Today's The Day

This is the day I've been waiting for. I'm getting a chance to do a show on my own. Today I'll be doing our noon show. It's a half hour show. Now to people that know me if you were to ask me if I were excited or nervous I'd say, "Not yet. That's because it hasn't happened yet." Well it's happening today and all those emotions are in full effect. I'm doubting story selection before I even pick a story. I worried myself all day yesterday playing out every negative scenario in my head. I was and still am tripping. But I've got to just trust in the stuff I've been taught at Hampton and the stuff I've learned while here at the station. With that being said, if you're in the 757 check in to NewsChannel 3 at Noon. If you aren't in the area, you can catch the show over the internet on our website. If you can watch please do, if not I'll let you guys know how it turns out. Here goes nothing...

Another One Of These Joints...

I was bored and felt like robbing somebody.

1. How tall are you barefoot? 6 feet
2. Have you ever flown first-class? Nah
3. One of your favorite books when you were a child? Didn't have one favorite. I pretty much liked everything I read.
4. A good restaurant in your city? I really don't know. I've only been here a few months.
5. What is your favorite small appliance? Is a cell phone charger an appliance?
6. One person that never fails to make you laugh? My brother. That nigga is hilarious.
7. What’s your favorite Christmas song? Jingle Bells (I'm old school)
8. What was the first music that you ever bought? Method Man's first joint...Tical. ON TAPE!!!
9. Do you do push-ups? Yeah, gotta sculpt the guns.
10. What was one of your favorite games as a child? Catch A Girl, Get A Girl...dodgeball...kickball...red light, green light
11. What is the one thing that you cook that always receives compliments? Haven't cooked for enough people to get a compliment.
12. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? It changed everyday...at one point I wanted to be a DJ. Like the kind you hear on the radio.
13. Your favorite Soup of the Day? Chicken Noodle. And I swear if any one of you Negroes starts singing that song as soon as you read this...YOU'RE CUT OFF!!
14. What in your life are you most grateful for? Wow...um...everything man. Just waking up and being able to know I'm awake, ya know?
15. Have you ever met someone famous? I'm hella embarassed to tell this story but ah well. When I was in my early teens, me and my homeboy went to the mall and we met Brandy and got an autographed picture. Yes "I Wanna Be Down"..."Moesha"...I had a sham marriage just so my baby wouldn't be a bastard Brandy. I also met Sinbad at Virginia Beach. Is he still famous?
16. Date Of Birth? March 25, 1983 9:05 a.m. Save the date cause I expect phone calls and cards. I don't need no money in them, just a card.
17. Top 3 thoughts at this exact moment: I could really use something to eat right now...I need to join a gym and redefine my sexy exterior...I need a better job.
18. Three people you're thinking about right now: Me, Myself and this nigga named I.
19. Name five drinks you regularly drink: Water, Peach Orchard Punch (it's made by Tropicana and it only costs a dollar at Wal-Mart), Pepsi, Milk (I like cereal) and drink (not to be confused with juice.
20. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? My job
21. Current hair? Waves so nice you might see a ship sailing on them bitches!
22. Current worry? Getting another job before my lease runs out here in VA
23. Current hate? I don't have one. Waste's too much energy thinking about someone or thing of lesser quality than myself.
24. Favorite place to be? Jersey
25. Least favorite place to be? The dentist's office
26. Do you consider yourself well organized? When it comes to my work yes. At the crib...eh.
27. Do you believe in an afterlife? I don't know. Life has made me a bitter and distrusting man.
28. Where do you think you will be in 10 years? literally or metaphorically? I'd like to say in Bristol getting my ESPN on.
29. Do you burn or tan? Neither.
30. Who was the last blogger you hung out with? Monique
31. Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the future? Optimistic
32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink? Saturday night
33. What songs do you sing in the shower? Don't have time to...I gotta make it to work.
34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a kid? I was scared of the dark so I thought everything was going to get me.
35. What’s in your pockets right now? Front pockets: Car keys, apartment keys, quarter. Back pocket: Wave cap, free movie pass and my wallet.
36. Last thing that made you laugh? Katt Williams stand up on HBO. You gotta watch it. This average height nigga is hilarious.
37. Best bed sheets you had as a child? Chip And Dale Rescue Rangers. I DARE A NIGGA TO CLOWN!!
38. Worst injury you’ve ever had? Sprained my left knee during senior year of high school during a football game.
39. Favorite song? Little Fugue By Bach. I'm a reformed band geek.
40. How many TVs do you own? Two
41. In the last calendar year, how many people have you told that you love them? None
42. Last person that made you blush? None
43. Best compliment received? Don't remember
44. What song is in your head? None
45. What is your favorite book? The Autobiography of Malcolm X
46. Last meal you cooked for the opposite sex? Shrimp scampi with tortellini...but that was years ago.
47. What songs do you want played at your wedding? All the classic ones...Luther (Big Luther though...I don't Lil' Luther), Earth, Wind & Fire...and of course the Electric Slide!
48. What song do you want played at your funeral? Something that fits. Something that reflects who I was and not just some random gospel song.
49. What were you doing at 12 midnight last night? sleeping
50. What would you like to accomplish with the remaining years of your life? Success, happiness

