Perspectives

I was talking to a friend of mine from Los Angeles a few days ago. It made me recall a time, some years prior, when I had told him I was coming to visit.

“Cool,” he said. “There are some dynamite strip clubs in LA.”

I responded, “My brother. I don’t go to strip clubs in Cleveland, why would I travel all the way to Los Angeles to go to one?”

Anyway, when I arrive, he says he still has to go by one to transact some business, and would I mind.

”No,” I answered. “ Do what you do. “

We get there, and I take a seat in the far corner. After a few minutes, a young lady, in her mid-twenties, resembling my favorite actress, Angela Bassett, comes up to me and slides her hand up my leg. “Can I do something for you?”

“Naw. I’m good.”

“Really? Then why are you here?”

I pointed to my friend talking to another man across the room. “I’m waiting for this brother to take care of his business.”

“Oh. Okay. You mind if I sit here, then? It’s kind of slow tonight.”

“Have a seat.”

We engaged in small talk for a while before I asked, “So, what are you going to do when you leave here?”

She perked up. “You mean tonight?”

“No. I mean for the rest of your life. You got a whole lot of life left after you are finished with places like this.”

She gave me this quizzical look before shrugging. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t you feel it’s something you should be thinking about?”

“Um. Yeah?”

“What’s your passion?” I asked.

“Well, one of my friends gave me this Leica camera for Christmas, and I think I’ve taken some really good shots of people and nature. I believe I would like to pursue that.”

“A Leica is a great camera.”

She smiled. “So I’ve been told.”

We talked about subscribing to magazines that would help her understand the market better, getting formal training, finding a mentor, and selling her work. After another five minutes of conversation, she called over to the bar, “Give Everett a drink on me.”

My buddy hears this across the room, cocks his head, and gives me the same look the young lady gave me when I asked about her future. When we get ready to leave, she walks me to the door and kisses me on the cheek.

In the car, he taps me on the shoulder, “When y’all gonna hook up, playa?” He smiled smugly and nodded. “I knew you would like that place.”

I didn’t even answer. He wouldn’t have understood.