True Story that keeps floating around in my head.
I was 12 years old when I met him. I walked down to my classmate Tamia’s house one Saturday to attend our club meeting. After it was over all of the girls went home except me. My friend and I hung out, eating cookies and watching TV while her mother cleaned up.
The next thing we knew our girl time was invaded. Her male cousins had come over. They were 12 and 13. She asked them to leave us alone but they wouldn’t and ofcourse I didn’t want them to go.
The 13 year old, his name was Sheldon. He was very light skinned, with curly hair, slim build and green eyes hiding behind wire framed glasses that were very similar to the ones I wore. He didn’t say much. He just sat back and stared at me the whole time. He made me nervous but I didn’t show it. When my Mama showed up to walk me back home, he grabbed my hand with both of his and looked at me, never saying anything to me at all. Then he let me go.
That was weird.
I saw him again that summer. I was on a field trip and I saw my girlfriend, Tamia. It was the 4th of July. We were at the stadium or something. After I gave her a hug I looked to my left and who did I see…Sheldon.
I didn’t say anything to him. He came and sat next to me. He didn’t say anything to me. We just…sat, nervously munching on popcorn and feeling the tension of pre-teen attraction.
“I’ll see you later,” he said when the event was over. He had come with his family and they were about to leave.
“Ok,” I said and smiled at him.
I didn’t see him for many years after that but everytime I ran into Tamia she would say, “Sheldon asked about you.”
When I turned 15 I was a part of this summer program on the university campus that prepared us for the SAT’s. All local highschools were invited to send their brightest students so this was my chance to meet girls from all over Dade County. During lunch all of the Black girls would sit together and eat and talk about our schools and whatever else came to mind.
One day the subject turned to which boys at our schools were the cutest and these girls said, “Well, we go to HML and let me tell you the FINEST boy there plays football, he’s light skinned with green eyes and he’s soo FINE!”
They both looked at each other and said in unison, “Sheldon A****!”
My heart almost stopped. Football? Fine? Last time I saw him he was as skinny as me. Did he stop wearing his glasses? I didn’t say anything to them about it.
I called up my friend Tamia, who was going to a different highschool than I was and tI old her that the girls were talking about him in the program and she said, “Tee, Sheldon has changed a lot. He asked about you last month.”
I thought about him from time to time but I was on a mission to get into college and get scholarships and be all that I could be so I wasn’t too serious about seeing what was up with him.
I DID get into college, get scholarships and participated in many adventurous trips while I was away at school.
During my freshman year I went home to visit and Anna and I hooked up and we went to the mall at 163rd street. We were walking, chatting, getting numbers, the usual, when I saw this man working at FootLocker.
“Anna,” I whispered. “Look at him. I’m gonna go get that.”
“Aight dawg,” she replied. “I’ll be right here.”
I walked in and casually strolled through the store, looking at sneakers. I saw him look at me so I sat down to wait for him to come over. When he did I noticed his name tag and my mouth dropped open.
SHELDON.
He saw the look on my face and asked, “What’s wrong?”
I cleared my throat. “Do you have a cousin named Tamia?’
“Yes,” he said, studying my face. Then his eyes light up and he smiled. “What’s your name?”
“It’s me..Tee.”
He grinned. “Hey, here’s my number. I get off at 10. Call me. Let’s go out.”
I gave him a hug before I left and hell yeah I called his FINE ASS.
Damn! Dude wasn’t wearing glasses anymore. Dude must have found out about the gym cuz he was on swole and sexy as hell! Damn! He was nothing like the 13 year old I met back in the day.
I called him up and we made a date for the next night. He picked me up and we went to eat or something. I believe we took a walk on the beach too. The whole night was weird because everywhere we went people stared at us as though they were wondering if we were brother and sister. We looked too much alike, yet, we were very attracted to each other. I think we kissed and promised to keep in touch.
We didn’t.
After I had my first son I ran into Tamia on campus. She was also attending my university but had graduated highschool early, started college early and was finishing up law school. She came over to my apartment with a gift basket for my son.
“I talked to Sheldon the other day,” she said. “He still asks about you.”
“Oh yeah,” I said and adjusted my bathrobe. “What’s he up to?”
“He just got married girl. He married a girl who looks JUST LIKE HIS MOM. They could be twins!”
I laughed. “I hope he’s happy.”
“I think he is.”
“Tell him I said hey, okay.”
“I think he’ll be glad to hear that,” Tamia said and gave me a hug. “God Bless you girl.”