Thunder and Lightning

Chapter 2: I hope I don't fall

"Autumn.

The grace in letting dead things fall."

~Darnell Lamont Walker

Fall was the most beautiful time of the year to Nzinga. Washington D.C. experienced all four seasons, with each having their own allure. But the fall was magical to her. Autumn responded to her inner being, who relished in the delight of Mother Earth's greatest  event in literally bringing forth a supernatural transformation of living things.  Nzinga didn't see death in the season as the trees lost its green, or as the summer lost its sun and youthful dreams. She saw warm colored fallen leaves that sacrificed its life to make room for new growth in spring - and instead of asking for mourning, it left a breathtaking view  to remember all that had been lost and as a reminder for what was to come. It was a reminder that even in death, there is beauty - and often to experience that pure rebirth and renewal - death is required.

Dressed neatly in a khaki trench coat, a thin pashma colored in plum and copper and dark brown riding boots, Nzinga confidently walked across campus embracing the crisp air and wind that gently wrapped around her. Nzinga was an average beauty, but her personality seemed to attract everyone to her. She stopped several times to say hello to classmates, greeting each one with a hug or warm smile. The campus that day was especially electric. It was homecoming week, and everyone was even more friendly than before. The campus had signs to welcome back excited alumni and generous donors. Each sorority and fraternity on campus had a tree that surrounded the center courtyard, and their members stood beside them singing vintage songs,sharing pictures or doing old chants and steps. Nzinga stopped by her tree and was greeted with "You look good girl!" , and a  "Let me have that scarf". The love and affection was contagious,  and she both consumed and fed that energy and emotion to the group.

Realizing that time had gotten away from her, she quickly said her goodbyes and walked briskly to her Urban Economics class. She made it to class on time, but was later than her 15 minutes early routine. Nzinga located a seat in the center of the auditorium style classroom and walked down the steps to that particular spot, excusing herself as she passed over each seated student. All moved, but one, without asking.

"Excuse me, may I pass by please?" She said sweetly and looked into his face. He slightly moved his legs just enough for her to pass, but her thick legs caught his jacket and it fell to the floor, she handed it back to him and then squeezed around his feet and legs before taking a seat two chairs down from him in the row. He looked rather annoyed from the inconvenience, but it didn't bother Nzinga, she only grinned and sat at her seat before taking out her planner and notebook.

Many of the students used laptops or tablets for their course materials during class, but she clinged to older methods. The intimacy of listening intently to the professor and notating important thoughts from pen to paper was a fulfilling experience for her. 

The professor's voice boomed across the classroom as he covered the general topics of land use in complex urban environments somehow keeping the interest of the students.  Nzinga was intrigued by the professors notions and engaged in his conversation with a question , "what has been the impact here, in this city, as it relates to land pricing? With the changing demographic, it would seem that the price of land is increasing which could attract new development as an indicator for growth."

The annoyed student, pulled out his leather bound notebook to reference something. In a loud, perhaps arrogant voice he pronounced, " 'But in the end, they take spaces, redo them, sell them for a certain amount of money, while the people who have been there are displaced.' In the words of bell hooks, new development often means displacement." He looked pleased with himself and sat back in his seat in snarky satisfaction.