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Paradise
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE
Bobby Allison 10/25/05
“Hey, what's up?”
One completely ignorant question that came from my mouth, and I knew it at the moment I asked, but for the last several weeks it was the only new question that I could think of at that moment. There had been so many questions asked by hundreds of friends and strangers alike the last few days but, “What's Up?” was the only question that hadn't been asked to date and I didn't really want to hear anyone struggling to find an answer that didn't seem to be as cruel as the question.
“Same ol' thing.” he said.
I knew the answer was going to be something short of a polite lie, and that would be ok too. I was glad to hear his answer. That meant that we didn't have to speak of the horror and devastation that had proceeded the otherwise beautiful yet extra hot September day on the South Mississippi Gulf Coast just days earlier. Shock, denial, fear and confusion were really the order of the day from all of us. I could see it in his eyes as if I were looking in a mirror. We were both scared but doing the best to exchange meaningful pleasantries though we both understood there was nothing either could say to change the way the world looked that day.
I had seen him many times before, walking through the casino or at Sunday Mass, a paradox of morality for some I suppose. Casinos & church? I think this day, the true paradox was the place where he was sitting. Once the Pass Christian city park, now turned into a living hell where the former paradise seemed now as if the Devil himself had spat a 26-foot-wall of water over the city whose namesake was Christian.
Just another day, passing him by on a small Pass Christian street. I never knew his name and this made me feel rather ashamed as well, because forgetting people's names was one of my weaknesses that had caused me much embarrassment over the years. We still knew each other well enough to give one another a “how's it goin'?” with a wink or a wave. I noticed him because he always wore the same clothing. Always, a clean white T- shirt and a pair of Levi's with brown loafers and white socks. This natural uniform accentuated is rich snow white flock of hair and mustache. His beautiful dark African-American skin made his bright yet ageing eyes seem ever more believable, his “Same Ol' Thing” answer, and that was all I need for now.
Maybe someday we would talk of the day that had brought us once again together right at that moment, but probably not. Truthfully, I knew that I would probably never see him again and I would miss my no-named friend. I believe we were both relieved to exchange a short salutation as I passed him slowly by. I wish that I would have had a camera. For the vision of my anonymous friend setting on the shiny chrome bumper of a true red vintage fire truck, smoking a filter free Pall Mall cigarette was truly a National Geographic moment. The beautiful combination of his rich black skin and clean white hair and T-shirt silhouetted his slim frame as he sat on the fiery red truck. The swirling gray smoke from the filter less Pall Mall was floating in perfect spiraling ribbons skyward as his dark black eyes met mine. We both knew in that instant, we were catching one another's lie. But for just that moment, it was a just another day. No harm, no foul as I saw it anyway and -- Just another day?
Well, for now it was what we both needed to believe at least. Yes, that was it. Just another day in Paradise.