6 years in the making...

So I'm back from my vacation. Back from being around family, having a good time-dare I say; happy? To being back on the job hoping and praying to God not have that feeling of loosing the wind in my sail. But enough of that, on with the recap.

Tuesday the 3^rd of April I flew out. The anticipation must've proved too much to bear. My left leg swelled into a giant knot, the cramp felt up and down my leg. Kept me from standing, sitting or walking for too long. It was brought on by a combination of stress and anxiety. Stress of finances of course, knowing I have to pay a car note (which I did) and how that would leave me w/very little. Factor in the ever popular topic of inadequacies (pauper, underachiever and all-guess it all ties in). It was having the family all see me for the first time in ages and I didn't like the product I was presenting them with.

Once the 4-hour layover in Atlanta was over and I was in the air. The cramping in my leg subsided. Landed in Newburgh, N.Y. at Steward International Airport, my sister Vilma and her daughter Kayla met up with me. It was cool seeing them, Sis looks the same but shit-my niece is a teenager now! I got my luggage and we headed for the truck. My other niece, Danielle-is at the helm. She's tall, real athletic looking (then again so is Kay, just not as tall). Jokingly yet w/a grain of truth (like all humor) I reintroduce my self while en-route to the house. Once there I see the brother-in-law Stace. We give each other the universal black man greetings then I make my way to the kitchen. This would be the majority of how my time was spent; eating, might help somebody out on an errand, return back to the house for more eating. Yes, Mom and I had our time together; we aired some things out concerning my well-being mentally and spiritually.

Big Lou; he’s for the most part a reserved guy until he gets a mean game of…bingo going? It was funny to see him win the pot of 9 dollars. He, like Stace is really cool to get at and chop it up with. Brenda, my other sister, she still the mellow-dramatic. Big ass house and yet to hear her tell it, they’re stugglin’. This family is big on worriers, she’s just the biggest. My nephew & niece Louis and Ashley; all I got to say about the boy is…PRETTY LOU IN DA’HOUSE! As Chena says, no woman can ever love him the way he does. Ashley, she has a dry wit to her and I like that. I’m sure if I ever crept into her surroundings, Ms.Ashley would be the most sarcastic person there. Again, I like that.

Three days before departure I made my way down to the city. I can still navigate through the arteries known as Mass Transit during rush-hour like a vet. Except now I have an outsider’s perspective, inadvertently I was a bit awe struck at all the hustle and bustle. Grand Central isn’t for the squeamish during that time of the day but I kept it moving. As natural as breathing I transefered from the 4 to the Q (Atlantic Ave is the Grand Central of Brooklyn) and there I was, back in Sheepshead Bay. Back in the projects from which I came from and after a few snapshots. I’m not sure if I want to go back. Knupsi would later ask me what made want to go back out there. I really didn’t know-it was just a feeling after all these years (13 to be exact) I should just go. I guess it was on some coming full circle sort of thing. Had I grown any in the time away from there, blah, blah, blah…Either way it was cool to stand in front of the very place I lived for the first 19 years of my life.

I also caught up with a couple of college buddies. I hung out with the one called Rockports Wednesday night doing our ritual of downing beers and yakkin’it up about women, money and life. Plus talks for another Porchmonk Reunion, it’s long overdue. We should get it going though, don’t want to be middle aged men caught up in some silly debauchery a’la Wild Hogs. The next day across town I’d link up with one called One Drop. He still the same esoteric, eclectic beat junky I remember from the days when we made the Treehaus mixtape / demo. There’s still an interest out there for another after all these years which is kinda cool. Along with listening to music we chopped it up on the whole “Artist Perspective”; being the selfish pricks we can be when it comes to allowing others into our thought process. After giving the farewell *daps* it was back on my huff to the train station. Once again I successfully weaved through NYC mass transit to get to Grand Central. My round trip ticket for Metro-North was for “Off-Peak” hours. But how could I pass this “Peak” hour train that was a bullet out of the city, only making 3 stops? Beacon being my stop was one of them. So I owe the Metro-North folks $3.75.

Got back to the mountains and stuffed my face one last good time before my morning flight. The family collectively gave their farewells with added be wells and be happy(s). But most of all…they said not to wait another 6 years to do this. I’ll do better next time…

Yep, they’ll be a next time and sooner…