"We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right". Nelson Mandela
This is not a political, geographical, scientific, religious or medical forum. However, as an Actor, Writer, Poet and Singer. I get to draw from my life experiences. In fact, let me re-phrase that; I must draw from my human experiences, in order to relate to humanity. The more of an array of episodes, that I can draw from. The richer and prolific, my artist becomes. And the most influential, impact-full and positively sustaining experience, becomes the dominant factor in my creative output. A foundation-al bed of launching and influence, so to speak.
Although sometimes my experiences make me feel 'out of this world' and 'not of this world', I am presently in this world and will have to endure the speculation and alienation. I must say though, there are talks in the works. Of my moving to the planet Mars. Until then....
It was barely twenty-four hours ago, at the writing of this blog. That the following incident occurred. It reminded me of a previous happening, a few years ago. Which ultimately linked me, to an on going incident. It was definitely a cyber-full day. I was minding my business, (or at least attempting and pretending to). On one of the floors of a huge department store, on cyber Monday. When suddenly what looked like a bull race, swooshed right past me.
Some guy was running and about five others, were in determined and unrelenting pursuit of him. Finally the race ended with four of the men, holding onto the alleged culprit. They demanded he hand over, what he had apparently swiped. And that is when the drama, that inspired this story started. For the first time in a little bit, I was once again right smack. In the front row seat, of unsolicited drama.
As the security guys who had apprehended the alleged culprit, kept demanding he hand over what prompted the chase in the first place. The young guy began to scuffle violently. A scuffle which now invited a fifth guy, to clamp down on top of him.
Still he (the apprehended one) senselessly attempted to fight them of, with his mouth and two hands tied behind his back. The more he struggled, the more the five men tried to control him. As I stood there (along with a dozen others) and watched this doomed wrestling match unfold. I remembered an incident a couple of years ago....
I was working in an office in midtown Manhattan on Madison Avenue. I had asked a male relative to meet me at the office, towards closing time. It was a large office space, with about twenty people on the floor. Most of the employees I fairly knew, others we may just have seen or passed by each other at some point in time.
So while I waited for this relative to show up, I heard a shrill voice coming from the elevator bank. In typical New York City style, I ignored and tuned out the voice. Until it blended in, with the whirring of the ventilators. But the voice kept raising, to what sounded like a panic. Then instantly, my deducive instincts kicked in.
I ran to the hallway immediately and sure enough, my guest had arrived. It was already close time and the receptionist had left. Therefore my guest was wandering around, trying to find where I was. While he was approaching the offices, another employee saw him and began to ask who he was.
He trying not to be rude and loud, by yelling across the hallway. Attempted to approach her, in a seemingly gentlemanly gesture. That right there, was where the communication lines tore up (if at all there were any to begin with).
She saw a certain stranger in her place of familiarity, seemingly in search of something and inquired. Howbeit, a tad bit alarmingly. He did not respond from across the hall, like she would have preferred. Instead he tried to come closer, to tell her who he was looking for. That was his personality, mannerism and normalcy. This was her discomfort, that was quickly leading to a panic crescendo.
The closer he got without saying a word, the more panic stricken the lady employee became. That was what I heard, (the fear in her voice). That is when I suddenly put two and two together and bolted from the office. As soon as I showed up, to claim the initially perceived intruder. The scared lady relaxed, smiled and walked away.
My advice to the young man: NEVER PROCEED TOWARDS SOMEONE, IF YOU SEE THEY FEEL THREATENED AND UNCOMFORTABLE WITH YOUR PRESENCE. FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT MAY BE. AND/OR THERE IS A MISCOMMUNICATION OF INTENT. STOP IN YOUR TRACKS IMMEDIATELY!! CLARIFY THE SITUATION AND THEN TAKE IT FROM THERE....
For how long? You may ask. For as long as it keeps you alive. Or better still, till I metamorphose into a bee. Or the world wraps up. Whichever comes first, but stay alive! It may not always work, but the times it does will be worth it.
This society is crisis prone and little is ever done to prevent. We love the drama of fixing things, over the calm of having diffused or stopped it. People allow things to go on and on, until it festers and becomes a project that requires NASA's intervention. Desperately needing it's scientific and technological competence, wrapped in a radio-active launch program.
Elite ground troupes would also have to be called in, to show our expertise. "Prevention has always been and will always be cheaper, less painful and better than cure". (Revised) Chioma Onwudiwe. I was barely twenty-five years old at the time of the aforementioned incident. Yet I was still able to deduce and diffuse the commotion, before things got out of hand. Good old common sense and self-respect. It did not matter at that point, why the lady felt how she felt or reacted the way she did. Or why my guest did not just shout my name, from 20 miles away. When he saw and sensed, that she was getting bothered and panicky.
We can tackle those issues and relations another time and another way, with less corpses than we have already amassed. What mattered to me at that moment was that I would not be trailing a gurney, should the need arise. Or making conflicting and mind spinning statements, come press time. Every person involved, left the building hale and hearty.
So here I was again, right plumb in the middle of another action drama. I had always wondered, how people always got the video that went viral.
Did they start from the beginning, the end, or the juicy part. Did they learn something from the incident? Did they notice anything, that we could all opt to do differently?
I whipped out my cell phone alright, but that was just to reply to an email. Life was happening all around us still. And I did not have time, to diligently study other people's business. Fifteen minutes later, the five men were able to drag the struggling one. Into a waiting elevator and go about their business.
As I watched the young man, attempting to beat up five over-powering guys. While his hands were tied, behind his back. A feat even Spider Man, would have shied away from. I longed to ask him, to what purpose? You can struggle to get an education, you can struggle to get a job, you can struggle to make ends meet legally. But the only thing this particular physical struggle and tussle will get you right now; is six broken ribs, two missing teeth, (three) swiped knee-caps, thirty-four torn ligaments, a chopped liver and a shredded spleen. Let us do this the right, effective and productive way.
And still the war rages. I should have just kept my 'virtual reality', in the house and by the computer screen. I guess that is why it was called Cyber Monday . I can only imagine, what would have happened. Had I ventured to join the boisterous crowd, on Black Friday. I would probably have been trampled, scanned at the cash register for less than I am really worth and then stowed away in someone's stinking trunk. I am so thankful I was not. Forever thankful indeed! This blog post folks, is my newly minted and shiny three cents.
It's still December and the most wonderful time of the year. Have a happy holiday and stay safe.
