Relations,
I am happy to be here tonight, happy really true, and thank you for being here with me.
There was a time some ago, I say, back into the late 1960's and early 1970's, as a boy, until age 11, I roamed these streets of West Tampa. I felt no fright then. It is today that I accept what I did as a child so young, so broken - like a broken arrow. I survived putting myself in those irresponsible, and those very many dangerous situations I put myself into. I was Blessed. I know this and reckon there was a Platoon of Angels at my every side. My Saviour, was with me then twenty four hours a day, and remains with me to this day. The Great Spirit, walked with me to that restaurant for work and was hired at Churches Fried Chicken. My Great One, guided me to that spot right there on Kennedy Drive. Back then, my main transportation was my awesomely handsome and pimped up larger-than-life Schwinn. Baby powder blue. Fresh. What?
So many memories. Life memories. Those and them memories inappropriate for a nine, ten or 11 year old boy. Child. Yes. Things a boy ought not have lived in body, mind and heart every damned day of life. So, I roamed and I roamed about at will and well into the wee hours of the night. Me, a kid, a child. My Boy. With a body still maturing. My body not yet fully formed. I thought and would think, and made decisions that would justify me roaming. So I would roam freely on the streets of my blocks and other communities. From Cypress, down to Bay Shore Blvd. True. Then Down Town to roam an entirely different scene.
My God! You, my Senior, it was you who rode with me in those childhood days living in West Tampa. Back then West Tampa, my community represented a Diverse Community "before", diversity community talk even began. To become the talk of a later day. A later time. Seen. Very usually, I would adventure solo. Late into the night like a wolf. My Light Blue Schwinn was my Pony, for sure. Then, there were times I would roam by the power of my feet. I walked like "Forest Gump" would run. I walked and I walked.
I participated and played in neighborhood sport games like Base Ball, Kick Ball, and Foot Ball with the Kids on the block and with them from beyond. From else where. These boys and girls would travel to us. Really. Yes,. I was a fairly good athlete and one with good sportsmanship. And please, let me share this, I was also a mean ass marble player. No doubt and by far, Face, my kid sister, you remember our dear friends direct from Cuba, who lived across the street from us were smart good shooters in-the-round. I remember our dude, Papo, who from a fucking distance, smashed a sweet patch of my marbles. Damn. What a memory. Right Good sometimes, but inconsistent. Those Twin Boys were free marbles for us and Prince Albert In-The-Can, was too easy. Remember?
Fuck yeah, I know you do. We carried on for a spell and just played so damned many opponents. But, Girls, we were good! Yep, I had marbles by the milk gallon. Baby Sis. Theresa, knew her big brother would hook her up if she needed a few. I suspect, maybe a couple of my kid siblings hit my marble stash. I always figured it was David or Danny. I smile because them two are my baby brothers. In their little hands seven marbles were a lot. Ya-Hey! My little bro's! Hey-Ya!
Shoot, there were a couple of "Sister's from other Mister's", who lived down the street from we, us, them damned Sierra Kids. Huh? America. Alright then. We were freaking sharp ass shooter's. Sharp as a tack and brilliant sharks too. I remember once, them two Sista's got hold of some metal balloon-keys (Large marbles) that created drama. very much consultation, and a lot of chaos on the marble round. Shit! My baby sister Face, had good danged shots. There was a Girl from across the street named Kitty Kat. You know what, these gruels started to get their skills on, Janet...
...now, dammit, you know that I know, you know I know, I sure hated losing my damned marbles to you all. My Friend Girls. Dammit.
That was so much racket. West Tampa!
Oh please, let me share there was one another Game we enjoyed playing very much. It was called, "Faha" (The Belt!) and we participated with the kid's from another block or few. Our Crew, us from The Block. The one who ever was appointed the one to hide it, would hide this Faha. Then once an opposing team mate found the belt, we were to yell "Faha!", and scream, yell, and run about, and commencing to beating the shit out of one and another OR until we were all safe at home base. There were a couple, few times - right there near Cypress, that I would get my ass whipped by adolescent girls and Angel, I won't mention no names, right. But Faith, (not really her name, but close.) and Lala, (Not really Her name, but close), would whack me bad, sometimes so bad, I would cuss and curse the mess out of them. Now that I think about it, it was Faith and Lala, them two who lived right down the street from us, and a couple doors down from them bleeding twin boys.
I know today, I was, am and have been Blessed for decades to have all of you, my fellow youth's from the block, "Old School Style" - West Tampa in my real life - from back then.Playing Basket Ball with the wrestlers. One name I remember is Dusty Rhodes, Yes. You remember, my Dad's Dad, hanging at the Casino in Ybor City, running numbers. Life, wasn't it? Like your people's, we too are multi generation Tampanian's. This being my Dad's blood, with My Abuela's, and Abuelo's, Tia's and Tio's, why sure. Our people's always had each others back. Just like I knew damned good and well you two had mine and my sisters back. May God Bless your hearts.
God Bless America! What happened to time? Time. Time. Breath Dude. Breath. Scream.
I don't know, eh, but here I am, forty or so years later on. I am blessed to have two beautiful, world traveling daughters. An extraordinary wife, who I love with every breath I breathe. Four Bebe's sisters and their children, my gorgeous Nephews and Nieces. Oh God, I love you all. You are World Class teachers and I am thankful you are in my life. All and each and every one, I am blessed and there for I am blessed. Thank you God,
I still love and see "Faith and Lala", every once and again. Yep. I even still have a couple dozen of my marbles. Love. One Love and peace. I love my Kin and tonight, I am happy to be alive.
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