CONNECTION

I know this man who I met about 4 years ago when I first started working as an electrician.He worked at the supply house we went to almost every day and we would make small talk.We soon found out we had an affinity to the blues and guitars and just saw eye to eye on a number of things.Turns out he moonlights at the HEB I shop at to make ends meet.So,even after I left the job where he was I still got to see him and visit almost every time I went shopping.He is one of the coolest older black dudes I've ever met.He is warm and genuine,and there is an ease to our chats at the grocery that always bring a smile to my face.No matter what kind of shitty day I've had,if I get to shoot the shit with him at the HEB I always feel better.
I saw him tonight,and we spent a good 30 minutes talking about life in Austin in the 60's and the 70's.He grew up in Buda,about 20-25 miles south of Austin when it was nothing but farms and rural homesteads.When me and my family landed here in 1968,he was in his second year in the military.But we shared some common memories.Even in 1968,the nasty head of racism was still prevalent,and he experienced it first hand.From being the only black kid on his high school football team to working in a restaurant where the black employees weren't allowed to eat in the dining area.I related stories of being chased into the woods by rednecks determined to cut my hair off during that time.A different kind of hate to be sure,but still hate.
He related about hanging out at the armadillo world headquarters (where I spent my entire adolescence )and how cool it was that they (black folks) were accepted and welcomed in a world where most of the white people around rejected them.He thought that was cool.And he said despite the racial tension of the times,he had mostly happy memories of his early days.He learned about how and when Ann and I met,he shared his family history and we ended our chat telling stories about our children and bragging on our grand children.
I walked out of that HEB in awe.What a wonderful human being.Of course,I knew that already...but tonight it was underlined,in bold.
And just think,my original plan was to write about my new addiction to corn nuts...all flavors.
Go figure.