Last night I woke up at 12:34am, so I made a wish and went back to sleep. I woke up again at 1:23am, I smiled and thought "WTF" and went back to sleep. My mom woke me up with her Angel Number at 2:22am. Then I woke up again at 3:33am, the time my alarm usually goes off during the week.
I woke up at 4:11am and decided that the Dream Police were fucking with me all night long and it's time to start Saturday and figure out the Morning Chalkboard.
I checked my notifications and noticed one post had unusual visits. It wasn't the post with Betty the Green Blazer on top of the garage or the post with the tub of Old Style.
It was the post with the sign from McNally's Irish bar on the Southside. They often put something on the marquee that is politically timed to the current news around Chicagoland.
Recently they said, "How bout this if pulled over by CPD comply."
What caught me off guard was how a friend of mine who is retired from law enforcement and a friend of mine who is black became involved. They made their statements and moved along. No argument, no ranting, no trying to change each other’s opinions.
I ended up writing a story on that post and thought it would be perfect to carry on to The Morning Chalkboard.
Years ago, my father and I were driving on Lake Street around Central Avenue in Austin. We were hit from behind by a black man who didn’t see my dad at the stop light.
I learned another Don Shepley lesson that Saturday afternoon.
My father and the gentleman both got out of the car, inspected the damage and had a conversation in front of my dad’s Cadillac.
My dad didn’t call the police, didn’t even take down the man’s information. They talked for several minutes, shuffled around, sat on the hood.... they laughed, they got serious, they laughed, they walked over to the curb and then.....
....My dad did his patented comforting left hand on the man's right shoulder, right hand firmly gripped on the guy’s left tricep, followed by his everything is going to be alright speech.
When my dad got in the car I asked him what happened. Why he didn’t call CPD, why did he drive away with a dent?
“Son…. Things aren’t fair in life. That poor son of a bitch ran into a Cadillac with two white men from Oak Park in it. He was fucked! He gets up every morning in a harder world than you and I live in. If I could make his life a little easier, that’s what I’ll do Moose!”
The next weekend my dad and I drove up to North Austin and picked up Randy and took him to Gossage with us. A couple weeks later we picked him up again and took him to Bishop’s Chili at 18th and Damen.
Randy was the guy that ran into my dad. They became friends and Randy ended up working in a railroad shop that my Oldman inspected.
My dad had a strong judge of character and a good heart. I hope I can pass that down to the Shepkids.
Give people a chance. Listen to them... Think about walking in their shoes. If you are in a position to be kind, DO IT!
Last Sunday it was Eighty-two degrees and today won't get over fifty! Might be a good day to get the chores and errands done while the sun is shining. Go home and put some taste in the crock pot and some love on the box springs....
..... and if you are in a position to be kind, DO IT!
