Change of Pace

Things I need to remember… town hall meeting at one tomorrow, and the sister social Friday night at eight. If everything goes well I can get home from this meeting in time to do some cleaning in preparation for Friday. This way I have time to make any final changes I need in my book to enter it into the contest before the deadline Saturday morning.

         I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the councilman. The way my people are living is downright wrong and that miser needs someone to give him a piece of their mind. He was supposed to make a difference. A black man in office should be fighting for the black people he represents. Instead of a hand up we got knocked further into the ground. Instead of rebuilding our neighborhoods we got gentrified! That old snake is going to get it! If only I could get my paws around his lying throat.

        

         “Doors closing. Next stop, Congress Hall” the automated overhead speaker announced.

         That’s my stop. Here was my chance to be heard after so many emails with no response and calls placed on hold only to end without ever getting anyone back on the line. We are finally going to make some headway.

         At the next stop I stepped off of the train and onto the walkway crawling with white men in suits and the occasional white woman, also sporting some uptight navy dress suit. Not a single chocolate man to be found. I sighed, slightly disappointed but not surprised in the least. I couldn’t help but to roll my eyes as I walked onto the escalator.

At the top of the escalator was a grand looking lobby with two large hallways on each side and a desk at the far wall. I approached the desk only to find a large munchkin of a man sporting ivory colored skin and acrid body odor scrolling through Instagram looking at women who were clearly out of his league. He was fat and small beads of sweat were hiding along his hairline at the back of his neck. I cleared my throat, hoping to politely get his attention to no avail.

        

         “Excuse me, would you be able to point me in the direction of Councilman Sillers? Eric Sillers?” I asked. I did my best to incorporate undertones of white woman but he made no move to help me. As a matter of fact, he even had the nerve to roll his eyes and shake his head at me.

         A moment later, a white man strolled up beside me and asked to be pointed in the direction of the administrative offices. The small man instantly brightened the look on his face and responded “absolutely, sir. Take the elevator to the third floor. Room 330 is down the left hallway.” With a nod of his head and ripples sent throughout his gelatinous frame, he went right back to his Instagram fantasies without giving me a first thought, much less a second.

         Behind me a bustling had begun to break out but I had been so focused on not living up to the stereotype of the mad black woman that I had not turned around until I heard a familiar voice. I spun around to see the very man I had come to visit speed walking through the lobby with an overwhelmed looking teenage boy following him trying his best not to drop any papers along the way. I turned to try and reach the councilman only to hear the fat munchkin man stand and scream at me to show identification. I did him a great service by completely ignoring him.

         I walked right into the path of the councilman so that he would have no choice but to stop. That would have been a really great move if it had actually worked. Instead he walked around me as if I weren’t even standing there, leaving his little intern to smack right into me. Both of us were on the ground and papers were fanned all over the ground and even then the councilman never stopped. Instead, the intern quickly began to pick up the scattered documents and chase after him.

        

         “Oh no you don’t” I said under my breath. I began scooping up as many pages and folders as I could get my hands on before the boy did and followed after him. He led me to an office, talking about who knows what the entire time.

         Inside the office he walked around his desk still talking until he heard me close the door and lock it behind me. He reeled, taking my presence in for the very first time. I stood there watching the look on his face morph from one of indifference to one of complete business. He silently sat in his chair and laced his fingers together.

         “You do know the only way this is going to end is with you going to prison, right?” he finally spoke. My eyes rolled at his ridiculous accusation.

         “Hello councilman,” I walked up to his desk and slammed the documents onto it, “my name is Alisha Bowen. You’re scheduled to meet with me at 1pm today?” I held out my hand with a sarcastic smile on my face.

         If I could take a picture of the look of embarrassment on his face right now, I would take it home and frame it. It didn’t last long enough for me to burn it into my memory. He quickly regained his composure, stood and walked around the desk towards me. Once before me, he held out his hand.

         “My apologies Ms. Bowen. I was not aware that I had a meeting scheduled for this time. What might I be able to help you with?” He turned and motioned for me to have a seat in the chair behind him. I walked past him and the chair, strolled up the desk, spun, and leaned against it with my arms folded. This was a declaration of war and there was not time for cordialities. Even though I knew this, I couldn’t help but notice the scent of cologne when I walked by. It was almost enough to disable my entire strategy.

        

“I don’t mean to be rude, councilman. However, I want to know what plans you have to take back the communities that seem to have been lined up to be handed over to our Caucasian counterparts. I personally believe that I voted you in office and…” he cut me off.

“Woah, now. I understand that you have some complaints, but I won’t waste time with deluded individuals” he walked towards me. I stood to face him head on.

“Deluded? And which part is deluded, exactly? Without my vote you would never have reached this office. ‘One vote it all it takes’” I quoted from one of his speeches. That got his attention. He stepped back and gave me a more considering look. A moment later his expression softened.

“My apologies, Ms. Bowen. It looks as though you may have been dealing with some mistreatment today on my part” he began and I scoffed.

“Don’t worry about it. It seems to be the norm around here. Your friend at the front desk seems to have aspired to be like you when he grows up” I said, making a very rude joke about the little man at the front desk. To my surprise, he laughed and shook his head.

“You know what, Ms. Bowen? I would like to make this up to you. Will you let me treat you to lunch? It can serve as a much deserved apology and hopefully give me the chance to erase the bad impression I’ve made” he explained. I paused, confused at the sudden change.

At that moment there was a banging at the door. We both turned at the sound.

“Sir, are you in there? Have you been harmed?” Security was at the door. I’d completely forgotten about the entire situation I was in. I had come into a government building without any form of ID. It wasn’t like this was my fault but I shouldn’t have forgotten so quickly. I waited to see what he would do. The councilmen looked at me and then walked over to the door, unlocked and opened it.

“I’m fine. I’m in a very important meeting. Is there some sort of emergency?” he asked innocently. I watched as security eyed me in concern. I rolled my eyes at their concern. How much damage could I possibly do? I couldn’t even get him to stop in the hallway.

“This young lady was reported on the site without checking in” one guard spoke, “we were requested to apprehend her.

“There is no need for that. She is scheduled to be meeting with me at this time. As a matter of fact she did attempt to check in and I was told that my guest was not treated well. Will you please look into that and get back to me? Thank you” he said with an ingenuine smile. Without waiting for them to respond, he closed the door and turned back to me. His smile was professional again.

If this man was making a difference in favor of black people I would have loved to be the woman he came home to every night. He was absolutely fine. I wasn’t about to lie and say that watching him take charge just now didn’t send all kinds of ripples down my spine. I shook my head and mentally reminded myself to stay in my lane.

“If you accept, it would allow you a better opportunity at getting your point across without worrying about any checking in, or harassment like that” he insisted. He walked up to me and held out a card.

“This is my personal number. You should be able to reach me at any time with this” he said. I took it, whipped out my phone and dialed the number listed without hesitating. Across from me, a jingling sound went off in the pocket of Councilman Sillers. He chuckled.

“I was just making sure you weren’t trying to get over on me” I said matter of factly.

“Understood” he said before standing to escort me out of the office.

On the train ride home I fell into deep thought recapping what had just happened. Did Councilman Sillers just ask me on a date? Even though it’s supposed to be a meeting, it seems more like a date. And if he was, what was I doing agreeing? Well, I could use this. I absolutely will use this. Someone has to make changes.

Across from me, a girl was sitting there with a rat-tailed comb trying to scratch underneath the closure of her horrible sew in. It was times like this when I wonder whether the dedication I have in helping my people was worth it. Oh well, I’m going to be the one to find out.