Peace Out Louisiana

Once Ruby and I made it back to Louisiana, I enjoyed a few more days of kickin it small town style which generally meant that while Ruby worked the entire weekend, Her boyfriend Donald and I hung out at their place and slept all day.

One day we went to visit Ruby at her job, to have lunch with her and we enjoyed the delicious burgers that North Oaks Hospital has to offer. Once we said goodbye to Ruby, Donald offered to roll one up and take me sight seeing in the city. “Hey…Britney Spears is from a little town about 20 minutes from here. It’s called Kentwood, Louisiana. Let’s ride. I’ll show it to you.”

Before we hit the road we both went home to change into more comfortable clothes and I joked with Donald, “I see we got dressed up to go see Ruby.”

“You know we gotta represent my baby right,” he said with a grin.

He took me on a tour of the city and the neighboring towns. Being from Miami, I had never even fathomed places as indistinct as the cities surrounding New Orleans. We passed through a town called Independence. I actually saw a Piggly Wiggly! I thought that was just a joke. I wanted to go inside but Donald was like, “It’s probably just a grocery store, Tee.”

He told me stories about growing up in a small town like he did. He said he knew people who would ride their lawnmowers on the street as a form of transportation. He even told me that he knew people who would go find cow pastures and search through the old cow patties to find mushrooms which they would then boil and make into some kind of elixir that would get you high or drunk. I looked at him like he was stupid. “Who the hell thought of doing that?” I asked him.

“Probably an Indian.”

Oh.

We passed farms and I even saw cows, donkeys and animals. It was wild! He showed me a river that he said he and his friends used to coast on to pass the day. I saw this one little girl riding a 4 wheeler in her front yard.

Small town living. It seems so peaceful.

The crazy thing about the time Donald and I spent together was the fact that I can say it was a positive experience. I can’t remember the last time I spent so much time alone with a man and it be strictly platonic and absolutely rewarding. The night before I left he even cooked for us, fried fish and shrimp and he grilled chicken kabobs too. So I guess I don’t have all negative stories to tell about men; this was a good one.

Which is why on MLK Day I was sad to leave Ruby and Donald behind to head back to Houston. Back to the unknown. Back to the uncertainty of my future.

But I sucked it up and said goodbye. I gave each of them a big hug and I kept it short and sweet.

I threw the peace sign out the window and put my car into reverse, I knew it would be the last time I would see anyone that I loved, perhaps for a long time.

It’s funny how God works. I arrived in Louisiana after my trip from Atlanta with only $62 in my account. When I left to move forward to Houston, I still had 50 of those dollars left.

Thanks Ruby… You took such good care of me. May God grant you eternal fulfillment.

You gave me a cell phone AND my dream came true ya’ll-She gave me her old laptop so that I can always be connected during my travels. I thought it would be YEARS before I’d own one myself. You took me to Houston when you didn’t have to and you dealt with me patiently through one of the most trying times of my life.

I have lost friends because of the decisions that I have made. Everyone can’t handle being friends with someone so gutsy(crazy) and I understand that. But those who can really, REALLY see my heart well… they stood by me and I appreciate that.

All I have in Houston is the promise of a part-time job and an offer for a live-in nanny position.

Let’s see how this all works out.

All I can say is, “Lord send a revival…”