Fadesgiving…the Lesson of F’n Around and Finding Out

[explicit language] Now, I'm not one to relish in the pain of others. Nah, I'm kidding. N-Avengers Assemble. I want to personally congratulate the Boardwalk Brawlers on a job well done. One thing I love about my community is when we show up, we show out. Running at a dead sprint across the pier, swimming over to the dock, and throwing the fastest elbows this side of the Mason-Dixon line, with chairs swung like whack-a-mole. This crew was a blatant reminder of just how swiftly one can fuck around and find out. And oh, how important it is to remember in a world like today's. Let me explain.

On a glorious August afternoon, on a dock in the faraway land of Alabama, there couldn't be a more beautiful day created for the ass-whooping of the year. In one corner, 8 no-seasoning seagulls standing with yellow bellies and 400 years of entitlement. In the other corner, the resurrected Wakandan Army that rose against the tyranny of cauliflower conquerors. Now I must admit, in the beginning, my man was down bad, trying to fend off enough colonizers to fill up the VIP section of a Jason Aldean concert. But, things are not always as they seem. I mean we all have setbacks that are just steps to a greater comeback. I know, I know it was hard to sit through the pre-hat toss of the century. If I am being honest, we are all too aware of how many images in a day we see of Black people being abused and brutalized in the media. Without so much as a cough, you could find a million videos that show just how terrifying it can be as a Black person in this country. Although we have come to terms with it whilst protesting and fighting for change, we still need our own version of a happy ending as often as we can get it. Especially if it's Black as hell. Cue the Wakandan war cry.

How exactly does this matter so heavily in today’s world? Well, that's the funny thing, life has a way of reminding us just how "at the mercy of it all" we are. But that doesn't excuse the role that human beings play in giving fate a push, or in this case, a fight. Everyone has days where they feel more like the security guard in the first half and days when they are AquaMayne in the second half. But the bottom line is this: there's a certain level of couth that we should look to keep to avoid living like ole’ buddy in the croc anklets. This looks different for many people across all walks of life, but with a bit of compassion and common sense, we may just be able to make it through. This is the perfect reminder to be kind to the people sitting next to you. We have no idea what they may be going through. Or what could come of it. Leading with kindness and empathy hasn't hurt a soul. And although I am a huge advocate for conserving all that emotional energy, it doesn't take much to not be the bad guy. Just don't go out of your way to make someone else's day hard. Avoid arguing with people who Harriet would've left behind. Keep the road rage in check when the idiot in front of you is plowing through lanes on the interstate. Oh, a big one: DO NOT take your frustrations with a corporation out on customer service and frontline workers. If you do, you may find a folding chair for that butt on the other side of your snarky comment. Like Auntie Tab said “Have a good day but if you can’t have a good one don’t you dare go ruining anyone else’s”.

And listen, the part that feels most important to me is the U-N-I-T-Y. I love to see some down-home country-ass accountability. It really warms my heart to see the community I know and love standing together. Now, we owe a lot of people their just desserts, but for the time being, let's rejoice in the mere spectacle of our new national holiday, of Augusteenth proportions. A day where Black people saw a fellow hard-working Black man just trying to do his job and stepped in to say, 'whoop that ass, whoop that ass, thank God almighty you should have just had some class,' or whatever Martin Luther King said. And, I know things can get tough out there. We have all had our less-than-stellar moments in one way or another, but human decency should be our default setting. And if you cannot find a way to hold a little extra love in your heart for your fellow man, at least learn to bob and weave. It's truly a treat whenever we get to see such a beautiful display, of what’s titled above, gracing our screens. Well, friends, it's about that time again. I need to make my way back to YouTube to check for another angle of Fadesgiving and the inaugural gathering of my people. And remember, if you don't want to be on the business end of a standard-issue, economy folding chair, try a little sense and decorum. It just might go a long way.