A DOLLAR...?

As teenagers, Murray, James, Roscoe, Goose, Larry, Ray Ray and me used to get sharp on Easter Sunday and ride to downtown Chicago. I made it a point to get my shoes shined , even when it snowed that one Easter afternoon. I also recall another Easter Sunday when this rival gang member snatched my brown felt Armstrong hat, the one with the brown and white rope band, and Goose, all in what seemed one motion, ran in a restaurant grabbed a fork and chased the guy about two blocks but without success. For the most part however, Easter Sunday was the time when all seven of us rode the el train together, went to a movie together, and ate together at Ronnie’s Steak House on 100 W. Randolph. Our total expenses on those holiday outings, believe it or not, was less than ten dollars each, and the memories of what we experienced, while being together, were worth much more than money could buy.

It’s now the second Sunday after the Easter of 2015, and I’m sitting in the JFK airport with a four hour layover when my wife Nicole asks me if I’m going to write this week’s blog while waiting for the plane. I let her know that I don’t have a topic as of yet, and that I’m going to take a walk with the hope of being inspired. While walking I spot a shoe shine stand. Without giving it any thought I step onto the platform, take a seat and prop my feet on the two supports. Now I hadn’t given any thought to those Easters I spoke of earlier, but what happened next was the impetus for what I’m sharing with you now.

While sitting there I’m getting bothered cause the operator is on his cell phone and seems more concerned with texting than shining shoes. Just as I decide to get up, he concludes what he’s doing and asks me what kind of shine I want. Somewhat relieved, I look to where his eyes are focused and there’s a sign which reads:

Bullet Proof Shine  $10   longest lasting shine…most protection and conditioning  

Basic Shine  $8   standard polishing…including conditioning and edge treatment  

The Quickie  $5  one coat wonder…gets you to the gate on time 

Being a bit amused, I opt for the Basic and strike up a conversation asking how he got started in the business, and how he feels about what he’s doing. He starts the shoe shine process, tells me that he works for a company, that nobody is watching over him and that shining shoes is a dying art form. This takes all of two minutes and before I can start my spiel, he pats my shoe in the old shoe shine tradition, and says, without even looking me in the eye, that’s $8. I step down give him a twenty and he walks away to another establishment. He comes back with the change, hands me twelve, I tip him two, and I walk away thinking, “Yea, my man, shining shoes is a dying art form and you’re helping to kill it. After all, you didn’t pop that rag one time.

I’m back to being perturbed now, and suddenly the lyrics to a cut, performed by the1970’s group the ‘Dynamic Superiors’ , comes to mind…

Shoe shoe shine used to cost a dime
A penny could buy you plenty.
A nickel was the fare to take you anywhere
Troubles we didn’t have many.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not upset about the money, I’m bothered about how our attitudes have changed and see that change as one of the reasons why our relationships with one another are not what they used to be. When you got your shoes shined back in the day it was by some cat aged 8-80 who was in a barber shop or shoe shine parlor where all the hustlers, pimps, and players would be in and out talkin trash, lying and signifying. No matter how young or old the shoe shine operator was, he was able to hold a conversation with the best of them, cause he knew he might learn or teach a little somethin somethin, while making a nice tip in the meantime. 

He knew he wasn’t gonna get rich, cause the real money was being made in the back. All you OG’s (Original Gangsters) know what I’m talking about and the rest of y’all can use your imagination to figure it out.  Point is people were not constantly focused on the dollar, and on all the gimmicks that distract us from consciously interacting with each other. They were thinking, “How can what I do, make something happen for you.” Be it in a restaurant, airport or what have you, be it the customer or the worker, folk took a little time out to focus on somebody else beside themselves. 

Let’s be like those people if only for a moment at a time. Let’s have that ‘I got somethin for you’ attitude of the the shoe shine man poppin that rag, or the hustler trying to sell him the Brooklyn Bridge. Let’s remember those Easter Sundays with me and Murray and them and look at how much we can share in the time we spend together, rather than what it costs us to do so.

I’ll holla…

To comment or respond please click on the word comments at the bottom of this page, or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com