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If you’ve been watching my Instagram Stories or TikToks, you may have noticed my new furry friend Prince. He’s a * pretends to know what kind of dog he is * and it’s been really nice having him around. Especially after the passing of my baby girl Lucy (may she rest in peace). But before I tell you more about Prince, I should probably start with his dad aka the man in the navy blue jacket.
So boom. If you’re a loyal reader (or listener - because you know there’s an audio portion too right?) then you know all about the man in the navy blue jacket. He’s from one of my latest and favorite stories called “Wow, I Want to Remember This.”
Now personally, I believe in order to get the full picture of this story, you gots to read that one! So stop, and go do that. But if you like girl, just give me the sparknotes – you ain’t right! But here you go…
I went to an engagement party and met his dad, who happened to be wearing a navy blue jacket. We hit it off great and now… drumroll…
He’s my boyfriend. Ahh, yes! Ya girl is off the market, and not by force this time (thank you Jesus, thank you Lord).
Now I actually wasn’t even looking to date. Again, if you read the story, then you know men had really been giving me the ick lately. But it was something about the man in the navy blue jacket…
But before I tell you how he asked me to be his girlfriend, let’s take it back, way back, back into time (Black Street Voice - if you know, you know).
So after we met the weekend of the engagement party, we stayed in contact. I told him more about myself, and of course, my baby (may she rest in peace) Lucy came up.
At this point, Lucy had been gone for two months and I told him all about her traumatic death (a story I still haven’t found the strength to write about) and I even mentioned the one thing I refused to do… go in her bathroom.
Again, if you’ve seen my stories or my TikTok you know Lucy had her own bathroom. One, because I can’t do the smells, and wanted her litter in one distinct place (with a door). And two, that was Mommy’s baby! Mommy’s princess! Mommy’s stinka butt! So if I had a bathroom – she had a bathroom too!
But since her passing, I hadn’t been able to go in there. That made it way too real...
To see the last of her poop. The last little paw prints in her litter.
I just couldn’t. But I didn’t have any plans for the weekend and I convinced myself that this would be a good time to conquer what I had been dreading.
Well as I’m telling Navy Blue Jacket about my baby and how I was going to clean her bathroom this weekend, he said the sweetest thing…
“I can help you, if you’d like. You’re not alone in this.”
Now mind you, I had only known this man for a week. But that statement, and all of the conversations we’d been having, felt very genuine... And I could definitely use the support.
So boom. The next day comes and we are at my house. He brings his dog, Prince, and we’re just chilling hanging out.
Actually, scratch that. I was not chilling, I was about to make one of my famous Woodall’s Wraps (if you know, you know) and all of a sudden Navy Blue Jacket walks up and says “I think we should stop stalling…”
I’m “stalling for what?”
Then he looks at Lucy’s bathroom.
Now was I stalling? Technically, yes. But who would be in a rush to see their deceased pet’s living quarters? Not me. So after bargaining with him, telling him we could just do it another time, he grabs my hand and we start walking towards the aint-been-opened-in-two-months-bathroom.
And before he could even touch the doorknob, I burst into tears.
I just couldn’t do it. Not my baby Lucy! Not her last poop poop.
After consoling me, he gives me a tight hug and says “don’t worry, I’ll do it.”
And guess what he did? He cleaned Lucy’s bathroom.
Everything from getting rid of her litter pan, sweeping the floor, cleaning the sink, hanging up a new shower curtain and plugging in a new smell good.
All while I rubbed his dog Prince in the other room.
By the time I came out, the bathroom looked and felt different. And it was then that I knew he was special…
Hmm, what other story can I tell yall? Lol. Without telling too much! Cause again, if you follow me on the socials, you know one thing I ain’t doing is showing no man! You may get an arm, maybe even a foot, but you ain’t seeing nobody.
But okay, another quick story.
So boom. Prince is his dog, right? And I’m starting to really like this little canine. Now mind you, I’ve never ever ever been a dog person. I had a “at-the-time-scary, but when I look back it was more so me being dramatic” experience, (when I was in 6th grade) and ever since then I've been anti-dog!
But Prince was sweet. He seemed to like me since day one, and his Daddy was cool too. So I didn’t mind spending time with them.
Well one day, his Dad, aka man in the Navy Blue Jacket, asked if I wanted to go to the dog park with them.
Now again, I ain’t never been no dog person. But I feel safe with his Dad, and I feel safe with Prince, so I’m sure – why not?
