Flashbacks (Call it DeJa Vu)
The statue of Myrna Loy in front of Venice High...it's been torn down,
but they can never take away the memories.
VENICE, class of 1992...Miranda Jane
Yesterday I went to my friend Takara's housewarming party on the Eastside of L.A. Hard to warm a house there that's really an apartment, when she's an O.G. Venice girl to the heart, three generations back. But we did it.
She has two daughters, gorgeous little girls, and another in her belly ready to come here in just 5 weeks. She amazes me because even though we were apart for so many years, from age 18 until now, she and I are so much alike. But so different because I never became a mom. Her daughters' father went to Venice High too. He was punk rock after it was cool, while it was cool again, and he still is punk rock today; even though he listens mainly to roots Reggae...which I suppose is very Punk Rock.
The surprise came when Sarah walked up the stairs into the apartment. I remember Sarah from high school. Very sweet, very blonde, very beach lady. She has two daughters and a son, and she married, yes married, Doug, her high school sweetheart. She told me that I should call Summer, who was her best friend but a good friend of mine for the couple of years I was at Venice...Summer is married with four kids.
A few weeks before I "found" Takara on the internet, I was hoping and wishing and praying that the Angels would send me a Venice boy. I told Takara this the other day, and she said, "an old one, or a new one?". Really either one would be fine, but for me, 'cause I wasn't born and raised in Venice, 'cause all of my boyfriends were gangsters in Venice, and 'cause I left Venice for many, many years...all of the old ones are dead or in prison or I can't find them to save my life.
The only one I'd really, really want to find is Darrell Jason Powell. I hope he got out. I'm pretty sure he did. He was smart, and his older brother didn't seem like he was going to let him be one of the lost ones. I remember driving on the freeway with Darrell one day, when the Bronco II did 70 to zero in 2.2 seconds. The axel fell down out of the car. He got out, took off his t-shirt, and his wifebeater, put the t-shirt back on; and he used the wifebeater to somehow tie the axel back together which lasted long enough to get us to a gas station near the 'hood. Darrell if you're out there I'll never forget that. I liked him because he was young, and so beautiful, and we rarely talked. We never filled the airspace with bullshit conversation just to do it. We said what needed to be said, and that was it.
Maybe I can find another guy like that... That would make me happy. Talk a lot less, to me, and especially about me...and we'll do just fine. Maybe I can find a Venice boy. At this point in my life he could be almost any kind of guy, and we'd have some things in common. I've loosened the rules a lot in the past couple of years, so now I'll take you if you have children. As long as you're a father...I don't need a babydaddy anywhere within a 10 mile radius of myself. And as long as you have your children's mother in check. I cannot, and will not, participate in some bullshit.
Sarah noticed me feeding the kids, and cleaning up after them, and washing dishes, and generally revolving around the domesticities so that Takara could enjoy her party and her family and give her youngest a bottle; and she looked at me so sincerely and said, "Wow, Miranda, you're going to be the best Mom someday."
I always liked Sarah, even though we were polar opposites, we could always peacefully co-exist. I just never knew what a prophet she was.
posted by WALASIA "MJ" SHABAZZ @ 11:13 AM
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