Al Green don’t got nothing on my remix.

In two days, one of my best friends in life is about to make that wonderful declaration before God, that he shall be faithful and all that good stuff to his intended.

Yes, my boy is getting married.

And I couldn’t be happier for him. Truthfully, I’m as excited to just have fun at a huge event (again). This summer has been chock full of nuptials and love. And though it is officially Fall, I’m still considering this summer as a wedding will then have both started and ended my summer.

My boy…what can I say about my boy? (Yes, this is a tribute of sorts.)

This particular cat is one of the reasons I’m doing a lot of the stuff I’m doing. You see, I believe that everything that happens in life has a direct impact on the next move that occurs. Now, is everything pre-ordained and ordered? Perhaps in some divine theory…however I believe that we have free will. So if I freely decide to make a very bad decision tomorrow (say I meet an ugly woman and decide to engage her in a little foofy foofy), then everything from that day forward occurs in some way because of that decision.

Or not.

But let’s assume that what a decision that I made 10 years ago is damn near directly responsible for the reason I’m writing this right now.

Back in the beginnings of all of our senior year in high school, everybody spends so much time stressing over where they’re going to go to college. And being as that I was in all the nerdy classes, EVERYBODY was freaking out about acceptance letters and the like.

Me? I was chillin. I wasn’t too concerned for whatever reason. Stress sucks. So I figure, why stress.

I had laid out a few schools for consideration: Howard University, the University of Michigan, Georgia Tech, Tuskegee, and the University of Alabama. I wasn’t really worried about paying for it. I figured somebody was going to pay me to go to school. I’m young, black, with a high GPA and all of the necessary honor societies, and good test scores. Fuck worrying.

Well, me and my boy, JK, were both sitting in our AP Calculus class (as you can see, I’ve known him for something like 11 years now) told me he was going to Morehouse and that I should go and we could be roommates. He even got a scholarship. He gave me a little Morehouse spiel. Granted, I knew Dr. Martin Luther Tha King went there, but I didn’t know much else.

Me??

I just said, ok.

I went home, requested some material. It came in the mail. I applied. Got accepted. Got a scholarship. End game.

Thanks for playing.

It was the best decision of my life. And I owe it to my boy.

Thanks pimpin’.

I’m really proud of him, ya know. For one, he’s actually getting married…and really wants too. I have to give it to him, he’s one of the few people I know that you can count on really making any and everything happen that he says will happen.

If he decides it, it will come.

The list is of his accomplishments is too long for me to name, besides, he hates when folks know all of his business, but this cat is that dude.

While I was out there running the streets and missing whole weeks of class (!) our Freshman year, he was studying (and on the phone with his then girlfriend). This cat?? Phi Beta Kappa? Me…I graduated AND kept my scholarship. That was my goal. Stay on scholarship.

I remember when he first met his future wife. Actually, it wasn’t much of a meeting. He saw her at Spelman one day and was caught off guard. Developed a crush if you will. Now that blows considering he had a girlfriend, but its okay to look and not touch right?

Survey says? Yes.

Who’d a thunk that about 4 years later they’d meet at a party in New York City and blaze a trail for marriage. He sure as hell didn’t think that.

But here we are, two days away, and he’s about to marry the girl that made him stop and say, “damn” so many years ago.

You know, there has only been one woman who caught me SO offguard by her fineness one day to cause me to utter the words “damn”. You know you’re hot when that’s the only thing a man can think of. Anywho…

This shit is scattered isn’ it?

So yeah, I’m proud of my boy for manning up and taking that leap. And for doing what he said he was going to do. And choosing a beautiful woman with so much going for herself. I’m not sure why I’m so happy but I love my boys, I really do. I want the best for them in any given circumstance. So it makes me happy to know that they’re happy and that life isn’t just beating the hell out of us.

And trust me, life does beat the hell out of us…some of us don’t make it. Some of us dangle along the edge trying to grasp for anything…

But on Saturday, I get to see my boy, one of my best friends in life, and somebody who knows me as well as (if not better than) members of my family. My brother is getting married. And all of our boys will be there, front and center to watch.

I kind of wonder if this will be the point where all of us start preparing for that leap. I’m not really ready to be married at this point, so the kid won’t be jumping any brooms any time soon. But I’m not afraid of this point in life anymore. It’s coming whether we all like it or not.

Marriage. Who’d a thunk it?

To my boy, JK, I’m proud of you pimpin’. Happy nuptials. And happy pre-nuptials shots of Patron because that’s what’s going to be happening. Can’t get him drunk, but that ninja is going to take one shot for the rest of us and one shot for the rest of his life.

Two shots of Patron.

Speaking of which, I took two shots of Patron last night. You know, it goes really well with a rum and coke chaser. Word life.

To his wife, take care of my boy, Lord knows he’ll need it.

I’d like to extend a toast to my boy…

…JK, congratulations…do this for love, happiness, and all that other shit.

And for strippers…we can’t not do it for strippers…

…but mostly love.

If you will, please congratulate my boy on his pending nuptials. Congratulations are in order, y’all….

…a Black man WANTS to get married!!!!

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 28th, 2006 at 1:00 pm and is filed under A Life In The Day of Panama..., Weddings and Sh*t. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.