Well we get to the dog park and baby it’s hella dogs! You got big dogs, little dogs, fluffy dogs, skinny dogs, everywhere you look it’s a dog.
But to my surprise, they weren’t scary. They were running together and playing together, and were just happy to get all the rubs from anybody who’d stretch out their hand.
And soon enough, I was stretching out my hand. Rubbing the big dogs, little dogs, and every one in between.
And just like the dogs are conversing and sniffing each other, the owners are getting to know each other too. I saw a number of people having small talk and chatting about their four-legged babies.
I did notice however, that there were these two black women (the only other black people there besides me and Navy Blue Jacket) and instinctively I wanted to say something.
But I stopped myself and was like naw, girl just shut up and rub these dogs! They may not want to talk to you anyway.
And at this point I was getting super comfortable with the dogs. I doing kissy sounds to get them to come to me, rubbing their fur, and patting their heads. It was giving Ace Ventura Pet Detective.
Even Navy Blue Jacket pointed out how much more comfortable I had gotten since being there.
He also pointed out how this big white dog in particular kept circling back to get more rubs from me.
This dog was sooo pretty. Think of like an all-white AirBud. I want to say those are called Golden Retrievers, but this one was white so I’m guessing it’s a White Retriever? I don’t know! But this dog was so sweet and so gentle, despite its size. And it kept coming near me.
To the point where I had Navy Blue Jacket take a picture of us, see below.
Minutes go by, and the Momma of the White Retriever (who just so happened to be one of the black ladies) calls her name…
“Lucy! Lucy come here.”
My mouth dropped.
I’m instantly, “did you say her name is Lucy?”
And she’s like, yup!
And you already know what happened from there! I pulled out my phone, showed her and the other black lady my baby. Told them the story of how I got Lucy. The whole nine yards!
Then they asked, which dog here was mine. And I explained how I was there with Prince and his daddy aka Mr. Navy Blue Jacket.
And Lucy’s Mom was all like “ooh are yall on a date?”
Then she asked how we met, and I told them all about that too. And how he helped with my Lucy’s bathroom after her passing.
As we’re talking, I start petting the other black lady’s dogs and asked her their names.
And there was one that stood out in particular…
Glen CoCo. Like from Mean Girls.
She mentioned how technically these are her daughter’s dogs (these black lady’s were maybe 45 and 60 years old - maybe even older though because you know black don’t crack) and how the daughter names her dogs after movie characters because she “does movies”.
Now at this point in time, Navy Blue Jacket isn’t around me. He ain’t been around since after I found out the dog’s name was Lucy. So he don’t know I’ve talked to these ladies about him, his dog, and my baby.
But when the woman told me her daughter does movies, and how she acts, directs, and writes, I instantly was like “wow! The guy that I’m here with does the same, I’ll have to introduce you two.”
So after talking for a few more minutes, I flag over Navy Blue Jacket and they get to exchanging stories and networking. Turns out the daughter has worked with some huge names, and the mom said she would connect them. Lowkey all because of the dog Lucy coming near me, and me speaking to her owner and the other black lady.
Well fast forward 7 days yall, why me, the daughter, the momma, and Navy Blue Jacket all go to dinner? And it was so nice!
And turns out the daughter has marketing experience too! And I mean big marketing experience, she’s worked with HBO and Netflix’s Strong Black Lead (just to name a few). She also mentioned she was currently shooting a short film and that we should stop by the set to check it out.
So 7 days after that, me and Mr. Navy Blue Jacket are on the set of a real film! Now he’s been on plenty of sets before (the New Color Purple, P-Valley, and Them to name a few - yeah I’m bragging on my man, my man, my man, my man). But me? This was all new to me and it was all so cool!
The cameras, all the staff, witnessing the different takes. I was here for it! And you already know I was in my networking bag: chatting it up with people, exchanging numbers. It was so cool, and really made me miss my old production job.
But yeah, I say all of that to say: I was not intending on meeting Nobodyyy *Keith Sweat voice *
I literally said back in June that I wanted to be single for a year. I didn’t want to deal with none of these men! I just wanted to make my TikToks, stack my coins, and stay getting closer to the Lord.
But I guess I didn’t realize I could do all that, and have a special friend too... And now that special friend has turned into my boyfriend, and guess where that Navy Blue Jacket at? In my closet.
Who would've thunk it?
Til next time, peace.