Home Is Where The Heart Is

"When I think of home, I think of a place..." If you could hear me sing that in my best Stephanie Mills voice, then you KNOW what I'm talking about. Around this very time 2007, I was preparing to move all of my belongings out of my campus apartment at Delaware State University and heading back home, due to my lease ending at the end of that month and that I would be finished my final two classes in a little more than two weeks time. I felt like a failure in returning to my mother's house, a job after my imminent graduation unsecured. I was so anxious to get out on my own, so driven to leave the small-but-big city atmosphere of Wilmington, DE that I literally jumped at the first job that was offered to me. Close to 10 months later, I've learned from that mistake, and it is one I will never make again. I could rail against where I live now, but I'd rather remember home.

I'd rather remember my evening walks into downtown Wilmington, chaperoned by police cars and security units on bikes, desperate to keep the burgeoning business and arts district violence and crime free.

I'd rather remember the morning walks past one of the many banking headquarters in Wilmington down to the train station magazine store, picking up a new copy of KING magazine.

I'd rather remember REAL Philly Chicken Cheesesteaks from Hot Spot's on Miller Road.

I'd rather remember driving close to an hour from Wilmington to Dover to get my haircut at Jaze, the best barbershop in the state's capital.

I'd rather remember going to a Thursday night football game for the first time as an alumni of Delaware State University and having people go "wow Chris, you HAVE lost weight!"

I'd rather remember Rita's...sweet Rita's and her water ice.

I'd rather remember Philly girls. I miss my Rasheedahs, Aishas, Aleeshas, Kims, LaToyas, Shakimas, Lachelles, Janelles and Aliyahs. And yes, I miss their real, take-no-ish, this is me, I'm loud and proud with my dyed hair and Philly attitudes. So very real.

I'd rather remember CBS3 Eyewitness News with Angela Russell at 4 on the weekdays, Anne Marie Green on weekend mornings and Mary Stoker Smith on weekend nights.

I'd rather remember DirecTV at mom's crib. Boomerang and ESPN Classic all day, everyday.

I'd rather remember my first freelance assignments for two different newspapers in the same day.

I'd rather remember the Quiet Storm with Tony Brown on 105.3 WDAS FM...which I'm about to listen to online right now.

Oh, how I wish I could go back. But I need a job to open up that way in order for me to go back. From my mouth to God's ears, hopefully. In the meantime, I'll just reminisce and think of a way to get back to an area where all my family, friends, and real memories are located.