For my Black Rose…

I had just started working at an internet café. Not much happened there when I started, so I’d get off work early once in a while. I was trying to prove myself in the workplace and make a name for myself, so several times, I found myself wondering around town after work hours, looking for rival internet cafés, seeing what they were doing right and what I could adopt to better my own place…

Although it was said that I worked at the best café in town, I had heard of one very strong rival café that was still at par with mine. So, one Tuesday, after hours as usual, I walked in and presented myself as a customer, with the mindset of a student. I was here to learn. I was about to take a few notes from this place and take them to my own.  I opened my Facebook page and started to stare around as the café attendant did her work… She had braids that kept falling over her face, covering her reading glasses as she buried herself in whatever work she was doing. A lady’s jacket to hide whatever top she was wearing inside, a pair of jeans and Brown Levi’s covered her below the waist. She has some music playing… although it was inaudible, I felt I knew the artist…

After my session was over, I walked over to her desk, ready to make my payment. As I drew close, the song got clearer. It was ‘Shake it Off’ by Florence and the machine, off their most recent album at the time. As she processed my payment, I decided to make conversation as a way of being polite. And so I asked, “You listen to Rock Music?”. “Yeah, I do. Why do you ask?” “I listen to rock myself. What genre? Alternative, soft, you know, easy stuff. Rhetorically, I asked, so you listen to Florence and the machine? YES!!! Oh Yes I do. It’s just sad I can’t find their whole album, the new one I mean. Oh. I thought I heard you playing something from it. I was, but that was one song. I said, I have it… I can bring it in for you tomorrow………”

I remembered how we started out… and it humbled me fam. I started out as just a random kid, way below your class in whatever category you placed me in. but you took me on as someone on the same level. I really don’t know how, but your response is the kindest thing I have seen in a long time. You inspired me to reach heights I feel I wouldn’t have as soon as I did if you weren’t there to push me. That one raw friend I can’t count on for a brutally honest response, answer or review and still know I have my Nigguh within.

Dude, thanks a lot for not flipping on me when I expected you to (Like over the pictures I took and never Delivered. I am really sorry about those), for being a shoulder I could cry on when I needed to, for allowing me to be a friend close enough for you to trust with some of your most sensitive matters (for actually being able to cry in front of me!!!! Dude I’m still psyched. I felt Valid in Mwenya’s life) and a lot of other things, some subliminal that I may not entirely remember. But mostly, I want to thank you for being with me as I took up my Christian walk Seriously. I realized just how much having you and Jeremiah around meant to me as Bwalya, the growing boy, Bwalya, the Growing Christian, and even as Diamond Dice, the Little man trying to conquer the world.

I stepped out of my comfort zone and I lost it all.. Yo! Dude it’s been mad enough to make me feel lost and found, happy and sad, frustrated and alright all at the same time… I have slipped in my faith, countless times. It’s crazy fam. But I have had time to look back at where I have come from with all of this, and this has been one of the biggest landmarks in my whole Journey. Knowing Mwenya.

Fam thank you. I can’t say it enough, but thank you… thank you very much.