REFLECTIONS: TALLAHASSEE SASSY

REFLECTIONS: TALLAHASSE SASSY

In the Spring of '93 I was recruited as a Supervisor for a large project in Tallahassee FL. Everyone had heard about this project from Hell that was out of control with all sorts of problems including the Client. My company in order to compete in the burgeoning Insurance Consulting arena had lowered their standards and began sending 'warm bodies' to staff large projects and man oh man was that a mistake.

The project was located in three separate buildings on one block; two buildings were used for the day shift which also included the client's employees. The third building was for the 3-11pm shift which I would be working. Rumor was the night shift was staffed with all sorts of miscreants including consultants from my company. Total employees on project was 150.

A gay male couple who worked for the client was in charge and they were very messy always fighting and feuding between themselves. I reported to a manager who was older and reminded me of Granny of Tweety Bird fame although she was probably my age. Her favorite saying was 'Mo Better! I chuckled every time she said it because I had only learned of the saying recently from the Denzel Washington movie, 'Mo Better Blues' and was not aware it was a 'Southern Thing.'

The Project Manager Clementine was a tall pretty Texan with a no nonsense manner and perfect for the Shenanigans going on...she took no prisoners. I admired her from the start and she took me under her wing...soon all the Trouble Makers were calling me 'Little Clem' which I owned as a compliment and not an insult. There were three other supervisors and each of us was assigned a Team Leader.

My TL was Fenton [pronounced Fent-tawn] and he was a character; tall, handsome, and Gay. He spoke with an adorable sissy drawl that was endearing. He was good at his job and we became fast friends immediately...one drawback a lot of the males on the project were jealous of him. We would walk through the mall and not only female heads were swiveling but males too...he was oblivious as he was an ex-model and accustomed to turning heads.

I remember this one time we were at Popeye's and this goofball was ordering and the smart-ass sistah-girl behind the counter was making fun of him and everyone in line was laughing their asses off because the shit she was saying was funny considering he thought he was Pimp-a-licious.

Fenton and I were sitting at a table observing when Fenton laughed out loud with his boisterous guffaws caught Pimp-a-licious's attention and he decided to call Fenton out. So he pimped-walked over to our table sizing Fenton up as he came.

"You laughing at me you sissy MF you!"

Fenton stopped laughing and slowly stood up to his full height of 6'4.

"What if I am Asshole?" Looking down on Pimp Man fists balled up at his sides.

Pimp-a-licious eyes grew big and he turned on his pimp-heel and got the hell outta there forgetting all about his chicken.

The restaurant erupted in laughter. Such was thee Fenton.

This is also the project where I met Jake a fellow Supervisor and a loveable goof-ball. We became friends and did other projects together before he got promoted to the Corporate Office.

I was on the Tallahassee Project for over a year and had more than a few flights home to Cali during that time. So many that I knew the flight pattern like the back of my hand. My layover was always in Atlanta at Hartsfield Airport. I made a point of studying the people at my gate hoping no body weird be seated next to me. I observed a little boy traveling alone, an older Black Grandmother with two grandsons, and several big Black FAMU Football Players being loud and obnoxious.

As we boarded a Flight Attendant came for the little boy and helped him find his seat. I spoke to the Grandmother who nervously told me this was her first flight. I assured her it was a short flight and she would be fine. The Football Players finally quieted down. When I found my seat in the Coach Bulkhead there was the little boy in the window seat...he smiled up at me.