Yeah I Wrote This!

Just the other day, I came across a fellow graduate whom I hadn’t seen in quite a while walking down town.  As it is my usual custom, I welcomed him with a bright, back tooth showing smile and my usual uncanny excitement. After the standard greetings and good wishes were exchanged, I asked him if he was excited about our upcoming reunion, whether he had visited our web page, contributed a bio or had he attended any of the recent reunion meetings?  

Then, with an odd pause, he said chokingly, “Man, Cecil I ain’t coming to the reunion.”  He explained further, “I haven’t accomplished anything yet, and I don’t want people to think less of me.  You know how they does go?”

I was baffled to say the least to hear his sentiments. I could not believe that there are people who still have issues concerning events that had happened during our high school stint.  Nonetheless, briefly, I entertained his point.  But quickly retorted, “But who the hell cares what they think!  Our reunion is a celebration.  It may in fact be our last celebration together.  It’s a celebration of life, a recollection and appreciation of our past and the possible rekindling of old friendships.  If there is no other reason to come to the reunion, the sole reason should be: just to say that you were there!  I am sure Mario and Demetrie, God rest their souls, would have been right there dancing elephant man’s blaze, or the ‘pon de river.  Truly, if you don’t come it would be an affront to their memory.”

Fortunately, at the end of my drawn out tirade, which included vivid demonstrations of dances and odd faces, he exclaimed, “Ok I’s coming then, I never looked at it that way!”  And I responded happily, “Yeah man, see you at the reunion, e’ry one gon be there.  I’s learning all the new dances too, cause me and my sweetie planning to mash up the dance floor!”