This pic is of the last sale of the night at our very first DT reading at ESO WON Books in L.A. This customer, who we'll call the Notorious D.I.C., had been screaming broke, mumbling something about having to fill a prescription. With our characteristic subtetly, we gently suggested that DT might be a better way to spend his last 20 bucks. Thanks to d.i.c. and all who came out to our inaugural DT reading Thursday. We'd been battling nerves all week and it didn't help that we got caught in the traffic on Crenshaw BLVD so we arrived slightly late. Luckily most folks were running on CP time. By the time we got cooking, the room had filled to standing room-only. A radio producer was there recording the session for a local affiliate. Terrific question-and-answer session. We signed books for all kinds of folks, a wonderful mom with three boys from Compton, a sweet couple who were HU class of '48. When they learned we graduated 50 years later than them, they said we were babies, "wet behind the ears" and proceeded to rub them. Gotta love that Howard love (: Shout out to Lauryl's mom, Jennifer, Karlief, Kelly, Hassani and his wife, t.t. and c.c. and of course, the d.i.c. and his fabulous sister Lysa.
We had two minor "Crash Moments" after going out with friends to celebrate. We arrived at the chic Viceroy hotel in Santa Monica, where a friend of a friend was having a birthday party. First there was the long, humiliating wait in the line outside. The bouncers were unconvinced that we belonged and apparently cell phone confirmation was not enough. The host had to personally come outside to vouch for the lone colored folk at the party. When we got inside we attempted to get one of the tables to order food. No sooner than we sat down, an older black gentleman we'll call Ruckie walked over to us, and told us we could not sit down. We said we wanted to order some food. The kitchen was closed, Ruckie said. In other words: get your things and go. We shrugged, got up and availed ourselves of the open bar. Soon we watched streams of white folks repopulating the tables and being handed menus. 20 minutes later, unaware of our encounter with Ruckie, one of the less colored friends in our group secured a table and waved us over. We sat down and ordered our food. Our bellies full, we mean-mugged Ruckie for the rest of the night.
3 comments:
Actually it was a Burton snowboarding party and not Selema's birthday. (Selema Mesekela is affilitated with Burton and a commentator on the X-Games for ESPN.) As for "Ruckie" he doesn't deserve a pass in his self-hating attempt to ensure we knew our place. Also, note this isn't the first time that a colored person has had problems at the Viceroy and it probably won't be the last. Although to the doorman's credit, it is not as if I bothered to add myself to the list prior to arriving with four extra guests. To the doorman's detriment, however, was the fact that he insisted on 'americanizing' Selema's real name to a short "Sal" which caused the confusion at the door in the first place. I guess that goes to show how far Selema has reached into the main stream. He can also be seen on the channel E.
Correction to Selema's last name: it is spelled Masekela. And I just looked up his show on E! (it is called Daily 10) and even they have him listed as "Sal." Go figure. I guess the message that sends is that if you want to be in everybody's living room then you better have a name that everybody can pronounce... I'm not mad at him one bit though: Did you peep the open bar at the Burton party?
Real Brother here.
Sounds quite interesting, sorry I missed you in LA. Please let me know when you will next be here. I will definately buy your book.
Anytime a true discussion about the problems of Black Self-hatred and Blacks buying into the idea and notion of White Supremacy is undertaken I want to be there.
As for the Self-hating Brother Ruckie, he was only doing what 450 years of Slavery, Oppression, Discrimnation and Racism has taught him to do and that was hate who he is and his own.
No Sellout.
TKCAL
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