This is SO Long Overdue

I wanted to write you a thank you note. But not the usual "thanks so much for the stained glass portrait of our heavenly Father that is now comfortably nestled in my storage unit between the gift card from Claire's and the cable knit sweater that my best friend's grandmother knitted me for my 21st birthday" kind of thank you. The kind that you look at and really realize (hopefully) that you have made a difference in someone's life somehow. Now I can just picture you squirming in your seat at the idea that I'm about to allow even a little peek into the real you because you don't want people to know that you really are a nice guy. And I KNOW that you are cursing at the idea of me putting your government name out into the blogosphere for public consumption. But man up. This one goes out to you, Jarrod M.M.

Thank you for being my opposition. You say black when I say white. You say up when I say down. You say no when I say yes (well.... you don't actually say no....).

Thank you for being my challenge. I have learned that I cannot change you. And that I shouldn't want to. That you are just fine the way that you are. But you require me to ask the really tough questions of myself and you encourage me to be brave enough to hear the answers. You judge me sometimes. But I don't care what anyone says: that shit is necessary sometimes.

Thank you for asking me for another picture. Thank you for putting my nuber back in your phone. Thank you for singing "Get Me Bodied" to me when I was sick. Thank you for staying on the phone with me when that lady called me a "fucking bitch" and helping me to allow her to stay alive to tell the story to her goddam countrymen in her motherfucking language (woosahhhhh). Thank you for reminding me that I am not always right. Not even half the time. Hell, not even some of the time. Thank you for reminding me how old I am. Every day. Several times a day. Thank you for asking me when we were going on our first date. For not quitting when I didn't answer your calls. For saying "hi." For ironing your shirt on a borrowed ironing board. For being on time. For walking me to my car. For finally saying it. And meaning it. "The Mack." "The Boondocks." "New Jack City." Dave Chapelle. Chapel Hill. Carrot cake at Red Star. The Cheesecake Factory (oh yeah, that's right. That was the baby.). Lady of Rage. Jenny from the Block. Township. Hampton. Newport News. Norfolk. 2005. 2006. 2007.

Thank you for being the laughter of my life. And (you're really gonna hate this part): I love you.