VI

Seven hours is a long time to be in a car with anyone. Sure it starts out all good. The two of you are having good conversation. And if you're anything like me, the conversation revolves around a pony or Dora The Explorer. But about three hours into the ride, conversationbecomes sparse. Radio stations once full of bass, snare and bomb lyrics are now nothing but static. Then the inevitable happens...silence. It's then that the real talking begins. Excuses about past transgressions flow freely like water from a fountain. You believe them because you have no reason not to. Why would this person lie to you? You continue to listen intently until sleep becomes your lover. You cuddle up to it, wanting it to keep you warm during this marathon car ride.
"Are we there yet?"
You know the answer, but you having the one your trust tell you the answer in their loving baritone voice.
"Not yet Stinka. We've still got about two more hours."
Just enough time for a quick nap. You sleep soundly knowing nothing will happen to you because not only is sleep covering you, but your Daddy is too.

I look away from the road and look to my right. She's finally asleep. I was starting to think she'd talk me to death, but she only made herself tired. I wonder what she writes in that journal of hers. It's probably full of pony rides and Dora The Explorer. Good. She needs to be akid sometimes. Hell, so do I. I'd love to be young and carefree again. What am I saying? Being young and dumb got me into my current situation.

It was about Charlene declared she was going through with the pregnancy and that I'd better get my shit together. She never mentioned having an abortion, not that that was an option. Who am I to tell a woman what she can and can't do with her body? I say that as man in his mid-20s with a child of his own. But at that time I was a 19 year-old manchild. That type of thought didn't run through my mind at that time. So instead of flipping out on Charlene I decided to take a drive. I figured it would clear my mind. I didn't think it would put a permanent cloud over my future which is now my present.

After riding out for about 45 minutes I got hungry and decided to hit up Jack-In-The-Box. Even guys need comfort food, only instead of chocolate I craved grease. I started to turn into the driveway but it snaked around the corner. So I decided to go inside to order my sweat, greasy relief from my impending baby mama drama. I walked inside and immediately got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don't know if it was from the vomit behind the garbage can or the five guys at the counter with red flags hanging from their back pockets. The guys were trying to flirt with the girl working the fries. I wasn't mad at their hustle. I was guilty of doing the same thing from time to time. I figured I'd give them a chance to try and get a free apple pie out of her. A chance turned into 15 minutes. Now we had a problem. A stressed out and hungry Black man is not a good thing.

"Hey fellas, let me just slide in here, put in my order and be out. That cool?"

I hoped that throwing that trace of sincerity would soften the hearts of these cats.

"Fuck you college nigga! Wait yo ass in the back till I finish talkin'. BITCH!"

I was cool until he said "the B word". I don't know what it is about calling another man a bitch. It demasculates him in every sense of the word. Now present day Donovan would've had a witty quip ready in his back pocket to unleash on this cat.
But this was hot-headed 19 year-old Donovan.
The same one that carried a box cutter everywhere.
I'm talking class...the gym...church...EVERYWHERE.

