In 1993 I met a man that changed my life, his name was James , I was walking alone in the mid day by the lake in Mississippi, where my family vacations every year, I was about to take a dip in the lake because of the heat down south ain't no joke, then I heard a voice saying, excuse me ma'am excuse me!I didn't pay it no never mind because I was 16 and at 16 we usually don't get called ma'am ha ha. But he kept yelling ma'am until I turned around and ask , are you talking to me sir?He said yes , and how are you on this hot Mississippi day? I replied I'm blessed and you sir , he replied the same , I assumed he liked to swim because he had a towel and swim shorts on , so I ask are you taking a dip in the river in my southern bell voice he said if you are haha! But I was but I decided not to because he looked way older and he was trying to (court) me I could tell by his smile and charming words. Oh my was he just the most handsome thang I ever seen beyond the Mississippi River but again he looked like a man not a teen so I went on about my way and headed home to my grandparents house for supper.The next day me and my elder brother Robert was in the market getting a few thing for my grandmother, she loves fresh fruit and vegetables, and I saw James again I tried not to look because my big brother don't play , but I just couldn't help myself so I glance at him , and he was smiling at me Oh may did my heart Flutter and thump so hard , James walked over and spoke to my brother as if he knew him , and ask was he going to the field to play baseball with the other fellows later on that day my brother replied (yea bro I going and we go kick yall but this time) we all laughed and parted ways.On the walk home I ask my big brother how'd he know James and ask with a strong voice way ? I said on its no reason I just ask big bro gotlee , he said don't worry about it he's just a guy I know from the baseball field me and the fellows play against his friends every summer we visit Mississippi, I said I've never seen him, my brother stopped in his tracks and looks at me and seen the lust in my eyes when I ask about James and said (AND YOU BETTER STAY AWAY FROM HIM TO) I laughed it off and said I don't like that boy I just ask who he was , but my big brother knows me he knew I liked him . That following evening I walked with my brother to the baseball field. I didn't want to see the game. I just wanted to see James again and there goes James. He was there with his team . And my brother had our cousins with him well we call them kinfolks in the south. I wave at james when my brother's turned to his head, and James winked at me and smiled may may may he had the most Delightful smile.So I sat in the field with the others and watch them play and my brother's team won and him and James got into a Scruffle about the the last point, James says my brother was out and my brother says he was safe by me watching the whole games I agreed with James, my brother told girl go sit down in stay out of man business even though he was only 18 , two years my elder haha , I said ok but you still lost and walk away and winked at James,James smiled again and I knew right then I was going to make him my own.The Next day I went back to the lake in with my kinfok leesa and there he was again I asked James. Do you like me? He said. Yeah, if you like me, I said of course, how do you know my brother i replied he said every summer we play baseball in the feild by the old high school I've known you since you were young I've seen you as a little girl, but we never spoke to each other because you was younger. How old are you now James ask I said sixteen, he said oh okay. I'm 18 about to be 19.He asked me out on a picnic. I did not want to turn him down but I did. Because I was only 16 and he was my brother's friend. And I didn't want to get the family into a scruffle because of my lust for james.But leesa overheard our conversation and told I should go with him and enjoy myself and she said besides no one would know but us and she wouldn't tell.But yet in still I was afraid of getting a whooping or starting a fight between my big brother and James. But I turned and looked at his handsome face and couldn't say no.So later that evening James and I walked to the park in mid Mississippi were mostly white folks be just to hid from my brother and have a quiet day and enjoy our picnic. He brought watermelon sandwiches soda pop the red can that I like, It seemed like he knew what I liked And was prepared to woo me and of course I was wooed In flatter at his gestures. So after the picnic he walked me back to the Lake. So we can part ways and he ask me. Could I see you again tomorrow? I said, yes he said where do you want to meet? I say we can meet at the Lake again. No better yet, Midtown.Where no one can see us because I really enjoyed you.I smiled and walked back to my grand pablo's home filled with joy and peasant serenity and a feeling I never felt

this is a story about a young black women raised I'm dallas that overcome obstacles and survived