I was at the laundromat, yesterday. The woman there has worked there for three years. I have been going there for more than three years. I have seen her for three years, too. I left jail the last time, in March of 2015. We have lived in our apartment for 32 years, and have never had a basement or a place for a washer or dryer and we always have to do our laundry at a public launderer. Even before we moved here. My sister who is a doctor now, has three sets of washer and dryers in three different cities. It's just something about being poor all your life that makes it hard not to have anything in excess. She and I both have an underwear fetish that my mother doesn't understand. It's really hard to tell her that it is her fault, and I simply reply, "I like them, they are pretty!" Having a large number of underwear, also prevents me from going to wash more often than I want. I dropped a sock, yesterday when putting my laundry in the dryer and once after taking it out. Upon picking up the second sock, she told me, "You keep losing socks. They don't want to go home with YOU!"
I laughed it off, because I'm supposed to be a violent person. So says the "pimps" at Oakland County Jail (OCJ). As I get older, it becomes a chore. I was had been greeted by my laundromat "friend", "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while!" But she soon turned on me as people came to do their clothes. Everytime I go to do laundry, the police send people to harass me. She does her best to avoid trouble with them, because when I have left, she'll have to deal with them. Mostly they send gays. They still can't wrap their minds around the idea that I am not gay or bi-sexual. I explained that I've been coming in the afternoon and evenings. "I been lazy, lately." It's really none of her business, but she likes to equate my laundry to her ability to determine how clean I am or maybe, I've been back to jail. I have to remember, my cousin says that I have to say, "the way I see it". This is all my interpretations, but I have only been challenged once, and that was about the blog I wrote on Axe. The police dog that was supposed to be murdered by a Black man in St. Claire Shores. In reality, it was more likely that the dog was murdered by the police. By the time the dog is seen running from the scene, in the opposite direction, the man's gun had jammed.
White people from South-East Michigan was so upset with me about that dog. I told them that a man died and a child, unborn had lost a father. They were collecting money for the dog. I sat right at my laptop and defended that man's life over that dogs. Once the report came out and we saw the dog uninjured running away from the scene, the hype about the dog settles down. Yet, they were all on television before, claiming a dog is a cop and that his life was a value as one of their own. I know police that do not agree with that idea, and feel that a man's life it is worth far more than a dog. Police need to be more careful when a situation like that. As it stands, the dog was killed by police and not the man and I was pretty much safe to say they devalued that man's life, due to his Blackness.
 |
| Councilman Don Woodward Rest in Peace |
I've written about so many people in my city, and I've never gotten any feedback like I did about Axe. I recently wrote a blog about the wife of ex-councilperson Kone Bowman. Councilman Woodward is dead. He died peacefully at home. He had resigned on Tuesday at the City Council Meeting. I had missed that portion of the meeting. If I had know, the Bowman blog would have taken a whole other tone. He used to be the Councilman of District 2, back in the day. Now, in my mind, his wife listening in on my session with my healthcare provider makes sense. Maybe Kone Bowman wants his old job back. There has been talk of a replacement for Woodward, but Bowman's name has never come up in these conversations. I posted my cousin's request for me to stop writing about Bowman. I had stopped a year ago, but he has opened a door for a "situation" to occur. He put out a "Public Announcement" like he is still a public figure in his wife's defense. My cousin has ignored my messages, but has not requested that I stop either. They called me from CNS weeks ago, before my appointment was due to come in. I feel, this spying on me was always in the works, because Councilman Woodward's condition was getting worse. Getting the jump on me was vital. My blogs are very popular among the people.
These people, these law enforcement men and women, are nasty people. They harbor murderers and men that have sex with their biological children. They were killing people on Baldwin Street. They show television commercials to let me know that my life is in danger and I'm not afraid. My family loves me, and many of them love me. I attended two school events this year for "friends" and they went after me at one and before me at another. The first event, the woman doesn't even speak to me on Facebook, anymore. When she posted everyday, and we would have discussions. The next event was with a really long time acquaintance that lived down the street in junior high school. His son thought that I was some kind of "Cougar" going after him. The boy just turned 18 years old. I'm his mother's age. But these hungry men and women who steal out of Meijer, told this child that I wanted him. That's the same thing with my friends and family. They tell people that my family hates me and my family follows suit in this game. Everything I write about in these blogs are not happenstance, and are all instigated by law enforcement.
My brothers and sisters have lives. They have jobs and children to attend to. Two of my sisters have grandchildren. They can't live like I live and survive and they stay away. I accidently saw my sister at the grocery store. I hugged her and her expression stayed flat. She was with her mother that she is helping take care of. My Dad's girlfriend. I love both of them. I would never have them go through what I'm going through right now. It would destroy their lives. People trying to run them off the road. Going in their bank account stealing money. Setting their accounts up to be over-drawn. Right now, they won't even allow a credit go through at Citi Group that is pending. Something like that would cause my family members to miss car payments and rent, lights, gas and groceries. I stay away from them and they stay away from me. Their faces stay indifferent and they live in peace. I love them and I would have it no other way. But these hungry law enforcement men and women think that I can't make it. They even bumped my sister's car with a semi-truck on her way back home from Michigan.
 |
| Brenda Lawrence US Congress |
My family does what they are told. Each of them is able to live their lives freely, and I respect that. The idea that nobody likes me is ridiculous. My family is afraid. Like I should be, but I only have me. I don't have to look out for anyone, but me. My sisters and brothers, their children and grandchildren can all enjoy life. I went to the Labor Day Parade in Detroit last Monday. I was treated like a pariah. It made me question why I was even there. Congress Brenda Lawrence wasn't happy to see me there marching for her. Her group was small, ill-prepared and disorganized, anyway. She was disappointed to know that she would now be targeted by the police. Her ties with Southfield are deep. Southfield, a stones through from Detroit is a cesspool of corruption. I still walked, but decided to remove her t-shirt and walk back alone. The corruption is real. My family's love is real, too. Don't believe the hype. I got friend, I got family and I have people on my side. It brings me back to Ephesian's 6:12-17 and it reads:
"12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..."
I fight the way I do, because I fight for my life. For everything that is dear in my life and the times to come. I pray for my cousin Rasheed, because saying that he "loves me deeply" goes against the idea that nobody likes me. The women in jail had to do the same thing. One day the truth will be told and no one will be as happy as me and my family. Maybe we can have a party or picnic to celebrate our love for one another, without it turning out to be a "We hate Lesley" event. I can do nothing, but pray for the day!
