A Hard Head Makes a Soft...

It was always a similar speech before momma left to go to work.



“I want this apartment cleaned up before I come home from work tonight. If it ain’t clean, y’all can forget about going outside this weekend. Calvin, I want you to cook tonight – just throw on some hotdogs and beans and don’t eat the whole pack. You get two hotdogs a piece. Stevie, it’s your turn to do those dishes tonight. I want my kitchen cleaned! Maurice, I want you to get in there and clean up that back room. It don’t make no sense how nasty it is. You should be ashamed of yourself.


After that, I want you to vacuum in the living room, and stay out of my living room after you finish. I don’t want y’all playing around in this apartment either. I mean no running, jumping, sliding, and especially no crashing! If I come back home tonight and find anything cracked, I’m cracking some butt. If I find anything chipped, split, or cut, I’m doing the same thing to your butt. You got me! I said, you got me!


“Yes, momma,” we all said with bowed heads as we walked her towards the door.


“Go ahead and get started on what I told you to do. When you finish y’all can go outside, but I want you back on this front when the street lights come on, you hear me?”



By this time, momma was two flights down as her voice echoed in the hallway.



We echoed back, “Okay, momma. See you tonight.”



Afterwards, we all looked at each and thought about everything momma said.



“Well, we better get started if we want to go outside,” Maurice said. “Shut up momma’s boy!” Calvin and Stevie shouted as they chased Maurice around the apartment with the sofa pillow.




Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mommas and Big Mommas. We love you. Enjoy your day. Peace~

Dear Momma

Good afternoon,

Whoa! I got a late start this morning. I had a stop or two to make before I came in to work. I had a restful sleep last night and woke up to the OJay's on the radio. You know that song, "she use to be my girl........she had a charmin' personality.....and I loved her." I can't wake up to the buzzzzzzzzz!!!!! or arnttttttttt!!!!! sound of an alarm; I must wake up to music. Mother's Day is coming up Sunday. I sent my Mother her card and I am going to take her to brunch this Saturday. I'm trying to avoid the whole Mother's Day madness thing.
My mother is a special lady just like many on this planet. She has been through the rain and the storm to where she is now. As a matter of fact, she is that wild flower that is still intact after storm. Like many innercity mothers she raised all four of us alone with very little financial assistance. All of us are not doing what we should, but we are all decent human beings. We are caring individuals who try to help when we can and we all love our mother. Life would've been much more difficult if it weren't for the support of our mother who loved us, but chastised us when we were wrong. She is a blessing to have around. My grandmother Eunice has been gone since 1999. She was a mother to me as well and I know that she is still praying for me in spirit. Thank God for our mothers! I've always felt that my first African ancestor to make it to these American shores was a woman. A strong, beautiful, loving mother. Peace~