23 October
Back when the economy started tanking under George W. Bush's administration and gas prices skyrocketed I was the one putting gas in both my wife's and my own cars. It wasn't safe out there. So, one night I'm at the cheap(est) gas station, and notice this dude watching me from the dark just beyond the gas station's illumination.
He's with some other young guys—in my experience these are the dude's with something to prove, and not in any good way. I'm at the pump closest with my wife's Yaris, and get the feeling he's about to make his move.
I'm 6'8 and from a distance you might not be able to tell. I start going off, to myself, about nothing. Just anger and cussing with sudden, violent movements like I'm going to start something. Allowing myself a glance from the corner of my eye reveals the dude retreating.
So, he *had* started coming up on me. If it had been during the day, and he was alone, I might have let him just to amuse myself. But with limited visibility maybe keeping me from seeing weapons at a distance, and multiple targets, I was like NAH, my family don't need that.
So they get close and see I'm huge and buckwild, then step off with a quickness. The cheap gas station was cash only (hence folks prowling when the economy goes bust), so I'm inside waiting on the cashier to finish ringing folks up. A minivan pulls up outside.
The driver, a dad-bod brother maybe 5 years older than me steps out. A whole pack of dudes led by the fellow who scoped me descend on the dad, and in just seconds they've stomped him into wine while snatching his loot. I start to rush forward to intervene, but I hesitate for a split second.
Do I want to knock these other customers out of my way to throw open the door and do violence? Have violence done to me? Have the dad attack me because he doesn't know I'm not with the pack jumping him? Like I said, it was over in seconds.
So, objectively by the time I was out there they would've been disengaging. Nothing I could do, really, but the guilt is real years later. Not just because stopping the dad's beat-down couldn't be achieved, but it happened (in part) because my ghetto defense was too strong.
Be safe out there, folks. Things are too hot in the streets normally, but now? SMDH. People are out here killing each other for crumbs. I've been around A LOT of violence. Do not recommend. And more than being safe, let's get involved in strengthening our communities.
I remember the vocalist from punk band Babyland talking about how if everyone had their personal politics straight we wouldn't have large-scale political problems. Looking at the national picture, it can seem insurmountable, but just do what you can do.
As a lot of you know, I'm involved with Broadkill Resort in Delaware and Raw Dog Screaming Press & AllAccessCon in Maryland. 25% of proceeds from Writing Genre While Black ticket sales go to Food Bank of Delaware and Fuel Fund of Maryland, selected for their strong track records.
Popular narratives tell us dealing with crime is about putting our bodies on the line when it's too late and crime is already happening. Data indicates communities have less crime to begin with when we strengthen them. Help us do that while celebrating Black creators.
Tickets are still available athttps://hopin.com/events/writing-genre-while-black-2021—including a limited number of free tickets because we know things are tight right now, and want to help get folks past the gate and share the experience.
ALLACCESSCON
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