"গত রাতে (The Last Night)" - Porsche

​"So how did that experience at the ice cream parlor make you feel, Porsche?" Dr. Brinson asked.

My voice cracked as I replied, "My innocence was taken from me as the officers escorted me from the ice cream parlor to the police car. Everyone in the neighborhood knew I was a good kid and still, no one came to my rescue, not even my parents. From that moment on, I knew that no matter how good I was, some people would think negatively of me because I'm black."

Tears rolled down my face, and Dr. Brinson passed me a tissue. 

"And why did you feel that way?"

"When my parents got to the ice cream parlor, Mr. Key continued to fabricate the story of me stealing. My parents didn't defend me, even though they knew that I would not steal. Instead, they offered apologies and gave Mr. Key ten dollars for his troubles and the candy that went missing. Mr. Key decided not to press charges, and I was released back into the custody of my parents. From that moment forward, I knew that my parents couldn't shield me from pain and I began to rely on myself for protection. My friendship with Emily slowly but surely ended. I bottled up a lot of pain and anger throughout the years. I didn't realize the effect that the ice cream parlor incident had on me until my camaraderie with Paisley ended."

"Who's Paisley?"

"Paisley was who I wanted Emily to be."

"Do you care you elaborate?"

I sat and closed my eyes. My mind traveled back ten years ago to 2006. It was my last semester at Walker University, and I was living the life. I was able to enjoy the perks of being an adult, like brunch in Midtown Atlanta and partying until the early morning, but didn't have to worry about the responsibilities of being one, like paying rent and major bills, since I was still a student. Since I completed most of my credits, I was barely at Walker. I spent most of my time as an intern at the Atlanta office of The Maketa Group, a global marketing and PR firm. That's when I met Paisley.

Read More