Sunday, December 30, 2007

I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am with the past 28 hours of my life, but I will certainly attempt to do just that, starting with yesterday

3pm: My brother, his wife, and my nephew show up at my place. I had just seen them less than a month ago at Thanksgiving dinner, but it was STILL good seeing everyone. I got a chance to introduce my ladyfriend to my brother, his wife, and of course my nephew, Nazir. Young Nas wasn't really all that friendly with my ladyfriend, but every now and then he would flash a smile or some playfulness. The one time I tried to pick up Nazir and show his some love, he cried like someone had given him a shot. Of course when his mother or father would pick him up, then he'd smile at me from afar. One day he'll warm up to me.

5pm: My mother arrives at my apartment with my son who she picked in Hampton on her way up from North Carolina. My son was sporting an mini afro that reminded of the blowout fro era of 1993, but he still is a light-skinned spitting image of me. My mother was stressed because of the drive, but clearly she was elated at the prospect of her two sons and her two grandsons being together for the very first time. We took pictures, and we laughed and joked a bit, and then we were off to the Miami Heat/Washington Wizards game..

6pm: ..but before we went to the basketball game, we absolutely had to stop off at the barber shop, because there was no way in hell Carlton was rolling with me looking uneven and all that. We looked for three different barbershops, until we found one, and I quickly explained to the barber that the Wizards/Heat started at 7pm, and I needed him to hurry up, but to still give my son a fresh haircut. He did it in 15 minutes and I tipped him handsomely

7pm: My son and I arrived at the basketball game, sitting just 8 seats from the floor. Shaquille O'Neal did not play due to injury, but Dwyane Waaaaaaaaaade was in the house, and my son went crazy every time he touched the basketball. Unfortunately, Wade didn't play most of the second half due to injury, but Carlton and I still had a ball at the game.

10pm: We took the 45 minute trip up to Baltimore, to watch the last bit of the Patriots quest to go undefeated at my dad's house. We all sat there, dead tired, and watched the Pats defeat the Giants to go undefeated, and I told my son that he was looking at sports history, and one day he should tell his kid(s) that he saw this. Of course it went over his head..

Sunday, Dec 30th
7:30am: Carlton wakes up my father and I, in a quest to find water. I wanted to be angry at the little man for being so spry, so early, but considering how little I actually get to see him, I hooked up him up with a tasty beverage. Shortly thereafter, my father whipped up a breakfast of champions that consisted of a bowl of oatmeal with honey and raisins. 20 minutes later, my son went back to sleep, and I was fighting to stay awake.

**By the way, the whole time my son was here he had this damn Rubix cube in his hand, and he was determined to solve that mystery. He even had a cheat sheet in his pocket, but that didn't seem to help him out. I admired his determination, but I was getting pissed that he still hadn't solved it. That Rubix cube has been stumping folks for 30 years plus**

12pm: My brother, sister-in-law and nephew arrive at my dad's house. At one point, I saw my son and nephew "talking" to one another. Carlton was lying on the floor and Nazir was standing up, and they were talking back and forth. I took a million pictures this weekend, and missed that one. Shame on me.

1pm: We all take pictures for the first time. You should have seen the proud Grandpa look my father had..I can't think of more rewarding feeling as my father's son, than to see him play with Carlton and Nazir, and watch him beaming with pride and joy. Yet another photograph I didn't really capture.

1:05pm: My son and I basically ignore everyone else in the room and start watching football

2:30: My brother's hungry ass interrupts my son and I watching television(clearly he hadn't had the breakfast of champions), and says he wants some seafood, so we all go out to eat. (I'll spare you all the details)

5:30: Carlton and I say our goodbyes to the rest of the family, and head to the airport. My son would be taking that 45 minute flight back to Hampton, VA by himself, and I wanted to get to the airport early. When I told him that he would be flying solo earlier in the weekend, his face lit up, and he was absolutely excited. So while we were checking in, his little face was just beaming and smiling, and I was nervous in a parental way, but I got over it

6:15pm: Carlton and I sat down at the bar(yes, a bar) in the Silver Diner in the airport, and we watched his favorite team(the Washington Redskins) clinch a playoff berth. As is the case at every bar in the country, some dudes at the bar were spewing out incorrect info about football, and my son corrected them in every instance, and I was laughing on the inside. We weren't even supposed to be at the bar, but there were no empty seats anywhere else, and I persuaded the bartender to let him there anyway. And here my son was, basically telling all of these grown ass people that they were dead wrong with their facts. I'm sure it was illegal for him to be at the bar, but oh well. My son and I watch football the same..minimal talking until commerical time, and then we talk for 60 seconds, then back to football.

7:45pm: My son and I take that long walk to the gate..we hug, we kiss, I bombard him with emergency numbers and contingency plans in case his stepfather isn't in Hampton to pick him up at the airport, and I watch the flight attendant escort him down the ramp to the plane.

7:47pm: I go to empty gate in the airport and cry like a baby for about 15 minutes. I didn't even feel it coming, I just thought of my son and lost it. I don't care how many times I've dropped my son off after a visit, it is NEVER natural for a son and father to separate. I deal with it every time, but its hard man, but it was a good, necessary cry.

I'm leaving out things I know, but I cant cover everything. The point is, in the past 29 hours or so, I have hugged, kissed, photographed, and spent time with the people who I love and care about most, and I cannot think of a more fitting way for me to end my year. Everyone should be so lucky...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Helluva way to end the year ... you blessed, dawg.

Yo what happened to peace?

PEACE!
PEACE!
PEACE!

£ said...

Thats an action packed 28hrs.

1.I see your nephew is still keeping you at arms length...lol too cute. also, you gotta step up your photo-op game man! can't let those moments pass.
2.lol@ you getting your son a quick cut before the game. And nice seats!
3.I watched the game - i wanted the giants to win so bad, but no. Its funny, my friend said the same thing to me about history being made as well.
4. im glad the picture taking went off without a hitch. good stuff.
5. I got teary eyed about you getting teary eyed. Your son is fortunate to have you as a dad. :)
6.I said i wasn't going to write anymore books in your blog comments and here i go. I think i have my first new years resolution!

TM said...

Glad you had a good weekend. Happy New Year to you too.

Janelle said...

What a beautiful weekend!!!
At such a young age, your nephew is setting you up to show more of your Larry David-isms. hahahahahahahahaaa

The story of your breakdown at the airport reminds me of my airport trips with both of my parents every summer as a kid. My mom would cry on the way to the airport and my dad would shed a tear right after he checked me in to return to NY. Trust me the love you have for your son isn't lost on him. He may not quite understand it now but later on he will.

Happy New Year, Bro!

Miss Black River said...

Oooh I shoulda been at that game with y'all! Just can't be in two states at one time. Thanks for the commercial. I just love Dwayne!!