CREAM OR SUGAR?

Cream or Sugar?

As I sat gazing out of that little window, I realize something. I am living a dream that surprisingly, many people can not. I dreamed for weeks about picking up, and just going, and I did. I’m young, free, determined and (at the time of writing this first paragraph I was…..) gone! You see, I’ve got freedom (for the most part lol), and that’s a beautiful thing, even though I didn’t realize that at first. In the midst of getting a half baked education, I grew tired of trying to push forward for something I really didn’t want. SO I LEFT in the middle of class, and withdrew from the school all together! I must say I’m happier now, yet it came with a price. Never mind the “DRAMA-RAMA” I took a 7 day coffee break to relax a bit!

I departed from Chicago on the 10th of November 2008 by catching a standby flight via AirTran airways for only $79.99. The time was 10:08 am; by 12:56 pm I was in hot-lanta, which was not so hot (if I do say so myself). While in Atlanta I hung out with some old friends, played catch up, laughed a lot, and relaxed a tired body and mind. There was no car for us to drive, thus I was quite the traveling man all week long, taking planes, trains, taxis, and bus after bus! I had no cell phone, so it's safe to say I was analogue in a digital world; carrying only a sack of silver change, and a pocket notebook filled with numbers. My system was old school, but worked nicely.

On Tuesday, my long time friend Cameron and I walked to the grocery store to pick up a few items. We had too many bags to carry home on foot, so we took the bus (C-Tran). What I noticed most about the experience was the friendliness of the patrons. There was so much courtesy and respect that I didn't know how to react to it at first. I was so taken with the politeness, that upon my departure from Atlanta I found myself using courtesies like "Preciate ya". On a sidebar, I made vegetarian cuisine on Tuesday. We had scrambled tofu for brunch and vegetarian quesadillas for diner. I then had a soy ice-cream sundae with reeses peanut buttercups. Mmmmmm the good life! Thursday was a day for adventure! We went to the Georgia aquarium and hung with the fish. Yeah Boy!

Friday was yet another day for traveling, this time I ended up in Cambridge MA. I visited with a friend attending M.I.T (college). I found my time at M.I.T to be thoroughly enjoyable! The students I encountered were well versed, intellectual, studious and much more. They immediately made me feel as if I was apart of the group. I feel like I’ve made new friends, in hindsight I hope they feel the same about me lol. On Saturday, J.C and I started the day at a diner by the name of Zoë’s. I had the French toast, and I found them to be BLASÉ. Afterwards we took the subway across “some river” (haha) to Boston "the back bay area” and I saw some cool sites on the world famous NEWBURY ST. Window shopping at THE DOPEST store of all time “KARMALOOP”, perusing the THREE FLOORED apple store (largest in the country), and sipping STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIES at a mall to which will remain unnamed (because I can’t remember it anyway) were some of the highlights of the day.

The nighttime brought promise of excitement. Me and J.C were invited to a MARTINI party, and out to dinner. I don’t drink, so I sat in the back of the room conversing with “THE LADIES” over a chocolate fountain and fresh berries (wink wink). I sipped a cranberry drink, while vainly speaking on how fly I was, but hey…….. “I WAS FLY”! J.C and I were somehow left behind for dinner, so I ordered pizza from the dorm room. J.C’s friend Dorian (who I would call a friend as well) was hospitable enough to allow J.C and I to CHILL in his room. The three of us talked through the night about “black issues” while listening to music, and surfing YOUTUBE.

Sunday morning was great! J.C, Dorian, and I went to church, and I received a well needed message. On the bus ride home I spoke with the girl sitting next to me, and I introduced my self as B. “B for Brandon” I said, and she replied, “Hi I’m Jana, call me J”. lol she was “uber” cool. She invited us to her dorm at the Berkley (School of Music ) campus, for some free food. My group declined and I followed the pack, all though I believe she was trying to pick me up. I must say, I wanted to be picked up (if you know what I mean)! That night I hoped to go to a movie, instead I went to a DESERT NIGHT with live music (flamenco)! Ooooo and SHOUT OUT to Dorian who played the heck out of that cardboard box j/p, I spent the rest of the night chatin’ in ESPANOL, and chilling with D. while J.C went to work (BOOOOO!).

I want to mention that Dorian had a pin that said “I love black”. He was cool enough to take it from his collection hanging on the wall, and give it to me! In return I ran downstairs to my bag, and I gave him my favorite wrist band with red, black, and green colors. I believe we share the same love for BLACK PEOPLE, so it was a fitting trade off. Thereafter I left him to pack my bags, however, I spent at least an hour running back and fourth between rooms (LOL, SERIOUSLY) to show him my novelty TEE SHIRTS that had everything and anything to do with BLACK. I didn’t sleep that night either; I packed and left for the airport early in the morning (or was it late at night?) The funny thing is I was out there in the dark and cold, because no one told me the subway and buses didn’t start till 5:00 am! I spent a half hour in a motel lobby, eating airline peanuts I found in my bag waiting for the subway gates to open.

I arrived in Chicago at about 6:00 pm after spending a four hour layover in Atlanta (ironic?). I suppose I can resume my humdrum life, but boy did I have fun!

On second thought…………WHEN CAN I COME BACK?