Dread

Once upon a time a long, long time ago my fair haired cousin dated a very preppy boy. Went to a very good Catholic school in town. I think he even played on the football team.

They were a very cute couple. She used to cut his meat for him when he would attend family dinners at my house.

He was very clean, cute and well mannered with a white toothy smile and seemed that he was destined for the corporate world.

Welllllll.......she had told me a while ago that he was becoming Rasta.

Couldn't really believe it. Couldn't imagine it in my mind.

Figured it was a stage. Thought he smoked a little Ganja - liked that the religion said it was something he could wake and bake to and was going thru a phase.

Until yesterday.

My boss - also a former Yuppie / Preppy / Label Whore has taken a shine to the Rasta life.

His hair which was kept neat and short and full of product is now a slowly growing mat of hair.

His clothes which were always prefaced by what designer now prefers jeans - t-shirts and flip-flops.

His diet changed - his music changed and his whole lifestyle has pretty much done a total turnaround.

Well - he came in with some CD's the other day and I had mentioned that I knew the man behind the beard and the knee length dreadlocks.

W (my boss) was very happy - that I knew him and wanted to know all the details.

I told him as much as I remember and he gobbled up all my information and had dinner with JD (his new name) .

JD laughed heartily with a flicker in his eye as he fondly recalled his youth with W.

He shared about his love of my cousin and shared happy memories of attending parties at the Parental Units house.

Mentioned something about us drinking....a lot (I am glad we have kept up tradition!)

He doesn't make much with his music - but he is a happy man and has two CD's that I have seen.

He has two lovely kids and seems to really enjoy his space.

Although the Rasta life isnt for me - it seems to really work for some.

The inner peace and a no-worries mantra is something really to look up to.

So - Auntie...pass this little note along.

Tell her he says hi!