“A Farewell to My President.”

-“From this side of the River.”-

It’s been a gloomy day, this Friday, January 20th, 2017 in Gilbert, Arizona. But then again, the entire desert winter has been unusually melancholic, almost ill-omened.

Today is one of those days that are ashen and rainy that are best spend naked between the sheets, with a loving, warm, and willing body next to one.

Luckily for me, my day was utilized in the midst of a High School seeing how our youth struggles to find themselves and a logical route, while at the same time watching the majority of them slide through their classes totally oblivious of the tempests reality of the world they’ll soon have to confront.

So I had no time to watch the coronation. I had vowed that as an act of solidarity to most of our beliefs I would not witness it any ways. Inevitably the media will illustrate me about the key moments.

Like most of you, I saw him first that Tuesday, as the Keynote speaker of the Democratic Party Convention of 2004. Our interest in the DNC convention then was focus on Senator John Kerry dethroning the incumbent, George II.

By the time Obama got to the phrase “Is not a Blue or Red America. It’s the United States of America!” part of the speech I was convinced of future potential by his eloquence, the logic within his sentences and his undeniable orator skills. As soon the convention was finished my phone rang. It was my hommie, J.C.

Hey…did you hear the state senator from Illinois?
Yes. I did.
Had an African Name.
Yes. Barack Hussein Obama.
Hussein? Like the dude from Iraq?
Exactly.
Well, that ain’t good, though. The similarity will hurt him. Specially being black.
I agree. Just one thing though…
What?
This guy can think. This guy has a future in Presidential politics.
What makes you think that?
The eloquence with which he spoke… and Chris Mathews just said it on T.V.
Chris Who?
Chris Mathews of MSMBC.
Is he a brother?
No. He is a white man.
Oh! You mean the “Hard Ball, dude!
That’s the one.
He said Osama was Presidential material?
Obama. Osama is the Saudi Rebel.
See what I mean? Yeah, Barack Obama. Wait a minute. This is the guy that beat Alan Keyes.
The same one. Now you got it. So what do you think?
Columbia, Harvard, Harvard Law review, Community organizer, President.
How soon, you think?
It’s too late for this one. Junior and Elmer Fudd got it sawn up. But 2008 would be good. What number would he be?
Well figure it out. Junior is forty three.
So Barack would be forty four. That was Jim Brown number at Syracuse.
It’s a long shot but it’s possible. Obama in 2008.
That was then. And incredibly, four years later we got to see what few ever thought they would see; An original, first generation Afro-American President. One who, despite tremendous obstructions by those that see only the shades of the colors of money and race tried to equally serve all. Because of his plead “not to judge until you feel what’s inside the other person’s shoes,” I’ll give a pause to see if what was promised to be done, is done.

For the moment, I’ll reminisce about one of those, once in a lifetime, life; An enlightened human being who has influenced my views of politics like only two others before, Gandhi and Martin; My President, Barack Hussein Obama. As I wish him well in his next private life, I also hope to see and hear his words of guidance for decades more…From this side of the river.