NUMBER FORTY-FOUR

November 4, 2008, I'm watching the election; I gave my cousin a call. Henry, what are you doing? I m just sitting here eating some walnuts, he replied. My response was What! How can you be sitting there eatingwalnuts at a time like this? Henry, turn the TV on. By that time, the resultsfrom Virginia came over. Breaking News, Senator Barack Obama, President-Elect flashed across the screen. My cousin still cracking walnuts as I immediately informed him, Henry,Henry, it s over, it s over, it s Obama. What! he said excitedly. What!Let me see, he continued as he searched for the channel I was watching. Lord! Lord have mercy, he said as he began to shed tears, yet repeating,Lord, have mercy. I asked Henry, Are you crying? I can t help but to cry. Henry, Henry, I called once again. Call yourwife. OK, all right, he said. We hung up, and I then called my oldest son. He answered the phone, Tell me about it. My reply to him was yes as I extended my right arm outand jerk it back, just as my grandson BJ sometimes does when he s happyabout something. We talk awhile as we began to hear fireworks. Before wehung up, my son said, Martin Luther King is probably turning over in hisgrave.