Friday Night Chillin

As I sit here on a Friday night sipping on a glass of brandy on the rocks reading through these blogs I have posted; I understand why some people accuse me of being very angry. The truth of the matter is that I may get upset because of things that happen in the world around me but I think life is beautiful. It’s beautiful for some of the most simple reasons. That’s why I comprised this list.

It's Beautiful Baby

Like the first time you looked at a girl and she makes you smile.
Like dancing with my mama in the kitchen on St. Claude St.
Like big strong black men that don’t take no mess.
Like a woman that holds you down.
Like passing a school at lunchtime and seeing little children playing.
Like my grandmother’s sugar cookies.
Like We Are One by the Hot 8 Brass Band.
Like meet me in front of The Joy Theatre for one of those Canal St. bus ride dates.
Like an old black woman with a Crown Royal bag for a purse.
Like sitting on a porch somewhere downtown for hours talking about nothing serious.
Like hearing a small child say daddy for the first time and realizing it’s you.
Like going to the Auditorium to watch the Junkyard Dog fight Kamala.
Like that ’83 Chevy Malibu that only broke down in front of the door after it got you home.
Like my grandpa telling me the same crazy story over hundred times during my lifetime.
Like standing in the middle of a thunderstorm at the crabbing pond.
Like beautiful black women from New Orleans.
Like beautiful black women from New Orleans with two solid gold teeth and bowlegs.
Like reciting that Dr. King speech in the 5th grade without having to stop and look at the paper.
Like sitting on the lake at midnight with a cigar and a house special daiquiri.
Like an old church hymn sang for 20 minutes.
Like doing anything with my daddy.
Like hearing the Big Chief’s tambourine player at 6AM on Mardi Gras day.
Like kisses in your ear.
Like going to a club and hearing a real band play real music.
Like the golden time of day when the sun is going down.
Like 10lbs of crawfish, and a side of turkey necks…not too spicy.
Like Afro puffs.
Like a sister with dredlocks.
Like Capri pants and low rise jeans that show tattoos on the lower back.
Like little girls in Easter dresses.
Like little boys in their Easter suits.
Like Cornel West and Maya Angelou.
Like “Swing down sweet chariot stop and let me ride!”
Like Erykah Badu and Jill Scott.
Like Richard Pryor and Donny Hathaway.
Like his daughter Lalah and Stevie Wonder
Like Rakim and LL.Cool J.
Like Mc. Lyte and Salt & Pepa
Like Big Luther and Aretha.
Like James Brown and Mary J.
Like Ella Fitzgerald and Gwendolyn Brooks.
Like I’ve Known Rivers and Ego Tripping.
Like House Party and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
Like getting up every morning and realizing you have another day to add to whatever is on your list.

If none of this moves you then blame it on the brandy.