February 2018 - Mindscape

When the coffee shop clerk excitedly asked me “Have you seen it?” on Sunday morning, there was no question what she was talking about. No I haven’t seen Black Panther yet, preserving my long standing tradition of avoiding blockbuster movies for a few weeks until the rowdiness is reduced to a minimum. It’s hard to do while viewing the Spoiler-net, but it can be done. It is great, however, to see so many people attend the film on it’s opening weekend, encouraging the studios to make more Afro/African-themed movies with Black casts.

The above comic is part of my childhood memory of the character, though it isn’t the earliest appearance of the hero. Yeah, it was 30 cents instead of the current mortgage of $3.99. This was done by renowned artist Jack Kirby, born Jacob Kurtzberg, co-creator of the Fantastic Four, X-men, Hulk, and the Black Panther. He grew up on New York’s tough Lower East Side when gangs ruled and the fighting was constant. Kirby describes getting jumped after school, chasing and being chased over rooftops and down fire escapes, while dreaming of escaping the neighborhood.

Of course, the character has been through many hands since then, now being written by well known author Ta-Nehisi Coates. Wesley Snipes, who tried to create a Panther movie in the ’90s, has voiced his support for the present film. Snipes’ failed attempt gave him the knowledge to make the Blade films, the FIRST successful movies based upon a Marvel Comics character.

I hate shopping. There are so many variables to consider, such as size, color, cost, and fashion. Sneakers are especially hard. It’s difficult to get a comfortable fit and shoe designs get more ridiculous every year to make them look different from the previous year. But after buying Soul Food takeout, I reluctantly stopped by a sporting goods store to shop for a new pair.

Having made my choice, the clerk retrieved one shoe with a big round security device attached. Not a box containing both shoes. Just one shoe. When I asked how to lace them up since the security device was bolted through one of the top holes, he only shrugged, saying it couldn’t be removed. I tied the lace around it. Fortunately the next one I requested didn’t have a big assed button stuck to it.

The line wasn’t very long, but they only had a single register open. One employee kept yelling “hurry up in there” at the changing room before stepping up to the second register and motioning me over. A father and son finally emerged from the dressing room. “You should make another dressing room” said the father. “You should go faster” replied the clerk while processing my order. They went back and forth this way 2 or 3 times until the customer said “and you should shut tha fuck up!” “What tha fuck did you say to me?” the cashier tactfully responded.

That was my cue to step away to a safe distance, leaving the shoes and the food on the counter. Right after they stormed each other, a big imposing security guard and several coworkers rushed forward to keep them apart. A woman behind me in the gathering crowd wisely cautioned “don’t loose your job over this.” The father and son were escorted out by security while my purchase was completed by the cashier who had thankfully regained his composure. I almost forgot my food when it was done. Right before leaving, one of the employees told the next person in the changing room to take as much time as they wanted.