Monday, July 17, 2006
Welcome to Miami
I arrived in Miami Thursday afternoon half excited to be there and half sleepy from not getting much rest the night before or on the plane. However, when I finally saw Nisha's face I lit up...we lit up as we embraced each other. Though we are in constant contact with one another, we hadn't seen each other since 2002 when she was living in New Orleans and I traveled down there to attend the Essence Music Festival. I missed my friend, but when I finally had a good look at her I could tell she was going through hell. I already knew the deal before I got down there. She's an English high school teacher and being that teachers don't get paid over the summer, she is basically hustling (the legit way) trying to make ends meet. She was struggling a bit financially and she was upset that she didn't have the funds (like she wanted) to really have a good time with me.
Initially, our plans for my arrival was simply as follows; take care of business with the publishing company on the day of my arrival and the following day. That Saturday we would hop on a ship for a one day cruise to the Bahamas. We would attend church on Sunday and whatever was left of the day to do whatever. Then of course, I would return home on Monday...today. Well, the days leading up to my departure for Miami, I told Nisha not to worry about not having enough money for my visit. I knew that we could still have a good time and I'm sure that this won't be my last visit to the Miami area.
Thursda, after my arrival, we had a brief meeting about the publishing company. However, in the days that followed I just wanted to make sure that she was okay in what she was going through. She seemed a little depressed and I somehow took on the job of saying and doing crazy off the wall stuff and even encouraging her, listening to her and just being there to make sure she was okay. Friday after she attended a teaching seminar, we ventured to the grocery store and came back to her place to cook dinner. She showed me a neat trick she does when she bakes chicken. I'm dying to try it here at home. We had company over to join us for dinner and everything was good. The laughter, the food and the conversation lasted into the night.
Saturday, I told Nisha that we were going to act like tourists and cruise the hot spots of Miami. She's only been in Miami for about a year and she had yet to venture into any of the downtown or Miami beach areas...until I got there. So Saturday we spent the day driving through the tourists side of Miami. We passed by Star Island where, Shaquille O'Neal and some other famous people live. We rode through some other spots in Miami, but I can't remember what they were. We eventually ended up in South (Miami) Beach. On the way to South Beach I noticed the coast mixed with the skyline was beautiful. To think this part of the world is subject to hurricanes.
A late lunch along the South Beach strip and a walk on the sand was just what we needed. I had the itch to get a second tattoo, but Nisha couldn't make up her mind if she wanted one or not. Well, she wants one, but just doesn't know what to get. We watched the bevy of eye candy walk up and down the strip and on the beach. I noticed how a couple of guys made serious eye contact with me. One was so serious his friend had to pull him out the way of some oncoming pedistrian traffic. All I could do was laugh.
Nisha and I were invited to attend part of Alonzo Mourning's Summer Groove charity festivities that took place during the weekend, but what took place after our day in South Beach was far more important than attending a party. Nisha, wanted me to meet some of her students...her babies.. whom she has a special relationship with. What's interesting is, just has she watches out for them, they look after Nisha as if she were more than their teacher. Truly she is. After observing her interact with them she is their mother and the older the sister they never had.
She drove to Pompano, which is outside of Miami. She took me through the hood or the ghetto and showed me where she works. As I took in the neighborhood, I couldn't help but to think about Boyz In The Hood or any other thing that said "South Central LA," even though I was still in South Florida. The houses were these concrete ramblers (one level houses). Some with yardspace, some with not so much of a yard space. Kids played in the street freely. Music that carried a thick, heavy bass line or some type of salsa mix filled the air. Haitians, Latinos and just plain ole' Black folks filtered about. I saw the candy painted cars that are boasted through out todays "Hip Hop" songs, with one being this ugly fushia colored Volkswagen bug.
When I met Nisha's students I could see why she was attached to them and vice versa. They had her personality. It was not hard to see that these were bright young adults. They could be sincere with that right edge of bluntness and turn around with a joke in one breath. We must have spent the whole night talking to her students. However, there was one student in particular that concerned the both of us. Out of respect I won't go into his issue, but the night ended with Nisha and I on the verge of crying for this young man - a 19 year old, with a bright future, but because of a fucked up "system" with shady police officers he is now "caught up."
Nisha wanted this young man to meet with her pastor and good friend. The student seems a bit reluctant to agree to this, which is understandable. However, in the end he simply said,
"I need to talk to somebody."Nisha assured him that he can talk to this pastor the same way he talks to her.
By the time night had settled, we were still talking to her students, especially with this young man in particular. Nisha and I unspokenly knew, this was far more needed than attending some Alonzo Mourning party or even attempting to get our tattoos (which we had agreed we would do after meeting up with her students). By the time we did head back towards Miami, our mood was solomn. What do you do when you want to help someone, but sometimes the situation seems a bit bigger than your own manpower?
Sunday, Nisha and I did make it to church and I have to say I felt a little bit at home. The church reminded me so much of my own...even though I hardly go to my own anymore. It was a baptist church in the Ft. Lauderdale area, with that deep souhern feel, especially as the deacons lead worship singing old spirituals. Nisha mentioned to the pastor about the young man and originally the idea was to have them meet sometime during the week. However, the pastor will be out of town for the whole week and suggested that if Nisha could find the student, that she should bring him to the church that instant.
With me riding "shotgun" in her truck, Nisha set out to try to find her student in need. She made all the necessary contacts with her other students and told them to call her if they spotted him. After driving around for a while, we went to get something to eat. Then, I suggested that we stay close to the area as possible in case someone calls and says they spotted him. In that effort, Nisha, showed me around Ft. Lauderdale, whichI had no idea was so close to Miami. What I found interesting was that the appearance of the beach area (Atlantic Dive) reminded me of VA Beach, but Ft. Lauderdale's beach seemed a lot calmer than South Beach.
Unfortunately, in the end, Nisha never caught up to her student and I spent the rest of Sunday resting and repacking. I was actually going to try to spend some time with Mr. Sigma, another friend of mine in Miami that I have seen in a long time, but he was feeling uner the weather. He did send me a text message saying he felt bad that we didn't get to have lunch or dinner while of I was there, but just as I told Nisha, it won't be my last time in Miami.
Nisha and I did end our time together by having a nighcap of drinks and dessert at a Chilli's near her home. It was hard to believe the weekend was ending and the next night I would be home in my own bed. When she dropped me off at the airport this morning I could tell she was about to cry. To save face I said something stupid and she started to laugh. We hugged and before she could start crying I said something else that was dumb and walked away. I know she will get me back for that.
I had seen both worlds to the Miami area. I seen the tourist side and I saw the real side.. even to the point where one street Nisha was driving on, everything gradually turned Spanish. Can you say Little Cuba? I even saw a few chickens running around freely in the street, the Haitian influence. I saw the beautiful bluis green ocean water and I saw some of the damage that last year's Hurricane Wilma caused. I noticed how most of everything was hurricane proof, even to the point of extra support for the palm trees. I saw the fasion designer, Versace's, house now turned museum on the South Beach strip - the same house he was shot in front of.
While I can honestly say I would not relocate to Miami (sorry can't fully get down with any place prone to hurricanes), I can still say I wouldn't mind using that place as an escape every now and then. I know I will back.
Posted by KomplexPhemale ::
10:29 PM ::
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
---------------oOo---------------