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Saturday, August 13, 2005
 The Dead Zone
I don't think I was ever preoccupied with death and dying as much as I was facinated by the rituals attached to the process, but now it just doesn't affect me the way it used to. Perhaps I'm bored with it. Still the passing of certain folks can produce a feeling of melancholy. This has been a banner year for death. I lost a great aunt and they just don't die easily. My grandmother has lost three sisters in the last seventy years and those deaths are separated by 35 year gaps. So the loss of an auntie is a pretty large event. In addition, I lost my favorite teacher from high school, Luther Vandross... well I guess we all lost Luther, Nate from Six Feet Under and just yesterday I learned of the death of publishing magnate, John H. Johnson, the man responsible for Ebony Magazine, Afro Sheen and Soooooooooooooooooul Train. Actually he probably wasn't responsible for Soul Train, but he peddled enough Afro Sheen on that piece. I was surprised at my reaction to his passing in comparison to the others. I didn't cry or anything, but I actually waxed nostalgic on our interaction over years. No... I didn't know Johnson, but he was always around. My earliest memory of him dates back to the early 70s (I go waaaaaay back). At that time, Ebony was an oversized magazine. She was huge! My great Aunt Letha was a collector so when I was at her house, I would always go for the Ebonys (much like some people fiend for porn). I got life from the images of black folks being colored in America. I think I learned to read through photo captions (so much for flash cards) Ironically my favorite was the Mahalia Jackson funeral issue, as I came to call it. The images of a world mourning the queen of gospel music facinated me. Having published a photo of a dead Emmett Till, Ebony had no problem aiming a camera at an open casket so of course there was a photograph of Mahalia in repose. She was laid to rest with all the pomp and majesty due a queen. I think only Luther and Celia Cruz have surpassed Mahalia's in pomp (Celia for the costume change between her New York and Miami vewings). John Johnson was responsible for bringing those images from New Orleans to a little nosy kid in New Jersey. I've had the opportunity to contemplate this loss. There was no time with my auntie's passing because I had to spring into action and start making arrangements. I still haven't really realized my teacher is gone. When Luther died I was in the middle of a wedding so there was hardly anytime to acknowledge his passing (besides, he will probably release a new CD every year like Tupac. Luther logged a lot of studio hours in his life and the half has not been released) and I knew Nate was gonna die. Television is still so so predictable. The death of John Johnson has taught me that you really need to sit your ass down and think about those who leave us. You need to go through a personal process before the public ritual begins. I'm no longer interested in the public ritual (unless I'm getting coins for chirping at the funeral). I'm more interested in hearing about how those left behind plan to cope. Don't get me wrong... I still love a good Baptist homegoing, complete with a baked chicken, cake sliced on styrofoam plate repast and that soloist who gets up and lays out the whole church with a verse of Precious Lord, but if I miss it... I'm not beat. Just tell me a good story and acknowledge a life. Nate's service gave me everything I needed. HBO gets big ups for portaying it the way it actually happens. Yeah, it's drama, but realistically done. Everyone needs time to mourn in their own way before coming together for the collective wail. Nate's burial was also very different from ANYTHING I've ever seen, especially in Black America where we will pawn everything and take up a collection to send your ass up outta here like somebody. Nate opted for a green or environmentally friendly funeral. No glitz... no glamour... the deceased is simply wrapped in a shroud and deposited in the earth to become worm food as God intended. It was beautiful and very touching. It really made me see that all that ceremony is unnecessary. It's something that I'm beginning to see more and more, especially with Luther's gold coffin and the Steelers fan who was laid out in the Barcalounger in front of a TV. That's just a whole hot mess. I'm sure Mr. Johnson will have a stately, dignified service (hopefully he won't be at the drive-thru at Gatlins), which is only right for who he is and has meant to Black America. A lotta folks, me included, can read because of him. Stories like that need to be told.
Posted by Rodney ::
9:38 PM ::
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The Dead Zone
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