|
 I am unknown to most who may read this. Although I have had one of my poems published, and several ‘Letter to Editors’, printed in several newspapers, including ‘USA Today’, I have not regarded myself necessarily as a ‘writer’.
However, as I have traveled through this journey called ‘life’, I have become aware, that I have been blessed with an uncanny ‘comprehension quotient’, coupled with, ‘an eagle eye’ for detail and ‘noteworthy communication skills’.
I was born, and grew up in a small, rural town, (Oxford, NC), during the late 40’s and 50’s. One of the so-called ‘baby boomers’. ‘Time’ has demonstrated that among the countless contributions ‘boomers’ added to society, we also experienced life in a way that regrettably, many now may never know. That is unfortunate, and in many ways ‘sad’, for the spirit of the 60’s and 70’s came close to how humanity should exist. (There could be some debate regarding the ‘authority’ of this statement; however, I believe ‘most’ who have ‘lived long enough’ would tend to agree with this point). After graduation from high school, I attended a state university; then through the draft system, ended up in the US Army for two years…..in Hawaii. This was the first time I began to think, “Maybe I am one of God’s “special children”, (Ninety percent of my basic training class ended up in Vietnam).
‘High school’ was when and where I found my love and talent for English, Journalism, Shakespearean sonnets, and poetry...(see appendix) ‘College’ was where and when, I discovered my; intellect’, capabilities, and sense of self and purpose.
‘Hawaii’ was when and where I discovered ‘women’! I state this with ‘exclamation’ for if you have to wait so long for the discovery of the most enticing creatures on this planet, then Hawaii is surely “the place” for it to occur. Hawaii is also where, as a talent agent and concert promoter, I met and worked with many ‘name entertainers’, ( Sammy Davis Jr., Redbone, Lobo, the Platters, Commodores, Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Ramsey Lewis, Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, Fifth Dimension, Sly & the Family Stone, Rubicon, just to mention a few.)
It was also in Hawaii, that I ‘discovered’ ‘chivalry’, or as I saw it,’just being a gentleman’, worked ‘wonders’ for attracting the opposite sex. I have always carried myself as a ‘gentleman,’ for this is the manner in which my father instilled into me, as well as the manner in which he treated my mother, so I felt this was simply, the ‘way to be’. Only after some time in the ‘women pool’ of Hawaii, did I begin to realize, not all men act in such a manner, and, as a result, I would be “swimming in paradise”, literally.
|
