This Christmas (Race, Class, Privigele and being Blessed)

This Christmas I slept in for most of the morning- I mean it's not as if I put up a tree or was really in the Christmas spirit. Afterall, my family is JW and I've never put up a tree or unwrapped gifts and wrote list to "Santa Clause"

- At any rate, I recognize that other people have different beliefs and Christmas is normally a very special time for most people and I'm kewl with that-

it's just sometimes Christmas brings the ugly out of our people- I.e the day before Christmas I went to the bank to cash my holiday bonus and boy were the niggahs acting like niggahs, almost hitten a brotha's car- trying to butt in line- and just being plain trifflin'... and this wasn't just my imagination- While walking in the bank I said to myself mind you.. damn are people really shouldn't act like this.. and the lady also coming in the door said I know what you mean-- this began a 20 minute conversation between about 4 of us in line.. one lady talked of how a sista was shopping out of her cart in Marshall Fields... she turned around to get something and the lady took several items out of her cart- she was like excuse but that's my stuff and the lady replied "It ain't got your name on it"-- to which she replied "you wanna know what it's time for me to go home, you can have whatever you want"-- another lady talked of how she was a nurse in a hospital and that alot of people commit suicide around the holidays because of loneliness or because they try to over extend themselves-- and the kicker was a lady who was leaving the bank and saw this young man in line who she knew and she stopped to talk to him, of course encouraging him to go to church only to say but "we will be closed this Sunday and next, make sure to come in a few weeks"... now I am an atheist or agnostic or whatever, but I've never heard of church closing on Christmas and New Years-- I mean I thought people wanted to put the Christ back in Christmas....

Anyway, after leaving the bank, I went to pick up Shorty Rock and we hung out for a minute-- before going to the grocery store to snatch up some stuff to have a lil card party at the crib... @ the grocery store people were acting a fool cutting in line, cursuing, just acting ungratefull, and it's at the line that I handed the cashier a little slip of paper to ring up so I could fee 8 people Christmas dinner, the huzzy didn't ring it up and put it next to her register.. I then looked at her and said "I want to purchase that so I can give to those who don't have".. she replied "well it's nice your fortunate enough to share" with an attitude at that.. I looked back at her and said we all can share I mean you can feed 3 people by donating a dollar.. there were enough of us in there buying liquor....

So, anyway,.....I spent most of my Christmas day as I do most family oriented holidays with Sweetness. Sweetness and I went to her freinds house for Dinner and of course I was the only black person there- although they never treat me that way-- and it wasn't actually until today that I started wondering if I'm the only black person who has ever been in their house-- and I'm not counting the hired help...I mean yesterday I was playing with some of the grandkids.. 5 are all under 1 years old.. and I could tell by the way they were looking at me they had never saw a black person before lets not even think about a black person holding them, palying with them .... rocking them to sleep, etc.

..interesting..

and the strange thing is as gross as it sounds I felt priveleged to be that black person who could hold, touch, play, rock them to sleep.. and as much as I love and get off on the fact that I'm able to do things that other "blacks, gays, men, former hoodlums" can't... there is something very different about a Christmas around blacks and non blacks and to an extent I don't even think it's about race, although I may be wrong... I think more than anything it's about class.. it's about having money and not having money and just like me thinking I may be the only or one of the few blacks welcome in their home.. I refuse to beleive that the circumstance is based on "race" only I think it's based on the fact that people with money and like minded company and although there is a black middle class.. the people I spent the holidays with are very much uppper class..

.... I mean the 4 year old granddaughter was upset because Santa Clause didn't bring her an Ipod... I'm over 25 years old and shyt I don't even have an Ipod.. the funny thing is the grandfather replied to her tantram/request by saying "your 4 years old, you don't even know how to read, why do you need an Ipod".. I thought that was the funniest shyt ever because it's the same thing I could imagine someone black saying... I started to ask the little girl if she knew how to spell Ipod.. but decided I would shut the fuck up and drink another scotch..

.... speaking of scotch.....

the craziest/ enlighted thing happened to me... when being asked what would I like to drink the options were "champagne, scotch, wine, etc.."... So, I stated I would have a scotch.. one of the host then asked me "would you like that "NEAT".... so I was like yes thank you.. in comes my drink.. scotch in a glass with NO ice, NO splash of lime, or water... I was like ok, so this is what "neat" means.

.....well damn you learn something new everyday....

so I tried to drink it what I would call "straight up" (that shyt was putting hair on a brothas chest) but had to opt for asking for some ice.. the host said I thought you said "neat" I said "yes I did, but I was trying to be a big boy.. I think I bettter garnish it, afterall I'm driving.." -- everything was kewl...and I mean shyt, at least I can always practice drinking scotch "neat" at home- so than I'm better next time I'm better prepared.........