"Harvard Girl" A Story in Multiple Parts Pt. 4

Classes ended, and exams were over.

I thought my year was over.

While attending graduation at my school was mandatory, I was atleast supposed to have a few days off between moving off campus, and coming back to school for the graduation.

People had other plans for me.

I had recently been elected President of the Honor Council, the body charged with educating people about, and also enforcing the Honor Code. It turns out I would have a major hearing. I would preside over the hearing, and also be the voice of the council who informed the administration of our decision.

That particular hearing was tough because I knew the accused, I knew about the alleged incident, and much more. Still I went into my first hearing as President plegding to be focused, to be objective, and to be fair.

It would be easy it was work, I was always about my business.

Life rarely happens that easy, guess who had recently been elected to represent her class on the Honor Council. Sitting in the hearings I was already sick to my stomach. Presiding over hearings made me extremely nervous. I'm talking sweaty palms, anxiety, the works. I knew I had earned the right to be there, was more than capable of holding my own, had earned people's respect, and that people also admired me for my personal integrity. Still I felt a tremendous responsibility rested on my shoulders.

Add to my already nervous feelings the fact that SHE was in my PRESENCE and it didn't help
After the hearing, after the deliberations, we said nothing to each other. When eye contact was made I'd look down. I didn't want her to see the look of longing in my eyes. I couldn't shake it, shake what I was somehow feeling.

For some reason, this confident boy becoming a man, became shy when it involved this petite girl, four years my junior. But with her it was NOT about WHAT I WAS, it wasn't about age, it wasn't about titles,it was about WHO I was. I wanted the chance to prove to her that all that mattered was what could be between us.

After that day I thought I wouldn't see her again until I was a senior.

Wrong again.

It had totally slipped my mind that she had applied to become a member of the same board that I had joined the year before. She'd been turned onto the board by me. Why? I had seen her passion for giving back, and helping others.

Once she joined the board my best friend Epsi became acquainted with her. He failed to see why I was so enamored, but it didn't matter to me. Our boys can't always see what we see. At a certain point it also doesn't really matter.

We saw each other maybe once or twice over the summer for board meetings. After meetings she dipped out. I floated around elsewhere until I was sure she was gone. No one knew why I was "acting funny" and thankfully they didn't pick up on it until later.

It turns out some people would soon find out, before my senior year even began. And no, I didn't tell them all.

To be continued...

"Harvard Girl" A Story In Multiple Parts Pt. 2

It all began way back in 2002.

I was about to begin my junior year of high school. She was about to begin her freshman year.

The day we met was September 2, 2002.

It was significant because it marked the day I moved on campus for yet another year of prep school. It's so funny because every year I said wasn't coming back and every year I did.

Every year I encountered some sort of surprise.

Looking back my time wasn't really that bad, in fact more often than not it was great.

That day I remembered I walked over to the girl's dorm to check in, and to get my keys.

Standing there was this petitie, young, fresh faced girl and her mother. I didn't think much of her except to say hi. Later, when they drove past me I smiled and I waved.

The next day school started, and we went about our business. I'd see her at breakfast, occasionally lunch, and then I'd see her again at dinner.

We had many of the same friends because at our school the black kids hung tight. I was also Vice President/ Secretary of the Black Awareness Club (Black Student Association). By semester's end our President was busy trying to be too much like Bill Clinton while he was in office, if you know what I mean. I ended up de facto President so it was my job to know or know of all the African-American students.

"Harvard Girl" as she is now known was quiet. She was reserved. She was focused. She was driven. She was about her business. Everyone liked her, but few of us really knew her. I knew that she was only 13 when she came to high school, because she had been skipped. I knew that she was of Nigerian parentage. I would learn that I had gone to school with one of her older brothers. I would learn that I had applied to middle school with another one of her brothers.

As time passed I came to see her as gorgeous her skin the color of a darker chocolate, her eyes someone once said were "chinky", she had full cheeks, a sweet voice, and an amusing laugh.

Her work ethic, her drive, and her passion were ALWAYS on display. When we had the rare opportunity to talk you could tell that she had a maturity beyond her 13 years, that she respected herself, that she loved her family, that she was spiritual, and that she was loyal to friends.

Still there wasn't a connection, it was if she were afraid to let anyone in. The more I came to see, the less I felt as though she wanted anyone in. There was something that maybe she wasn't necessarily hiding, but that no one was seeing. For all intents and purposes, she was a mystery to me. Yet, I was drawn to her. I wanted in even more than before.

