The Sun Went Up

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

When I was very young, probably in sixth grade, the mother of one of my closest friends at the time called me to ask if I wanted to go to the theater. I jumped at the opportunity. Even in elementary school I loved theater. In fact my first appearance in a large scale theater production was the year before in the musical Carmen Jones with her son as a cast mate. After I told her yes she asked to speak to my mom and I got the final go ahead. Hours later I was on my way to the theater to see the musical Spunk based on three short stories by Zora Neal Hurston. Each tale spins a fable of black love, good, bad or bittersweet.

More than I remember what each story was about I remember the transitions the cast did in between certain pieces. They walked the stage and sang...

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

Their voices were all in sync. Beautiful black voices. And each time they sang that the sun went down I knew another day had lapsed.

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

Many years now separate me from elementary school and when my friend moved to the suburbs during junior high I lost contact with him. That was until recently when I happened to be searching for something online and ran across his name. I took that clue and it led to another and there I was reading his biography. He has become a guitarist that likes women who play drums. That makes sense to me because his mother used to play the congas. Maybe he is like many men and in search of his mother in a lover. It seemed so random that I happened across his name on the internet.

Even more interesting is that last night I attended a reception and started talking to a friend about his new job. When I got home last night I decided to visit the website for his organization. While browsing the page with staff names and biographies I saw my friends mother listed.

I wonder if the universe is trying to tell me something. I am wondering if there is a connection that I need to make to them or in my own life through them.

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

While I have been for many years separated from my old friend physically I have forever been and will forever be connected with the memories of our relationship and its effect on me. My dear childhood friend was special and so was his mother. She is a lesbian.

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

The first time I slept over his house was in the fifth or sixth grade. He and I had stayed up all night laughing, talking and writing. The next day we woke up very late in the morning and proceeded to the kitchen for breakfast. We sat across from each other eating our cereal and his mother stood near some cabinets talking to us. A woman who seemed to have a constant presence in my friends’ life and was always at the house then came from upstairs - the same upstairs where I had slept the night before. My curiosity was peaked. She said hello to my buddy and I, then walked to his mother, said good morning and kissed her on the lips.

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

That began my first true introduction to lesbian and gay relationships. From the bio that I read on the web last night they are still together and have been for 22 years. Love is beautiful and so are the people that do. I am sure that when they kissed in front of me many moons ago they had no idea that I would remember that one kiss nearly 15 years later. Memories, I am so blessed to have them.

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

Tomorrow afternoon I am leaving for Los Angeles. I decided to spend the weekend of my birthday there with Blue Sky, one of my most cherished and loved friends. Because he lives on the other side of the US we don’t get to see each other nearly as often as either of us would like and I figured this would be the greatest time to celebrate our friendship and life. His birthday is just a few days after mine.

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

Blue Sky will be the only other person at my official birthday celebration this year. When the sun goes down on Sunday, September 25 I will be 25 and when it rises on Monday, September 26 I too will be 26. The sun and the ocean will greet me a good morning and happy birthday on the beach.

And the sun went up. And the sun went down. And the sun went up. And the sun went down.

What lie ahead for me in the next year I don’t know, only God does. I am thankful for what he has allowed me to see, do and experience thus far and continue to pray that the best is yet to come.

And the sun went up.