Seize the Day Read Online Free PDF Page B

stopping post for blacks in D.C. for decades. At one time, in the 1960s, it was a bustling, happening section of town. Bill Cosby had taken his wife on dates at Ben’s Chili Bowl, next to where we were meeting. Over the years, prostitution became the area’s biggest business and the community crumbled. In the last few years, as white developers came in and turned rundown or abandoned buildings into out-of-sight-priced condos and apartments, the black residents were forced to move while whites came in.
    It was equal parts astonishing and sad to see white women pushing babies in carriages and their husbands jogging in a neighborhood once important to a lot of blacks. Gentrification was real, and seeing it in “Chocolate City” bothered me.
    I hadn’t had much of an appetite since the world came crashing down on me, but I took advantage of any opportunity to spend time with Maya. She worked at the State Department after two summers of internships there. We vowed to have dinner at least twice a week after work.
    When I walked into the restaurant, she was at the bar. She looked right at me and turned away; didn’t recognize me. Instead of coming over to her, I watched her from a distance and lost myself in all she meant to me.
    The longer I stared at her, the more she looked like her mother, which caused even more emotions in me to rise. Skylar was an enigma, especially for a woman. I couldn’t trust her and I grew so angry that I could not even speak to her. Maya’s beauty and temperament were similar to her mom’s. But she was made of something pure inside that was all her own.
    With those thoughts in my head, I finally went over to my daughter.
    â€œWell, hello there,” I said.
    Maya looked up at me and had this confused look. She recognized the voice, but the bald head threw her off. I couldn’t quite remember seeing the expression her face wore.
    â€œMaya,” I said.
    She burst into tears. I immediately hugged her. But I wasn’t sure why she was so upset.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    She composed herself and leaned back to look at me. “Dad, what happened? Did you get chemo? I thought you weren’t going to do it.”
    â€œNo, honey, I’m fine,” I said. “I just came from the barbershop.”
    â€œThe barbershop? You got all your hair cut off? Why?”
    â€œRemember I told you I was going to do some things Kevin wrote that he did not get to do? Well, getting a bald head was one of them.”
    She took a deep breath and placed her hand over her heart. “Daddy, I don’t know what I thought when I realized it was you, but it scared me. It’s bad enough I’m scared every time I call you or you call me; I hold my breath to hear the tone of your voice. I brace myself for you to be in pain or panic.
    â€œFor some reason, seeing you with no hair made all kind of bad thoughts race through my mind. Oh, God. I need a drink.”
    â€œA drink? I heard in this movie, ‘Never drink to feel better. Only drink to feel even better.’ ”
    I enjoyed a glass of wine from time-to-time, but gave up alcohol after the transplant. “I was just saying that,” Maya said. “I’m not drinking.”
    â€œCome on, let’s get a table—unless you want to sit here at the bar,” I said.
    â€œOK, we can stay here,” she said.
    â€œI’m sorry. I guess I should have warned you about the bald head. I thought the surprise would make you laugh.”
    She ran her hand over my head. “It does make me laugh now. But when I first saw you… I’m sorry.”
    I rubbed her back.
    â€œIt looks good on you, Daddy. You look younger. You look hip. Probably all the ladies will be all over you now.”
    â€œThey always were; ain’t nothing changed,” I said, and we laughed. It felt good to laugh with my daughter, more than it had in the past. Every experience felt like it could be