SULLIVAN BRYNE and VALDEZ UPWARD BOUND

Sorry to hear that Calvin passed away. I thought about him today and went searching on the Internet. I had not seen him since childhood, but as soon as I saw the obituary I knew it was Calvin. We grew up two doors away. We were classmates in 6th grade at Nathanial Dett Elementary on the westside of Chicago. It was a brand new school and we were all transferred over from William Suder, a nearby overcrowded school. I was on my way to fifth grade but found myself in a 6th grade classroom knowing it was a mistake, but too shy to say anything. I didn’t see any other kid I recognized except Calvin, my neighbor and who was at least a year older. He was already drinking beer. With Calvin staring at me, I sat there on pins and needles waiting for the teacher to send me off, or for Calvin to tell on me because he had asked me the first day what was I doing there. I sat patiently just hoping Calvin would not give me up and one day turned into one week, to one month, and to one year. HIs father, Mr. Morrow, use to cut my hair using a bowl. Not easy to forget all of that. Rest In Peace my brother, and thanks for not telling. John “Liljohn” Robert Bland, Author

SO THAT IS WHAT PROFILING IS… The high school vice principal, on my second day, cornered me in the boy’s toilet after older white kids ran out with a large box. Was only using the toilet but he rushed me down to the principal’s office for interrogations. Sent to this school as a desegregation measure, just a freshman peeing. So, this angry principal could not get anything out of me because I had nothing to give and for 4 years I avoided him until graduation day, when he and not Mrs Harris ,who rehearsed us for graduation, was standing at the podium issuing the diplomas. Four long years of winters, snow, Mayor Daley Sr, the Democratic Convention, Chicago Seven,, the Vietnam War and I’m walking up more focused on doing everything right like Ms. Harris taught us; in the presence of mother and Big Mama. As the principal handed me my diploma with his left-hand, he refused to shake my right-hand, leaving me hanging out to dry. What a grudge this evil man had. I figured he had a doll made of me and kept it in his desk and poked it with pins and needles for 4 long years while he ate his sandwiches. As it turned out, I was the highest academic ranked graduating African American if that mattered at all on a ceremonial occasion. I never got over it because Big Mama was present, a tall large woman who had kept me in check all my life with her large slipper and told me to become a doctor. Sorry Big Mama, I could not handle the blood. Had I given her the eye, she would have stormed the podium . I could write the movie..