1/
You: "You from Cali?"
Me: "How'd you guess?"
You: "I hear it, baby."

*laughter*

Me: "I know where you're from."
You: "Yeah?"
Me: "Louisiana. 100%."

You smirked after I said that. Then came a slow wink and a nod.

You: "N'Orleans. All day and all night, baby!"

*laughter*

2/
Me: "I knew for sure when you said 'baaaby.'”
You: "Yeeeeah, baby. It's hard to hide."

*laughter*

You: "But real talk? This funny accent saved my life, baby."

I raised my eyebrows and leaned forward.

Me: "Tell me more."

3/
You: "I came here after Katrina. Ain't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of! And I ain't exaggerating neither, baby. I'm talking the clothes on my back and nothing else."
Me: "Family? Did you have any in Atlanta?"
You: "Nope. None.”
Me: *shaking head* "Whoa."

4/
You: “My family in the country so a lot of 'em didn't have nothing to help. Plus, I’m from the lower 9th, you know? I needed a city. One of them church groups had a bus coming to the ATL & I jumped on it. Ain't had plan the first of what I'd do once I got here."

You laughed.

5/
Me: "Wow. So . . .how did the accent save you?"
You: "Oh. I was in a shelter, right? That first night here. It was so, so terrible. Bugs. Folk yelling and fighting. I had to get up out of there, baby.”

I wasn't offended by you saying “baby.” It wasn't fresh. It was you.

6/
You: “I had about forty dollars and blew it all on a cheap motel room that night. Said I'd get me some rest and then go try to make something happen here in Atlanta. Didn't have one dime when I checked out of that room! Not even a bottle of water on me, baby!"
Me: *listening*

7/
You: "Early that next morning, I saw this man with a delivery truck outside of McDonald's. Walked right up on him and said, 'Brother, I need some help. I need to work. Give me a chance and I'll load everything off this truck faster than you can say shrimp etouffé."

8/
Okay. You didn't really say "shrimp etouffé" (but you have to admit it sounds better for the story.)

Anywho.

You went on to tell me about how the dude at the McDonald's truck said he wasn't the boss but, like me, heard that sing-song accent and asked where you were from.

9/
And you told him "N'Orleans" and then shared your story. And that truck man then took out his cell phone and called up a friend.

"My man got this moving company. Said he could use some good folks to help him."

That's what you told me the guy at McDonald's said to you.

Yup.

10/
Me: "So the guy hired you?"
You: "He had me meet him a few blocks over and said, 'Look, bruh. I'm gon' have you work today and see how it go. If it go okay, we'll go with tomorrow.' And I shook his hand and said, 'Hell yeah, man.'
Me: *shaking my head* "Wow."

11/
You: “I worked my ass off. Moved that shit off that truck in two seconds flat, baby!"
Me: *laughter*
You: "Been working with him ever since. Got me a house and a car now. And we even got a second truck. Business is good, too. Real, real good."

I wished I had a 'love' button.

12/
Me: *sigh* "That's the best thing I've heard in a long time."
You: *nodding*
Me: "Did you ever see the guy from McDonald's again?"
You: "You know what? Like once or twice. And I told that man he saved my life. Just 'cause he was interested in the way I talked.”

*silence*

13/
You: “You know? It’s crazy because every time I left home, I used to wish I didn't talk so funny. But now I love my accent 'cause I know it start up conversations, you know? And conversations lead to relationships. And relationships can lead to chances. Feel me?"

Whew.

14/
Me: "I totally feel you."

*silence*

You: *speaking softly* "Funny. Sometimes what make us feel like outsiders can be what open doors to us being insiders. Crazy how it all work, ain't it?"

So crazy. Yet so, so cool.

So very cool.

15/
Lessons you taught me:

Take a chance.
Ask for help.
Be yourself.
Stay ready.
And hustle.

Whew.

Study the books. Read the journals. But never, ever forget where the most meaningful wisdom is. It’s with the patient, man.

All day and all night, baby.

Yeah.

#HumanismAlways