Early this morning during one of my insomiatic early morning internet trips, i recieved an email from a young lady in Michigan asking about a picture in Cosby(you know the one in the Toni Cade Display with Toni Cade, Gewndolyn Brooks,Pearl Cleage, Jo B. Cole, Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez etc) I couldnt be of much help so I forwarded it to Moya who of course knew more than I did. THe point is- she was a young woman writing her admissions essay due Dec 1st. Bless her heart. Exactly a year ago , i was in her shoes, writing and praying that Spelman would ignore my not so perfect GPA and give me a chance...and they did. It changed my life. Another milestone. Which brings me to hthis..
Do you remember?
Do you remeber writing your admissions essay to Spelman (or Purdue, UC Santa Cruz, Agnes Scott, Salem College, Georgia Southern, VCU, Tennessee State? Do you remeber what you wrote?
Do you remember trying out for a sport in high school and not knowing whether or not you made it? Obsessing and practicing until you got every move right, every play down... Do u remember riding on the team bus from a winning game or a losing game?
Do u remember the first time you drove a car? your driving instructor and the road test?(i failed my first one) Do you remeber the first time you drove alone or pulled up to pick up a friend. Do you remeber your first solo ride on public transportation?
Do you remember your first church solo, your first time having to read something in front of the church. The view from the choir stand to the audience or the view from the pulpit? Do you remember little sunday school pamphlets for the lessons or the childrens bible you had?
Do you remember your first bra? Do you still have it? Or your first period? Do you remember your school uniform, The first time you wore heels or the first time you wore slip-on shoes without a strap? Do you remember the first day of 5th grade and the last day of 6th?
Do you remeber the first time you got your hair pressed (then wrecked that shit thinking that wet hair with some gel would somehow make your hair slicker)? Do you remember the first time you got extensions? Your first trip to the beauty shop and the day you decided to lock your hair?
Do you remember McDonalds happy meals and double dutch or 4 squars after school? Do you remember extended care, after care or your babysitter when school let out? How about standing in the freezing boston winter waiting for the goddamn bus to come because it was 3 degrees outside? Do you remember memorizing your times tables and studying Egypt? Do you remember class pets, earthquake drills, fire drills, the pledge of alliegance or what to do when(not 'if') you heard gunshots(or was that because my school was in compton?)
Do you remeber going to work with your parents and coloring while waiting for them to finish? How you split chores and your al;pwance? When you still believed in Santa clause and took pictures on his lap. when you stayed up and waited for signs that he had come?
So many things to remember. And now im finally sleepy. 2:35 am-not bad...
