School was piling up and I needed a break. I couldn't get my mind over the chapters of economics that I still had left do: the notes, the readings, and the understandings...ugh my mind just evaporates at the thought. Spring break is next week and instead of going somewhere warm, sandy, and sunny like all of my friends... I've decided to visit my Uncle Ted and Aunt Tina. I haven't seen them in such a long time. It has to have been at least ten years, well with a small get together somewhere in between then, but none the matter...way too long and I promised my aunt I'd go up to visit. I don't mind seeing them because she has always been the cool aunt. My dad, her brother, is quite the opposite. He's more the stiff hand. I didn't grow up in a liberal household. Everything was either black or white and if you fall out of line; you're out on your ass. So when I visited my Aunt Tina, it was like a glimpse of freedom...moments where I can breathe without suffocation.
Though I'd much rather be breathing freely; I know how to deal with a heavy schedule now because of my dad. I can go out with friends, work full-time, and go to school full-time. But yes...I get tired. I'm tired at the moment so now I have the perfect reason to visit my Aunt and Uncle, instead of silly little excuses. I have avoided going to see them because ever since I was younger I had a little crush on my uncle. Everyone in my family thought it was cute. I told my aunt that her wedding day to her husband was my wedding day, even though I was the flower girl. I'll never forget that he and I danced at the reception. I guess looking from their point-of-view, it is kind of cute. I was just a little girl who looked up to her uncle. But from my point-of-view, he was the first guy I had ever thought was good-looking that wasn't on television.
He was African-American and married into a family full of a bunch of crazy white ladies. At first, I was attracted to the color of his skin. Most of the time I never really looked at him like he was my uncle, he was just a man that one day maybe I'd kiss like the adults do. I remember sitting on his lap a lot as a child and comparing his dark shade of mocha complexion against my fair-toned skin. He'd laugh it off stating we are both the same, bleed the same etc... nevertheless I was still intrigued.
"You are full of shit, just like the color of your eyes," he said mostly when I was in trouble and I'd try to back my way of the hole that I kept unintentionally digging for myself.
I'd playfully hit him making sure he heard that we had the same color of eyes and that if I was full of shit I had to have learned it from him. He had a simple mind and was very easy to read. He protected me as a child but as I grew up and developed early...my body was feeling things that didn't feel right like I had deeper feelings than just admiration. So I avoided visiting unless it was family reunions and then those even ended because my parents moved out of state. So everything that happened was just sweet innocent fun; though the idea of him and I together never really faded.
In an innate movement, I checked to make sure my phone was nearby. I was going to have to call my Aunt and Uncle just make sure everything was settled and ready to go for next week but before I could find her number, it starts to go off and it's an unrecognized number.
"Hello?" I asked realizing it was the Airport people. "Oh."
I opened up my Mac and turned on my email. Apparently I had received an email stating that my flight was overbooked and that they were looking for those who'd be willing to leave early. I told the ticket lady on the other line that I must have skimmed over that email but I'd be willing to leave a few days early if I had to.... She seemed pleased and hung up the phone. I was going to be arriving three days ahead of schedule.
Dialing my Aunt's number:
"Aunt Tina? Hey! Okay so bad news...my flight got over booked...yes...I know...but...good news I was able to move my flight up three days...so instead of leaving Tuesday night...I'm leaving Saturday morning. Is that going to work out for you guys? Good ok....that puts my heart at ease. I'm excited to see you. Ted's excited? That's crazy. (*heart pounds a little louder) So you'll pick me up at the airport Saturday afternoon? Ok...thanks....sure that's fine. Bye...love you too...buh-bye"
Ted's excited to see me.
Oh jeeze-my heart flutters a little bit.
My phone buzzes on the table. It's a text from Ted.
Ted: So a few days early...that's awesome.
Me: Yeah, I suppose. It's going to cut into my packing and school work but I'm sure my professors will work with me.
Ted: They will. How've you been?
Me: Good, you?
I feel like a girl in high school who falls into a trashcan the moment her crush enters the hallway.
Ted: Very good, my new heart makes me feel like I'm 17 again.
Me: Haha...yeah I bet. You're what...a young-old black cowboy now?
My uncle had a severe heart-attack almost 4 years ago where he died on his living room floor and the paramedics had to restart his heart. It was a tragic time for my Aunt and Uncle. I remember seeing my Aunt in a bad place of distraught and my uncle just lying in the hospital bed like he was just an empty body. There was no joy in eyes for a long time. Not until he was able to get on the transplant list and after three long years, he got a heart: a 17 year old cowboy heart.
Ted: Funny Ella. I'm forever young, so any young boys breaking your heart?
Me: Ha, you wish and no...I wish. I haven't dated anyone since I was 18.