There was a challenge before me. I didn't want to wear her down. I just wanted her to let me in.

To be continued...

Epsi and My's Adventures

Many of you know one of my two best friends. One of the two men who are like brothers to me. One of them is a fellow blogger. Gary aka Epsilonicus and I have known each other for nearly eleven years. We went to the same middle school. Imagine this, some sixty-five or so boys mostly black but with a few Hispanic, Native American, and Caucasian faces sprinkled throughout, coming together in search of one thing, a quality education. It was billed as an opportunity for us to gain academic enrichment as well as life skills. Our common bond, we were all and most of us are to this day intelligent, ambitious, driven, responsible, passionate, and focused. We came from low-income, disadvantaged, poor families however you want to call it.

What connected us and our lives was that together with our families sometimes mothers and fathers, mostly mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and extended families committed to do what it took for us to elevate ourselves and our lives. We were determined to give ourselves an opportunity to benefit from an education which would allow us to surpass the offerings of our troubled public schools. It started with Saturday enrichment classes for about three hours on Saturday morning's from January until April. This I still remember it consisted of waking up getting dressed, eating breakfast, a drive by my granddad, or a bus ride with my mom to the Academy. This was literally a way of improving our skills, but also a way of testing us to see if we could make it at St. I. Then those who survived were offered spots in a month long summer program in July. This was that second test to see if you could make it at the Academy.

I still remember how I met Eps. There was Adrian this kid who also wanted to attend St. I. Adrian was smart like the rest of us, Adrian also liked clowning. Adrian and I used to after summer class go by the store, then take the bus home. Adrian one day introduced me to Gary. Gary and I stayed friends. Through three years of middle school we got to know each other. Now that I think about it the one time I was really mad at that negro was when he said something about my mom. I wanted to knock his behind out. We got over it. We would hang out after school before we went to the bus stop, we'd call each other, compare homework notes. This fool got me into my first long distance relationship. HaHa her name was Angel and within the period of like two months she had dated me, Gary, and another guy we went to middle school with Devin. HaHa that brings back memories. I would never live down dating someone I had never seen. LoL we phone dated for like a month I think. HaHa. We were dumb in middle school.

When 8th grade came we did what St. I boys do. We went to high school fairs and applied to about as many high schools as some people apply to colleges. Gary chose to attend one prep school in north Baltimore. His high school had more of a reputation for being academically challenged, but more inclined to be artistic, free thinkers, and peace makers (a Quaker school. I chose to attend a non-sectarian 5 day boarding school in Baltimore County, a school which sits on 8 acres, has its own horse barn, and tons of other stuff. I definitely have pride in my high school. I still consult them on diversity matters.

Going from an all-male, mostly black Catholic school to elite private schools was a different experience. Academically we were prepared. Socially we had to adjust. Going to separate schools separated us for a bit. Then in my sophomore year of high school Gary nominated me to serve on the board of a youth grantmaking organization. He was already on the board when I joined. This meant we saw each other a few times a month. Then as time went on and diversity advocacy became my forte we'd see each other at local diversity conferences too. We called each other, we e-mailed each other, we served in the community together. We kept close ties. We were a support system for each other. Few people can understand the sacrifices we made to get where we are today. Yet we get each other. I respect him, admire him, aspire to be like him IN SOME REGARDS, he could learn from me in others.

Now we're about to be seniors in college, but one thing stands in our way. Summer.

It hit me the other day as I read his letter from a hot Florence, Texas, that we've accomplished so much in the twenty years we've been on this planet. It amazed me how far we've come as we've journeyed from boys to men. He wrote of the challenges working 10 hour days, of feeling alone, of lack of communication, and prejudice "My dog has never seen a black person before" yes some woman told him that. On the up side he's decided he may find his future wife in Texas, as long as the wedding's in Maryland. He's also excited to be doing research, to be completing an actual dig.

I know my "first" best friend can make it because he's a strong black man.

Real friendships are hard to come by, luckily I have many. Epsi and I have added a mutual friend to the crew. I have two best friends now, yea, I upgraded during high school. Good thing my two best friends also like each other.

Epsi's doing it big.

My other bestie Kenny is headed to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine this fall.

Watch out cause between the three of us there's a future journalist, a future archaeologist, anthropologist, and professor, and a future M.D.