NUMBER 127
My church, Northwood Assembly, was rebuilt due to a fire a few years ago. It’s bigger and more beautiful now. It does not have as much room as it use to, but we expanded to include more rooms for functions, ministry group meetings and day care during services. I even signed up for the Dave Ramsey class next month. Got to keep on track since I plan on being debt free and happy and joined a Bible Book Club. We read mostly fiction, but I'm enjoying it.
I also joined the singles group. They meet on Mondays for a mini service and Friday’s for dinner, bowling, etc. Not many African Americans in the church, but I was not introduced to the church by a black person. When I started working here in Charleston there was a white woman I started working with who was also a single parent and introduced me to the church. I did visit one African American church and they appeared to be really involved in helping seniors and kids, which I’m always interested in doing. After my first visit at this church, I was approached, not to join the church or meet people, but if I wanted to create my own business. “Sure,” I said, “why not.” Didn’t know they wanted to add me to their Mary Kay and Amway Cults. Pissed me off, and I know that was just a few of the women, but it just gave me a creepy feeling and I never went back. I won’t get into how some black churches are more show than giving, that’s another blog for another day.
One of the leaders of this single group at my church, Jim, is always introducing me to single men. One was his brother. Oh, I forgot to tell you, Jim is white. I said OK and figure no harm in talking on the phone first. We were having a great conversation, but then the real stuff came forward. He didn’t have a car. You need a car in South Carolina. The bus service runs sporadically and I don’t how the “Part Time Job at the Asylum” people do it? That should have been the first strike and my first clue that something was wrong. My dumb ass self offered to drive to his house and meet him, yeah, I said “dumb ass.” I hadn’t lived in Charleston long, so it took me a while to find his “house.” I found it and when I saw it and the neighborhood, I should have run my ass away. His “trailer” was sitting next to his brother’s (who’s place I had never been to before either). It was not necessarily a bad neighborhood, but his trailer was not quite complete. He saw me and waved me to come around the back, like I said: I should have run my ass away. No, I had never met him, just talked on the phone with him and that should have been the clue to run away fast, but no, my "dumb ass," ran right into.
One of the leaders of this single group at my church, Jim, is always introducing me to single men. One was his brother. Oh, I forgot to tell you, Jim is white. I said OK and figure no harm in talking on the phone first. We were having a great conversation, but then the real stuff came forward. He didn’t have a car. You need a car in South Carolina. The bus service runs sporadically and I don’t how the “Part Time Job at the Asylum” people do it? That should have been the first strike and my first clue that something was wrong. My dumb ass self offered to drive to his house and meet him, yeah, I said “dumb ass.” I hadn’t lived in Charleston long, so it took me a while to find his “house.” I found it and when I saw it and the neighborhood, I should have run my ass away. His “trailer” was sitting next to his brother’s (who’s place I had never been to before either). It was not necessarily a bad neighborhood, but his trailer was not quite complete. He saw me and waved me to come around the back, like I said: I should have run my ass away. No, I had never met him, just talked on the phone with him and that should have been the clue to run away fast, but no, my "dumb ass," ran right into.
Once around the back, I took the wood and run down steps entrance into the trailer and once inside, I saw no living room, just a room filled with paint cans, brushes, drop cloths and a small kitchen to the side which had not been used or cleaned. At least I think it was a kitchen, I saw a stove, not connected, but a stove, dirty sink, half stabled cabinets and it really looked like part of the floor was missing. A few steps to the right and we were in his bedroom, which was used as the living/TV room and I sat on a mattress and box spring which also was not the cleanest either. What the hell was I thinking? I sat on that bed for two minutes and asked that we go outside and talk. He talked alright, but the wrong words. He said he just got the trailer and was working on. Sure, he was!!! He talked about other things, but hell, I was half paying attention by this time. A half hour later, it took me that long to gather my thoughts because I was not feeling good and having some serious, serious PMS issues, the kind where you change into a werewolf. Also, not in the mood for bullshit and this was bullshit.
This man was about 5 feet tall, (I’m 6 feet tall), big eyes and dirty white. Not trailer park trash or a bubba, just messy. You know those Hawaiian bobble dolls that bobble back and forth on your dashboard inside your car? He looked like that doll, just jittery and bobbing back and forth with those wanna be blue eyes. Not a serial killer look, I could kick his ass if he was, just a doll going back and forth shaking and taking smack. He talked about how his ex-wife did him wrong and he can’t see his kids and due to a DUI, he can’t get a car nor drivers license. I finally listened to the rest of his story for a hot minute, made an excuse and got the hell out of there and never called him again. Was that the end of Jim’s match making try outs? Oh hell no, he tried again. This one was another damn loony.
Will continue this story later. Now on to books. I volunteered at the John Island Friends of the Library Book sale on July 20. Below are some of the books I brought for me, neighbor kids and to fill my “Bring Your Child to Work” day book bags for next year. Like McDonald’s says, “I’m Lovin’ it!”
KATHERINE PATERSON - THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS - $5.99
GARTH NIX - THE FALL (SEVENTH TOWER #1) - PAPERBACK $7.99
KAREN ENGLISH - FRANCIE - $7.99Francie
PATRICK CARMAN - THE LAND OF ELYON #2: BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THORNS
The Land of Elyon #2: Beyond the Valley of Thorns
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ELVIRA WOODRUFF - THE SUMMER I SHRUNK MY GRANDMOTHER - PAPERBACK - The price is, to me, too high, so look for it at your local library or your Friends of the Library Book Sales
PATRICK CARMAN - THE 39 CLUES BOOK 5: THE BLACK CIRCLE - $7.40
Got to get one in for Black History Year
JILL NELSON - FINDING MARTHA'S VINEYARD AFRICAN AMERICANS AT HOME ON THE ISLAND - HARDCOVER 19.99 -
Now I saw this book on face book and could not believe it. It's actually selling on Amazon for a new one, $999.99. Maybe it's worth it, but I doubt it!! The used price is $29.78
CATHY MIDDLETON - GIRL, GET THAT CHILD SUPPORT -
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