DDT (12)
Member
Posts: 4112
Sometimes ya just gotta go...
Winter Springs, FL - Occasionally...
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« on: December 22, 2024, 07:15:02 AM » |
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Sol...
Yeah, if I were to stumble across that title, I’d also assume the story probably had something to do with that brilliant celestial orb at the center of our solar system. It doesn’t. It’s the name of a friend of mine with an interesting, at least to me, story associated with him.
Solomon Seay (named for his minister father) was a fascinating character, and one of those who come along once in a great while, perhaps only once in a lifetime… I miss him and the quality time we spent together, and I still think about him and the profound impact he had upon my life and my thinking…
I was perched upon my usual bar stool at 'Ah Shucks' in Montgomery, AL, more than a decade ago, while among other things, trying my hand, in vain by the way, at returning to some sort of regular lifestyle. At that time, I’d thought I’d abandoned the gypsy life aboard our girl and at long last become an adult… I was wrong, it later turned out… but that’s another story…
I noticed the dignified older gentleman I’d seen a time or two before was there again. He’d come in, order a drink and a meal at the bar, enjoy a solitary leisurely hour or so then depart. He didn’t ordinarily talk to anyone else, he just sat alone and seemed to enjoy his time. I was intrigued and curious… I introduced myself, and we began to chat.
"Are you retired," I inquired? Mostly, he’d responded, but he still did a few things (he was easily in his late 70s back then; I was something more than twenty years his junior). He went on to tell me he was the general counsel for Alabama State University (an historically Black institution in Montgomery), and he also still worked with a couple of older clients he’d had during his career, mostly as a civil rights attorney. I was thoroughly captivated and most eager to learn more!
The following couple of years, we’d run into each other sometimes once or twice a week, other times I might not see him for a month or two. The conversations we shared were always fascinating and some of the most worthwhile interactions I’ve ever enjoyed with anyone anywhere.
It was one of those special encounters we sometimes are extremely fortunate enough to have that give us a glimpse and surprising insight into another world that only overlaps with ours in time and space, but is at once so alike, even part of our own, yet some of the experiences can be so vastly different in other ways… arguably the reverse at times, from the ones we see…
He’d been writing a book about his ‘journey’ and experiences and was just having it published during our time together. One night he informed me he had something for me, a gift… an autographed copy of 'Jim Crow And Me'… A treasure I keep, and one which I will never be able to let go.
Sol in no way came across as a fire-breathing dragon or a boisterous, self-righteous champion of a cause; although, with his commanding presence and imposing bearing he quite easily could have been. Instead, he was at all times most dignified, calm, and reserved - Dr. Ben Carson later reminded me of him. He saw no need to get in people's faces and insult them, even though I've come to believe he had every right and justification to do so.
This stoic, class-act, consummate gentleman was so convinced of the rightness of his beliefs and confident in the fundamental truth of his vision, that the most effective course for him to follow, in his view, was to set a good personal example, reason with people, and do the right thing towards all people, but to stand one's ground and not be bullied or intimidated.
He also believed that the foundational underpinnings of his entire point of view, the appropriateness of unqualified equality, fairness, respect, and honest dealings, are simply too obvious for even the most committed bigot to deny or ignore when confronted with sound, well-thought-out reasoning, simple, unassailable logic, and plain basic facts. That justice would prevail in the long run.
He realized many things that contributed to his being so effective in impacting the thinking of others. He never sought to intimidate, brow-beat, or shock anyone with his message, for example. Rather, he skillfully prevented 'defensive barriers to communication' from ever being erected, allowing for the thoughtful exchange of ideas rather than the counterproductive 'thrust and parry' of 'armed' verbal conflict to arise.
He understood the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the confusing, bewildering contradiction of how otherwise good people cloaked in ignorance, held back by tradition, and influenced by carefully crafted propaganda rather than actual facts could see things out of focus. How decent, stand-up people could actually be molded to become OK with doing horrible things to other people.
How a complex 'mythology of racism' had been skillfully and carefully developed to lead otherwise reasonable, good folks to rationalize the abomination of slavery and later the outrage of 'Jim Crow' to keep the races apart. A deliberate line of thought to facilitate continual exploitation of some by others, while also seemingly enabling otherwise reasonable people to ‘justify’ to themselves the unreasonable.
He didn't view whites, even bigots, as necessarily evil... just wrong about race and race relations. His duty, as he saw it, was not to defeat, vanquish, or punish the foe; rather, it was to enlighten and demonstrate to adversarial or disagreeing groups how things could be seen differently, more accurately, and far more appropriately... How justice was the real goal and not simply doing battle or supporting and perpetuating archaic notions, and certainly not merely the scoring of debate points.
The last time I saw Sol was also at 'Ah Shucks'. He'd come in stooped over his walker looking frail and far less robust than he had on our last encounter only a couple of years before... He'd slowly and unsteadily made his way to a table, this time accompanied by a younger but mature man who turned out to be his son. I went over to pay my respects...
Sol only vaguely remembered me by then, but he did have some lucid memories of some of our conversations. I saluted his courage, stamina, wisdom, and perseverance. I sincerely thanked him for the example he had set for all people, and for the huge positive influence he had had upon this novice protégé of his.
My praise and gratitude expressed to him that evening were entirely from the heart, as I consider him to be one of the giants who make a major impact in life… Each of us can point to a handful of people who have left their indelible 'fingerprints' upon the person we eventually became; Sol was clearly one such standout in the life of this most fortunate seeker of truth and justice.
His son thanked me for my words, and he added his dad really needed to hear those things. He also mentioned later that he then knew who I was, as Sol had mentioned me to him before… Life can be so full of chance encounters leading to incredibly meaningful surprises!
DDT (12)
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