I'm going through a "tiff" with someone (You ever forget a word was a word until it pops in your head? Tiff. When was the last time I used that?) Anyway, I'm not one to put people on blast, but I'm really annoyed right now and I can't seem to shake it. So, let's highlight a few of the folks who haven't pissed me off. That's positive, right? It's not an all-inclusive list. It's just a few that come to mind in no particular order.
Friend #1
I know a lot of people, but I have very few friends. The smaller the organization, the easier it is to manage. This person made the team back in 2001. I was in the elephant graveyard that is my HBCU's all-male dorm when I noticed something strange: my refrigerator was gone. Remember that scene in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate when Lynn Whitfield steals the tires off Martin's car while it's parked in front of the police station? I responded just like Martin did.
What kind of crackhead steals a refrigerator? I had a Playstation. I had a computer! They stole my refrigerator!!! That's like stealing a baby's car seat. Some things you just don't do. I took that personal. I'm 5'7 on a good day, but I was 6'9 that day carrying He-Man's sword, because I walked up and down the hall cursing everybody out from the football players to the R.A.s. This was back before 9/11 when you could make idle threats. "I will burn this _____ place down if I don't get my ______ refrigerator back!"
I didn't. But out of the blue Friend #1 (who didn't go to my school and thus isn't a suspect) bought me a brand new fridge.
Friend #2
Back in high school, during the winter of our discontent when our gas was off and our house was a freezer, I had the misfortune of my backpack falling apart. I went to Banneker where we had homework in every class every night, so those books went home every night.
This was back when I ran track, and the joy of each day was waking up to God's glory at 7AM (late) and realizing that I had only six minutes to get to the bus stop. Me and the bus driver...we had this game we liked to play. He'd see me running for the bus and speed up. I'd run after the bus cursing the whole time until I caught up to it. Doing this day after day puts a strain on the straps of the backpack. They snapped off, but being poor means you know how to sew. I used to just sew them back on.
One day I was running for the bus and noticed that it was becoming easier with every stride. For a split second, I thought it was due to my olympic-level athleticism. Common sense kicked in just as I caught up to the bus, and I realized that the bottom of the bookbag ripped open. The books fell out one by one as I was running hence the gradual decrease in weight.
For the next week I walked around carrying my books in grocery store bags and even at one point I put them in a suitcase (not the rolling kind either) and carried them to school. My friend took pity and even though she was broke too, she went around and tried to take up a collection to get me a new bag. Foolish pride meant that I turned it down, but I was deeply touched by it.
What's the Point?
These two did something really nice for me, and as grand a gesture as it was at the time...They've never brought it up. It's been over 10 years and not once have they said a thing about it. They've done more things, grander things, but they never bring it up. I really hate when someone gives you a gift or does something and they bring it up every chance that they get. It annoys me, ESPECIALLY when it's something that you could do for yourself.
Anyway...vent over.
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