am the eldest of 4 siblings, one sister .
I grew up in Louisiana, Lafayette and New Iberia to be exact.
My childhood was not average, grew up a Jehovah's Witness. I didn't have a birthday until I was 21 yrs old,..and it was a surprise. I remember staying home the night before rather than going out. Statistics showed that 45% of black males at that time did not live to see 21, somehow I always believed (though I stayed to myself) that I would be among the statistics. In school I was popularly unpopular if there is such a term. I hung out with everyone, the dark Gothic to the jocks, and local kids from neighborhood. I got along with everyone and that's why I didn't get along with everyone. I was my own person, never belonged to any particular crowd. I got along with females great, they were so nice and endearing. Many thought me to be a homosexual...that was not the case.
The girls protected me from other girls, they would introduce me to their cousins and so forth passing me around like a Paton. I would go to rival schools football and basketball games and pretend I'd be attending that school. I'd introduce myself to small group and ask about the team captain's girlfriend, just to get the satisfaction of knowing I could. I'd walk back, phone numbers in hand...cheerleaders and innocent bystanders along the way. Looking back, I was very shallow in school and I can openly admit it. I am ashamed of it, but I am a better person today. I got the girls everyone wanted, I got the girls who made my parents wonder "what the?"....yes, I had a way with words and I learned early how to listen.
They would tell me things their ex boyfriends would do, and I'd take mental notes not to do the same! I was not the loud obnoxious type, that's not why I was like-able...I was nice and soft-spoken, well-mannered. I'd manage to squeeze in a few dinner invites during the week, and after everyone was done I'd offer to do the dishes. Yes, major suck up but it worked and parents were no challenge. Yes maa'm, no maa'm...yes sir, no sir. I was the protocol son in every household. Aside from wearing smiles all the while, at home I was miserable. No, not because I couldn't drive daddy's car to the game, because it sucked!
