Have you ever seen a grown man cry?

I know black history month is over but this is an experience I felt compelled to share.

I was on TDY recently and was having a stressful trip home. I almost didn't make the first leg of my trip, L A traffic was so thick and slow it took me almost 3 hours to get from Pasadena to the rental return. Then when I got to the rental place the driver was in no big hurry to leave... and par for the course, my stop was the last one on the concourse. I was so anxious to get off the shuttle I got up and got my bags. The moment the door came open I may as well have had a cape on because I flew out of the door of the shuttle and almost landed at the door of the airport. I found the electronic ticket machine whipped out the GSA credit card and my fingers moved at the speed of sound entering my information my flight was less than an hour away ...and I was in LAX...I looked at the screen and a message came up: Unable to check baggage, Too late. See counter for check in. I gasped, WHAT THE F...ATHER! I only had one bag to check and of course because I had been there a few days it was a "big'un." I rolled my bag to the attendant and explained my dilemma and she said in an extremely mundane manner "You're Late". Thank you Albert Einstein-ess is was what I was thinking but what came out of mouth was "Yes, what do I need to do about my bag?" She gave it the "magic eye" and responded that she thinks it's ok and is small enough to be carry on. Praise Jesus!!! was what was in my mind but what came out of my mouth was "Thank you." So I scurried to the security line bag in tow and I was suddenly detained by the sign that talked about the do's and dont's of carry on baggage...explosive items, weapons ...blah blah blah...fluids in non-transparent containers over a certain size. FraggleNakkle Doo Doo!!! My mind suddenly flashed back to the pristine collection of shampoos, conditioners, and lotions I had collected over the past few days courtesy of the Hilton which currently resided in my carry on.

I frantically opened my bag and began a one man water bucket style assault disposing the bottles into the container they lovingly placed there for just such and occasion. I showed my ID and began stripping myself of all metal in preparation. Cut on my netbook opened it, took out my ticket and at the last moment took off my shoes before I approached the X-ray. Now apparently the older guy in front of me hadn't flown in a while and wasn't in nearly as big a hurry as I was to catch the flight as I was because he didn't begin this metal stripping, shoe removing, electronic activating process until he got to the machine....and I say again...FraggleNakkle Doo Doo!!! Ok I made it through I am at the starting line of the concourse...waiting for my batons to be passed too me so I can make the 300 meter dash to my gate. At the time I thought it wise to forgo replacing the shoes as they wer still tied and I just heard the last boarding call for my flight. At the time. I grabbed my bags and my shoes and began the race to the gate to discover that socked feet and slick floors aren't very fond of each other. NOOOOO I didn't fall but what others saw I'm sure was a spectacle to onlookers watching this slow motion O.J. Simpson impression coming through. I made it to the gate just as the last person entered panting and now trying to put on my shoes. I was in such a rush I decided I will put them the rest of the way on on the plane. They were high tops and half way on so I did the tippy-toe walk down the runway onto plane, too my seat and once again...FraggleNakkle Doo Doo!!! there was a feller in the seat next to mine as big or bigger than me and I have the window seat. There is no way I'm going to be able to get to my shoes. So I wound up flying from LAX to ATL in tippy toe hell. Now I know you're thinking so whats all this got to do with black history month...? I'm gettin' to it. Finally ATL!!!!

I tip toe off the plane and find the first seat I can so I can put on these shoes! Ahhhhh !!! relief and I have a 3 hour layover. So I'm gingerly walking through the airport people watching, checking the shoppes etc and looking for my concourse, when I see an MLK display, and I walk right by it (black history month right?). I've seen MLK stuff before...been to the museum ..the church etc...I've seen it all. But I looked at my watch and in my mind I thought you've got plenty of time. So I made a U-turn to see the display. Now it wasn't exceptional it was just there. I looked over the hodge podge of stuff that was in the display and suddenly it caught my eye. Under a glass case aged but still glistening. The Nobel Peace Prize, accompanied by information saying at age 35, he was the youngest man, second American, and the third black man to be so honored, 1964. It stopped me cold. I began to reflect. I must have stared at that medal for 15 minutes. I thought about his life and how in so few years how he impacted all of ours. How his efforts and his sacrifices will aid future generations. The suffering he endured. The hard decisions he had to make. The resistance he faced for trying to do the right thing. Nights spent in jail in the name of equality. The many miles marched. The many he inspired. The sacrifice his family had to endure. The death threats, the fires, the bombing and the eventual assassination of this one very spiritual servant and messenger of God, who's mission in life was simply peace and equality for humanity. I was humbled, appalled, angered, and in came a rush of emotions I''ve never felt about a man I've never known. It put things in perspective for me all that I experienced before was worthless. My problems were null, my concerns petty.

I grabbed the handle of my bag, and when I did the emotions settled in the pit of my stomach like thanksgiving dinner. As I was about to leave moisture welled up in my eyes and before I could stop them a single tear escaped from each eye one for his life and one for his legacy. I wiped the rest so they would attract no more and began my walk. I was saying good bye to a dear friend I never knew.

I love you Dr. King, you are sorely missed, P.S. Have you ever seen a grown man cry?

If you would like to see the exhibit you can check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOYX8QdQt5g