The one who called me out turned and looked me in the face...kind of.
He was about six feet three inches tall and looked to weigh about 275.
I hadn't hit puberty yet and was five feet nine inches tall and weighed 182.
Hence the box cutter.

"You got something you wanna say mark? If so speak up bitch nigga. If not shut the fuck up and let grown folks finish talking."

By this time the others turned around too and sized me up. They looked at their de-facto leader and then looked back at me.

"Man Terry leave the lil' nigga alone man. He ain't worth the piss out my dick," said one guy. His mouth said one thing, but I looked in his eyes and saw something else. He knew I was getting to the breaking point.

But Terry ignored his comrade and continued.

"Nah fuck that. Bitch nigga got something to say then let him say it."

I stayed quiet and gently put my hands in my pocket and looked down at the ground. My right hand slowly caressed the cool blade with my fingers. I waited.

"I can't hear you bitch. Let me get a little closer," Terry leaned in closer letting his ear almost touch my mouth.

I stayed quiet.

"That's what I thought. Bitch ass, mark ass nigga. Go get you a degree or sumthin nigga," said Terry as turned his back and continued his feeble attempt to get something free from the fry girl.

After Terry turned his back to me, I stayed silent for about 17 seconds. Then something in me snapped. To this day I dno't know what it was that made me lose it. It could've been the stress Charlene was causing me or the hunger I had in my gut or just that I was tired of this guy fucking with me. All I remember is slowly pulling the box cutter out of my pocket with my right hand. I grabbed a handfull of Terry's afro, yanked his head back and cut him long and deep across his throat. I didn't stay long enough to watch his body drop. To watch him choke to death on his blood. But what scares me is that I WANTED to watch him die.

I bolted for the door immediately and threw the box cutter into the reeking garbage can. I jumped in my car and peeled off. Surprisingly I wasn't followed. I guess the other guys inside were in shock from what had just happened. I drove right back to campus. I didn't know where else to go.

I hid out in my dorm room for 13 straight days.
No food, phone, internet, television, water or shower.

On day 14 worked up the courage to turn on the TV.

"This thing should've blown over by now. I mean guys in gangs get killed everyday out here. It's not like he was a somebody," I told myself out loud. I turned to KNBC, and saw a familiar figure.

It was me.
Me running to my car.
Me getting in my car.
Me hauling ass out of the parking lot.
That's when I threw up.
I wondered when Jack-In-The-Box got security camers outside as I heaved.
You get sick to your stomach when you realize you're wanted for murder.

When I finished hurling, I looked at the TV again. Terry's mugshot was on the screen. Under the picture was his full name: Terrance Alexander Hill. The face paired with the name stuck out to me. My mental Rolodex flipped rapidly. When it stopped I realized what I'd done and threw up again.

I killed Charlene's brother.

Need More Time

I know I told ya'll I was gonna have that next segment posted by today. But clearly I don't. I should have it before the week is over. For some of you newcomers who are wondering what the hell I'm talking about I'm gonna give you a chance to catch up. For the few who have been down with the cause since Day 1, here's a refresher. You're gonna need it.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Cookout Conversation

Female Friend: So do you have a girlfriend?
Me: (smiling)...nah.
FF: Well why not?
Me: I dunno...I just don't. Why is it everytime I tell a woman I'm single they have this surprised look on their face. Can a nigga just be single?
FF: Do you really want to know why?
Me: Sure. I love the truth.
FF: Because you look like that type.
Me: What type?
FF: The type that always seems to have a girlfriend.
Me: (puzzled look)...HUH???!!
FF: You just look like that guy that seems to be wifed up. I mean you're cute. Funny. Smart. And those kind just seem to be always wifed up.
Me: I see. So what was the real reason in you asking me that initial question.
FF: Becasuse my LS thinks you're cute and wanted to know if you had a girl. I told her no, but I would check with you to make sure cause you never know.
Me: True.

One Week...

That's how much longer I'm gonna need to work on my saga. If you're wondering what I'm talking about...check the archives. If you know what I'm talking about...read them anyway. You might need to refresh yourself with the characters ( I know I did).