Senseless

So as I'm sitting at work yesterday and checking out Facebook I happen to notice a couple of old High School people's status messages. They both referred to the death of someone we went to school with. Elliot Thompson. The first name was a name that I knew, but it also could have referred to a couple different people. The last name I had no clue of so I was at a loss as to who they were referring to. So I inquired from one of the individuals as to who they were referring to and what happen. When the girl responded she gave his name and said that he was shot and killed. I told her that the last name didn't ring a bell although I knew of more than one Elliot from high school. She then replied with a description saying he was a barber at a particular barber shop. I replied back that it can't be the same person I'm thinking of and expressed my condolences for his loss.

However, the person I had in mind had the same first name (I couldn't recall his last name) and was also a barber, it was not at the barber shop she mentioned. She replied back that it was indeed the same person and to go to another high school person's Facebook page and he had a picture of him up on his page. Well when I finally got around to checking out the picture it was after work hours. As I'm looking at the picture on my phone. It hit me! Damn That's E.

I went home after that and found the news story online here.

Of course like any death of someone you know it causes you to reflect on the person and memories of the person. Well to be honest Elliot was not even a friend of mines back in high school. I knew who he was and would see him. But we didn't speak and I didn't have any classes with him. Elliot was a couple years older than me and in fact he actually graduated in my brother's class in 1996. After high school he became a barber. In high school believe it or not I had braids. But towards the end of high school I cut off all my hair and began getting hair cuts. Well I was first going to a particular barber at the shop I was at. That was until one day that barber wasn't there and that's when I saw Elliot. Or E-Ness as we referred to him as. I didn't even know he cut hair. But I went to him to get my hair cut and began going to him regularly after that. I believe he even cut my hair for like my prom.

Well for whatever reason I started using a different barber after a while and eventually found myself having my hair cut with the present barber I have now. I've been going to the same barber I have now for probably 8 or 9 years now. My barber has changed shops quite often and of course I would just follow him and go to wherever he was cutting at. From time to time he would relocate to a shop where Elliot was cutting at as well. I would of course say what's up to E and chat with him etc. A couple of years ago my barber had a party at his place and invited everyone in the shop. Of course Elliot was there. I recall kicking it hard that night with him especially. Well eventually my barber changed shops again and then at the end of last year my barber opened his own shop.

This was a great deal as I had seen my barber grinding going shop to shop and he definitely deserved to have his own. Needless to say that slow but surely many of the other barbers he cut with back in other shops began coming over to his shop. Probably a few months ago I went in for a cut and I saw Elliot. To be honest I probably hadn't really seen him since the party a couple of years ago. We hollered for a minute and were asking about each other and what was going on in each others lives. We both spoke about our kids and I remember that he spoke proudly about his daughter and I about my son. Ever since then when I would go to the shop I would see E and say what's up and holla at him for a sec just to see what's good. When I went to get my hair cut this past Thursday prior to going out of town for the weekend I saw Elliot. He was chilling sitting in his chair on his laptop like I often saw him doing. After my cut I walked past him and said what's up and we shook up. Who knew that would be the last time I would shake his hand.

So although I didn't kick it with E often or holla at him outside of the barber shop he was still someone I considered a friend and to be cool with. His death is tragic and very sad. I think about his daughter that is most likely around my son's age and it saddens me even more. Gun violence is so rampant in the city. But when you see and hear about it as tragic as it is we still are distant from it. However, when it hits home it really hits home. It's just such a shame that a young man (age 31), a father has been taken away and most likely over some nonsense.

I hate to sound preachy and we all hear this often. But its true no one is promised tomorrow. The friend or family member you see today can not be here next week. So embrace your loved ones and friends while you still have them amongst you. As Ice Cube said in his song Dead Homiez "Cuz nobody really ever know, when it's gonna be they family on the front row." Real Talk.


R.I.P. Elliot Thompson aka E-Ness



--C-Recks--

Wanted: Dead or Alive

I was inspired to share this story after reading Sharon aka The True Urban Queen's Blog.

About one month ago. I was at my best friend's house. She was going to make a run, but as she left and got down stairs she called me. "Can you come help me clean the snow off of my car?" Now it had snowed greatly for a day and a half straight so there was a significant amount of snow (The picture below is of my car taken the same day as this story took place. Gotta Love Chicago weather in the winter). So I replied "Sure I'll be right down." I didn't think I would take long so I didn't grab my coat.

