My friends Something very special happened at the MCI Center, when the Wizards took on the San Antonio Spurs.
Young Kwame Brown was playing a tough physical game. Sure, It may not have showed up on the box scores, but he was in there on every play, pressing his nubile purposefull body up against opponents with a pliant vigilance. When the wizards capped a big run in the 4th and headed into a timeout, eveybody got of the bench to high five Stackhouse to high five Jordan.
Kwame walked toward the huddle. Alone.
Until out of nowehere, Sister Christian Laettner approaches him with intent strides, and gives him a rousing chest bump..... a triumphant roar.
I was shocked. Touched. Moved.
I mean, these guys couldnt be more perfect strangers, the Houses of Brown and Laettner: young/old, black/white, swift/laggard, revered/despised, moist/chaffing... and yet, perhaps the social physiologies of mankind are not so cartesian after all? Perhaps it is not in the compartments, but in the "Becoming" that we transcend the expectations that limit us and fuel our ego wars and territorialisms?
When CHristian looked his young rival in the eye, it was as if to say: my friend, I am not what I seem. Seeming is but a garment I wear--a care-worn jersey that protects me from thy questionings and thee from my negligence.
And so it was, when Christian Laetner sank the game sealing jumper, he looked to the bench, searching out Kwame, and Kwame smiled boradly in returned and danced like a gay manchild, and togethr they embraced that precious benevolence and deepning mystery of brotherhood, fratenrnity.... friendship.
One single soul in two bodies, three, counting Bobby SImmons.
This was apivotal mkoment for kwame brown but also for all of us.Especially in these frigheting times of global aggression and escalation.
And It was unsuprising then when kwame danced and sang some more in chicago, and got passionate and set a career high in the process. THIS, my friends, is why I am a wizznutt. Now and forever. And sister christisn. I was wrong about you. Too wrong. Can you forgive me?
James - 4:17 PM