A big part of the reason I started blogging was to get in the habit of writing on a regular basis. I really hope that it will eventually lead toward writing my first book. I'm not sure how long this will take, but I had to start somewhere. That start was initiated in high school. In order to counteract my mathematical inadequacies in school, I chose to put an extra effort toward any writing assignment I was given. My style wasn't always welcomed with high marks, but I always found a way to get my point across, even if it wasn't always in the most traditional or efficient manner. I never put much stock in grading as I rebelled against most conventions, but I tended to receive praise for my writing. I took those compliments to heart and always hoped I would find a career in writing. After trying my hand in a few different academic disciplines in college, I eventually landed in the communications department studying journalism. I can't say I was particularly enthralled by the rigid mechanics of print journalism but I liked the power that it provided. To write is to share; experiences, opinions, history, and propaganda. It is a powerful tool if used correctly. I tried to pass down that skill as an English teacher for three years after commencement. However, I grew frustrated in a short time.The grade level I was teaching needed an instructor to enforce basic grammar and structure; two facets of English that I wasn't yet equipped to teach. I taught my courses with an emphasis on living life as if you are the author of your own story. I hope that idea got through to a few of my students more so than parts of speech, punctuation, and basic syntax (all of which are important, yet little fun in the classroom). I know I had an impact, because a lot of my students took a liking to the subject and made a concerted effort to improve their writing and speaking skills. I developed relationships with all of my students, but took a bigger interest in two types in particular; the ones that played sports in the school yard (they were the ones I could most closely relate to) and the troublemakers (the ones that were given a negative title early in their academic careers and thus targeted by my disciplinarian colleagues before I arrived). I know as a teacher you are supposed to be an impartial presence, but I was inexperienced and perhaps too sensitive to allow these children to go by the wayside. There was one student in particular in the 6th grade my first year at Saint Kevin's that fit both of these descriptions. That boy had one hell of a story to tell, and I hope that he will eventually act as the inspiration of my first novel.
For the sake of this post I will use the literary name I plan to use; Prince Canal. Prince was 13 when I met him and he was quickly entering adolescence. I was warned by his former teachers and current principal that he had issues with authority, a pension for conflict with his peers, and an attitude far more immature than his adult appearance (over 6 feet tall and a size 13 foot). They also told me that he took his education seriously and expected excellence from himself. I got to know Prince quickly after our first meeting and could easily see where his critics developed their view of him. He was arrogant, rebellious, tactless, and immature. In a word he was rude. He acted condescendingly toward his peers and took constructive criticism poorly. He always seemed to be yelling at his classmates, pouting about his teachers, or otherwise taking part in activities he shouldn't have been. On a few occasions he tried "setting me up" with a Puerto Rican girl (they are the sassiest). He also tried to sell me condoms (I did not accept). It was easy to see in his behavior that he was looking for a male to talk to. I also knew that he lived with only his mother, and that his father had been murdered in Haiti before his family emigrated to the United States. At an early age, he was given the responsibility of being the man of the house by helping to raise his baby brother while their mother worked as a hair stylist to provide for her family. I was his first male teacher and only role model. The only others were the teenage thugs he looked up to at the community center on the corner. I took it as my personal mission to be the positive male influence that he needed. I wanted to approach it carefully though, making sure not to "force it", which was the most commonly used term in my classroom for trying to be something you were not.
Prince was gifted both academically and athletically, and we both knew that athletics would be his way to the next level. I tried to instill in him discipline first and foremost. I taught him the gift of foresight by telling him there was always consequences to his actions. I constantly referred to his "filter" in an attempt to teach him the skill of thinking before acting. This went on for 3 years, and even carried on after Saint Kevin's closed and we both moved on to Pope John Paul II. During those years I wasn't his classroom teacher, but I always checked on his progress, defended his actions so that his teachers would be patient with him, and welcomed him whenever he needed advice or a lending hand. From the early days of our relationship, I had told him that if he worked hard, continued to improve his behavior, and stayed out of trouble, that I would help him get into a good high school. He always reminded me of this, and when the time came, I was able to help him get into my alma mater, Xaverian. There, I knew that he would be in the right environment to excel. They provided the right formula of discipline + challenging academics + competitive athletics. He entered Xaverian in the autumn of last year, and I haven't heard from him since. I have tried to keep track of his progress via Facebook and asking my old teachers, but he has not reached out for my help. I see this as a positive thing. I feel confident that he is surrounded by people like myself that will have a vested interest in his future. I know he is in good hands. The last I heard was that he had made the junior varsity football team as a freshman (almost never happens at "The X") and that he was able to keep his academics in enough control to stay eligible athletically. I think the change of environment has been good for him. In middle school he sought an after school education at the community center, but now he had the friendly confines of Xaverian and their extensive list of extracurricular activities. I hope that the combination of his street savvy along with his new found disciple will put his arrogance at bay, and create a confident young man ready to face the challenges he will most certainly confront. At this point, his story becomes fictional. I don't know all the factual details about his past before I entered his life, and I don't know exactly what he is going through now, but I certainly have a good idea of what his experience is like. I took an interest in Prince because I saw a lot of myself in him. I'm not a young black man you was left fatherless at a young age. I never had to help raise my baby brother. I never had to walk into a primarily white high school after spending my entire life in a black community. What I do empathize with is coming to terms with talent, and coming to terms with the fact that you can't spend your life fighting against the conventions of our society. I have a very optimistic vision of what his future holds and I hope that when the time comes to write my novel, that he will allow me the opportunity of knowing the details of his story.
This very lengthy introduction was to provide context as to the birth of this idea. Prince's life is a huge part of it because it got me to think; How can you expect a young man, without a positive male influence, to succeed in this country? When I first met Prince he was lost, and his story could have gone in a very violent or tragic discourse if our paths hadn't crossed. Without taking too much credit, I believe that my presence in his life shifted the plot of his story. I feel as if I helped initiate the construction of a successful man. This thought led to another, and I got to thinking; What does it take to be a successful man in this country in the 21st century? What virtues must a man possess to reach his potential? When a successful man looks back on his life, can he pinpoint the events that led to his success? Can he see the influences that knocked him off-course onto a more virtuous path? This is the road map of my novel, "How to be a Man in America", and Prince Canal is the vehicle I will use to navigate.