As I come down I realized I should have grabbed the coat as the windows were coated with ice then snow on top of that. So, I got to scraping the ice and snow off of the truck. It took me longer than expected, but eventually I get most of it off, all but one window on the passenger side. But it was enough so that she could drive. Now as I was finishing up I noticed out of the corner of my eye a little old [black] lady with a cane slowly trekking past me in the snow. Now I couldn't tell where she was heading at first. There was a car close that had no snow on it, also she could have just been walking past. But I said in my mind I'm thinking "I know this lady isn't about to get in one of these cars with snow on them."

So I finished with the snow removal and I go to head back upstairs. So as I turn back I notice BFF is struggling to get the truck out of the parking space. So I go back and got in the car and pulled it out of the space. Now keep in mind that in the time from when I first saw the old lady to when I pulled the truck out of the space I saw at least 3 able bodied men pass by. I must assume they saw the old lady as they really couldn't have missed her given where she was standing. So, once I get the truck out I look over and asked my BFF "Is that old lady brushing the snow off her car?" She says "I can't tell from where I'm at." I tell her to give me the snow brush before she leaves and I head over to help the lady.

Now this lady had to easily be in her mid 70's if not older. But I kid you not, as I walked up to the car the lady is pushing the snow off of her car with her cane! I immediately asked if she needed any help. She says [use your best old lady voice here] "Well I was trying to do it, but it's just so much snow and ice." She said she had a snow brush in the car, I tell her I got one already and proceeded to work on the ice. I started on the windshield and she got her brush and started on the drivers side of the very same windshield. Now I'm scraping my ass off and not seeming to make any leeway. But then I had to be easy as I wasn't trying to have an ice chunk fly up and hit the old lady in the eye or something. I tried to tell her to just either sit in the car or go back to the door and wait while I get the snow and ice off. Thinking about it, I wanted to take a break myself and warm up. Remember I still had no coat on.

But back to the lady. Now although she was trying hard, her efforts were not even putting a dent into removing the snow let alone the caked on ice. However, the lady seemed to be very self sufficient and insisted on helping as well. My great grandmother was this same way, so the fact she wanted to help and or do it herself I totally understood. So I proceeded to go to the back window and let her work on the front. I let her know she should put on the defrost, so she stops brushing the snow. As I turned to walk to the rear of the car she started to turn towards the driver's side door. Next thing I know I look over and she's losing her balance. The lady lets out an "Oh Lord!" and I see her fall over!

I quickly ran over to the driver's side and make sure the lady is okay. She said she was fine. So I proceeded to help the lady up onto her feet. She then said "I'm done, I'm just going to let car warm up and defrost on it's own." I asked if she wanted me to try to finish she said "that's okay I'm not in a rush I'll just let it defrost." So I told the lady to at least let me walk her back to the door. Arm in arm we take baby steps over the snow and ice up to the front door.

Next, the lady told me "I have to go upstairs and get you a little something for helping me out." I immediately replied to her that there was no need for any financial reward I didn't mind helping her out at all. She said "Well thank God you were here young man, because I would still be on the ground in that snow if you weren't. Just last year I had the same thing happen and I broke my hip." She started to go on about how her people usually come to do stuff like this for her but no one has come to do it, so she had to do it herself. I asked one last time if she needed anything else and she said no so I proceeded back upstairs.

So there you have it. Chivalry at it's finest. So it can't be dead. Right? Unfortunately, I am only one man amongst billions and can only speak for myself. Well scratch that, my brother as well since we were raised by the same parents. In that raising we were brought up to be gentlemen. My grandfather probably instilled this more than anyone. But honestly, I just look at situations like the above story from the perspective of what if it was my grandmother, mom, cousin or best friend? I would hope that a man would lend them a hand in that situation. I'm sure that there are plenty of other men that open doors for women, will give up their seat on the bus for a woman or even help a damsel in distress as I did. Now don't go asking me where they are at because that I wouldn't be able to tell you. LoL. But this does go to show you that chivalry isn't dead. Although at times it may seem to be on life support, it is not dead. So ladies please don't sign that DNR (Do not Resuscitate) form and pull the plug on chivalry.
--C-Recks--