It’s been two
years since I placed a ring in Frank Stasio’s nose. It was one of the best days I’ve spent in
Durham. How can you forget the day a crowd
too large to count gathered on the700 block of Rigsbee Avenue to marry Durham?
I’m still
married to Durham. The love affair gets
better each year. The better is getting
better and the worse isn’t so bad. You
learn to appreciate and celebrate the totality of the relationship. The truth is all that bad stuff wasn’t so
bad. It all depends on how you look at
things.
So, I’m
getting ready to celebrate two years of marriage. Frank Stasio will join me and the rest of the
gang at the Motorco/Fullsteam end of Rigsbee to rekindle memories of the
marriage between citizens and a city. Things kick off at 2:00 pm, and the
Bulltown strutters will lead the parade starting at 2:30 pm. If you missed the wedding day and last year’s
anniversary, please, please don’t miss the celebration of year two.
Many of Durham’s
black women will be at the PNC arena to listen to J.D. Jakes at Women’s
Empowerment. It’s always troubling that
many miss the wedding due to conflicting events. I can’t blame people for wanting to hear
Jakes and Wendy Williams share inspirational messages. I would love to hear Erykah Badu and Charlie
Wilson perform.
It happens
every year. Should I celebrate Durham or opt to be entertained at Women’s
Empowerment? What matters the most, a
parade with folks wearing wedding dresses and tuxedos, or a gathering of some
of the top black speakers in entertainers in the country?
Sounds like
an easy one – go with option number two. Right? Wrong. Deciding to renew my vows is one of the most
important things I could do. It’s the
most important thing we, as a city, can do.
Yes, it has been done before, but we need it more and more with the
passing of every year.
Why? Because
Durham continues to get thrown under the bus by those brainwashed into
believing Durham is unsafe. It’s
important that we put the rest of the region and nation on blast. Durham is all of that with two bags of
chips. Durham is supersized. It’s the best among the rest, and we are
willing to march, dance, sing and shout it year after year. We keep coming back because we take our vows
seriously.
There are
other places I could be on Saturday. I
could stay home and watch a basketball game.
I could head over to Raleigh and participate in the festivities at the
PNC arena. I could do that, but why
would I? How could I?
Why would I
say that? I say it because no city has loved me like Durham. No other city allows me to be myself. Durham has received the best and worst of
me. Yes, it has been rocky at
times. There are days when I’m forced to
sleep on the couch. I’ve been thrown out
a few times, but she keeps letting me come back. She loves me – for better and for worse.
It’s
important that I tell her how much I love her.
I’ve taken her for granted. I
cheated on her a bit this past year. A
few other cities caught my attention. I
saw them looking at me on the internet.
They looked so lovely. Words
about her sucked me in and had me considering a relationship. I continue to be tempted. Yes, I’m guilty of
being seduced.
I love
Durham, and I know Durham loves me. I do, over and over again!
Join me on Saturday to say I love you!
Come Celebrate Our Second Anniversary
2:00-5:00 pm • Parade at 2:30 pm
Saturday, March 23, 2013
700 Block of Rigsbee Avenue
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