Halloween Rant
Ok, I know I am getting older. I really am trying not to sound like an old person. I remember being young, and being pissed when I did something wrong or stupid and the neighbor would pop me or even spank me, depending on what I did. I understand that kids should make mistakes and even do stupid things to be young. However, I so wish i would have reached back and popped the hell out of this kid during the Halloween weekend.
Pier 39 is a wonderful, ecclectic place. They decided to hand out candy to kids as a safe thing to do for Halloween. We took Destiny out there, and tried to have a good time. There is a lovely art gallery downstairs, beautiful nature shots, and things that I can actually see paying that much for a piece of artwork there.
In this gallery, three kids, no more than twelve came up and said "trick or treat". They weren't wearing any costumes, and I was like, ok, whatever. They will probably get one piece of candy each, since the lady was a polite person. She reached to give them candy, and pointed out that they weren't in costume. Ladies and gentlemen, I promise you that the following quote is verbatim. No exaggeration. No embellishment. If you don't believe me, please feel free to ask Sheila.
"I'm a pimp. I'm a hustler. I'm a player. You betta recognize a playa when you see one."
(pause for about 5 seconds and reflect on what you just heard)
I so wanted to (taking a phrase from way back in the day) slap the black off them. I don't mean it racially. I mean it that I wanted to smack them into next Halloween, and only hope that one day that their children embarrass the hell out of not only them, but anyone else who sees what the kids are saying. If you are going to go someplace that seems to have more class than you do, please don't try to stand out and be a pompous ass trying to be cool. You aren't cool, you don't look cool, and since I have to tell you this, trust me when I say you won't ever be cool in that situation, and probably never be cool in a place where you want to be eventually in your life.
Parents of these kids.... WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? Where is your pride and sense of self. You let your kids go into a gallery, hang out at a shopping center, some go to church, go to public places, and act like f*ckin fools and idiots. And the worst part is that it is a reflection of you. I remember my mother, father, Mary from across the street, the neighbor next door, I did something wrong, stupid, or would embarrass my neighborhood, they would not only smack/spank me, but they would walk me home to my mom, tell my mom what I did, and I got beat again. I will be damned if you can find a story from my mom or dad or neighbors that would remember me being that age and find more than three stories where I did something like that. I am not saying that this generation can't be redeemed, and has no chance...but the only chance is ... THE FREAKING PARENTS!!!
So, I bit my tongue. I didn't say what I should have said in that role. I should have told them to treat the lady who was bustin her ass working, making sure the kids had candy, and yet earn her living with respect. I should have told them to apologize to her and all the adults, and even the younger kids around them for being a bad example of what a decent human being is. I should have created a scene to make sure they realized that they are not only representing themselves, but representing every young man, every young black man, every poor kid, everyone that they would identify with because they were an embarrassment.
And not to trivialize (and though this is funny, it is meant in seriousness), I have met pimps. I have met playas. I have met hustlers. If you ever meet them, good luck in recognizing them. They are business people, who live and die on respect. Not the "oooh, he said something about me, now I must kill him". It is a respect of business. If you respect any business, any hustle, and respect yourself, you will succeed. This wearing your pants around your thighs (made popular because you can't wear belts in prison) and the pink pic in the afro (which we got rid of in the early 80's) and the crisp white t-shirt (because you would rather iron a t-shirt instead of getting a regular shirt and a job) is not what a pimp, playa, or hustler is about. Want to talk about pimps, see Ice-T and what he became because he respected and was respected. Want to see a playa, look at Chris Rock, DL Hugley, Will Smith. They know the game, they played it. They are veterans with more than what these new-found pimps and playas have. As for a hustler, look up Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, Jay-Z, and people who found a hustle, and ran it to the bank.
But please, dear god please, don't go around in baggy jeans and a white t-shirt and say you are a pimp, a playa, or a hustler. And if you actually are a pimp, playa, or hustler that dresses like that, realize you are the low man on the totem pole. Find the boss, the guy with the most money in your line, and you will see what a pimp, playa, or hustler looks like.
Parents, please love and teach your kids about what happens to the pimps, playas, and hustlers that work the nickel and dime areas. Love them enough to point out that many of them end up dead. That many of them lose loved ones because they don't respect the business aspect of it. But most of all, love them enough to teach them that they can lose their own children getting wrapped up in this game. It isn't like it was. And where it is going...
- November 5, 2005