I just unearthed this piece I started back in 2010 entitled "Days Gone By". It is a fictional short story I started about a single father starting over in unfamilar territory. My vision for the story is to give an emotional, yet positive, account of a black male encountering day to day struggles, triumphs, setbacks, and ultimate victories that you rarely find in literature or media. Too often black males are depicted in the darkest of light, either from a legal, relationship, sexual, or societal standpoint. I was inspired to at least start this story by having in-depth conversations with my like-minded brethren who are in the business of uplifting, and not destroying. This written depiction is in its beginning stages, so hopefully I will get the necessary inspiration to continue and close this so-called chapter. Feedback is much appreciated Wisdom Seekers...HAPPY READING!
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"DAYS GONE BY" (an excerpt)
Written by: Wisdom
Sitting at my desk, I’m alone with thoughts. Pondering how did I get to this point in my sometimes still young life of forty-five years. Too bad my physical doesn’t always agree with that youthful outlook though, because there are moments when I’m in “The Wizard Of Oz”, Tin Man mode. Mentally my mind wanders from one task to another, from one idea to another notion, never at rest or ease. That constant wandering of the mind can be sometimes daunting, always exhausting. I’ve been this way for as long as a brother can recall, so it’s a fact of life for me. Maybe I can use that excess energy exerted from a mental capacity and utilize it in another form or fashion. Being a thinker AND creative at the same time can be a gift and a curse. A gift because the two areas can become one; a curse because one can overwhelm the other. Either way, it’s apparent that a change in my mundane, stagnant life is needed.
Once I leave my workplace for the evening, Jones Media Conglomerate, I have a few errands to run before heading home. Moving to a bustling metropolis like Charlotte from Baltimore has been a transition of sorts, but a good one. Charlotte is like the second incarnation of Atlanta, as far as the Dirty South goes, at least from a cultural standpoint. Same southern values and charm, minus the bustling music scene. Charlotte covers more ground from a logistical view than good ol’ Charm City, with a population slightly larger than the City That Reads (and the city I miss). After taking the marketing position at JMC eight months ago, I’ve been making my rounds, scouting out the “Queen City”. I’ve made a few friends here, and have plenty of acquaintances I know by face. For the most part, people in Charlotte are friendly, a difference with the sometimes rough around the edges nature of Baltimoreans. I can assimilate in any situation, or so I think. Jones Media Conglomerate is definitely offering me a chance to spread my wings, but with me pondering and thinking, I know there is more out there for me, but what is it?
I miss my daughter. I miss her much. Even though she’s away at college at Hampton University in Virginia, I miss her. This being her junior year, I should be used to the notion. I’m not. Not at all. We have what you would call a very cool father-daughter relationship. She calls me when she’s excited about her Chemistry exam grade. She calls me if she is devastated by a failed relationship. As a good father should do, I listen to her, not ALWAYS giving advice. I actually listen to her so she can vent, and I think that is why she feels comfortable discussing things with me. I love that part of our relationship. She’s my baby, even though she is close to twenty one years old now. It doesn’t bother me as much about the failed marriage with my ex-wife. I’ve come to realize that there is a season and reason for everything. Before, I played the blame game and pointed fingers at her shortcomings, usually ignoring my own flaws and faults. Being more mature has mellowed a brother, I guess. At least my daughter has been able to pretend to deal with the marital breakdown and attempt to move forward. My ex-wife and myself at least made a point to make sure our shared. I miss my daughter. I asked her to visit me during the Christmas holiday, but it appears that she is going to call Hampton Roads home for the holiday respite. In addition to her full eighteen credit course load, she works part time for a local newspaper publication in Norfolk, about a twenty-five minute or so drive from Hampton. I guess I’m starting to see some similarities with my daughter and myself in that aspect. It puts a smile on my face. Yet, I still miss my daughter.
With Christmas fast approaching, I have a deadline for a marketing proposal I have to present. I’ve been working on an important, time-consuming, all-encompassing marketing plan for a North Carolina-based entertainment firm. When they approached JCM to structure a grassroots scheme to give them even more exposure in the Tar Heel State and beyond, of course I was the one who would have to tackle this animal. I think I’m up for the challenge though. Sounds cocky, but I’m from the Kanye West school of thinking: if no one else thinks you’re dope, you better think you’re dope! I’ve been working on a marketing plan three-fold in nature with print, radio, and online. Sounds exciting, right? It’s tedious work actually, because I’m dealing with a multitude of variables and characters when structuring a marketing plan to bolster a client’s image. I figure this is where that creativity I was speaking about earlier comes into play. Not only do I have to bring forth a vision for Blue Entertainment, the company I’m commissioned to help, but I have to juggle multiple responsibilities within Jones Media. Tedious indeed. I’m not complaining, but I’m contemplating whether or not working for JCM is my ultimate calling. This is where prayer AND humor comes into play. God has the best sense of humor, because I know he is laughing at me right about now, knowing that about a year ago I asked Him for divine intervention when I decided to take this driven, high-powered position with JCM. Now I’m in a mental space where I’m looking at my life from a different perspective, and this conundrum I’m weighing.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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