The Days I Spent with You (2) - Nancy Duma

Dear Tony,

thinking back when we first met,
I was so snob. Me, a black man, would hire you, a white man, to be my chauffeur. Me, a black great pianist, would give my best performances on piano to highly respectful white people in the South.

You and me, we were as different as chalk and cheese. You were like a water cannon. You did whatever you liked, said whatever you wanted. The impacts didn't bother you.

At some points you were so annoying, but you were right when you said,

You now, my father used to say, whatever you do, do it 100%. When you work, work. When you laugh, laugh. When you eat, eat like it's your last meal.

You enjoyed your every single moment. 

Deep down inside you were a warm-hearted man. You stood by me in my worst moments of being alone and unequally treated.

You are a family man. Every single day, you wrote a love letter to your wife (with your to-me-so-unpoetic-diction). 

And when you found out that I lost contact with my brother because of a conflict, you came right away with your words,

the world's full of lonely people afraid to make the first move.

And you made me realized that somehow I had my own wall that separated me from my own people, by not singing the favourite songs of black people and not interacting with them.

Dear Tony,

thank you for taking a part in my tour journey, my life journey.

Your Shirley


*Retold from 2018-Green Book movie, the Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at 91st Academy Awards