm inside right now cause it got too cold for me. Sivonne and Tishma both think I'm tripping about that but I'm a Florida/Cali kid. What did you expect.? But none the less, I've seen some of the best looking women that look black and just African and Cuban for reasons beyond my understanding. I'm having so much fun. Who knew? This place is crazy. All your dreams can come true at 40/40 or you can get beat up by some homo-thugs for laughing and pointing. Long story. Anyway, with all of the excitement of turning 26, I realized...it's been over a month since spoke with Kenisha and she didn't even call me on my birthday. (That hurt.) Yeah...off to Harlem in the morning. Deuce.

My first trip to the Wrotten Apple (part 1)

Fortunately, everything you hear about New York City is not true. But those first hours in the big city were a hell of an adventure. So much that I had to break this trip up into several parts. Ok, first of all you have no clue that a city can be so large until you actually get there. I promise that JFK airport has to be larger than the state of Rhode Island. Knowing what I know now, I should have flown into Newark, NJ. Anyway, Cheaptickets really stuck it to a brother with the so called shuttle pass. After a hour ride from Queens to Manhattan, the driver who had to be Bin Laden's cousin (just joking) dropped me off in front of the Port Authority (bus station) in Lower Manhattan. The only good thing about it was I saw a lot of things I wanted to see and I had an idea of where to come back. The worst part was that I was the only person on the shuttle that was born in America and spoke fluent English. Why lie? I was a little nervous about that. Anyway, my friends are across the river in the Meadow Lands waiting for me. We all thought the shuttle went that far. Wrong. So hear I am on in somewhere New Jersey walking. The people were friendly, they helped me and feed me till Vonne' came and got me with her big booty. Anyway, the day got started and I saw ALL of Manhattan. You really need a day for each borough. It was crazy. The lights the people, the food. The hookers with no under wear and my loud self pointing it out to everyone one on the street. Dallas BBQ in The Village was on point. I enjoyed watching all the people walk by and the atomsphere that New York has to offer. This is the first time in my life I felt physically small. This is definetly a city for me. Well, I can figure that for sure in the next couple of days but I definetly had a good night tonight. Pray for me that I don't fall in love with this city. Peace. :-)