A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

I had to go to Chicago again, but now that "Mahogany" (partially set in Chicago) is out on DVD, I guess I  channeled Diana's alter-ego "Tracy Chambers" and acted as if I were going to "... get my ol' man back!" (though I was leaving my man to achieve this fantasy in my mind). Anyway! While at LaGuardia Airport awaiting my flight, I ran into a Morehouse brother from my era, Bruce Plummer. He's in finance in New York City, but he and I used to hang out in New Jersey in the mid-'90s via my best Morehouse friend Eddie. Seeing him was a good set-up for next week's big reunion, my 15th since graduating "THE HOUSE". (www.morehouse.edu). 

A flight later, I got the chance to reconnect to my Chicago posse in a multitude of ways. As Chicago Carl and I decided on where we would go to dinner one of those nights, we went to pick up Carl's friend Vince from Target. It was there, I decided to go buy the showstopper edition of "DREAMGIRLS" in a format I could actually use. The one the company sent me was HD-DVD and my DVD player is not playing it. And I'm TOO excited to see THE EXTRAS (though my fellow "DREAMGIRLS" fans are already announcing their findings - like TANK is in the choir on James "Thunder" Early and Lorrell's duet (sorta' trio, if you count Keith Robinson's CC who - in the movie - wrote the song and introduces it to them musically. It's "Patience". Anyway! I was exuding anything but PATIENCE as I walked to checkout. All the lines had at least three people in them - all of whom had a slew of things to buy from their baskets. All I had was my DVD. I Chose a line where a woman was unloading the many contents from her basket onto the conveyer belt. I loudly exclaimed "Where can I go and not wait in line?". Not addressing her pointedly, but clearly loud enough to be heard, she says "SINCE YOU ONLY HAVE ONE ITEM, YOU CAN CUT IN FRONT OF ME". Suddenly I turn modest and retract "IT'S OKAY". She insists, noting "I'M FROM THE SOUTH. WE'RE LIKE THAT...". I say "I'M FROM THE SOUTH. SAVANNAH, GEORGIA TO BE EXACT.". She says "YOU'RE NOT FROM SAVANNAH". I say "YES, I AM". She says "LET ME SEE YOUR LICENSE", which is the funny part. I haven't lived in Savannah in many years, but still have my "GEORGIA" driver's license. I show it to her. She then shows me her license which is the same, though she lives in Wilmington Island. She told me she had just driven up from Savannah to Chicago to spend a long weekend with her husband, who has just recently accepted a position in Chicago. She still lives in Savannah and her daughter attends Johnson High School (in the same county and school system as my alma mater Windsor Forest High School). She pointed out she works for Delta Airlines. In all of that intimate exchange, I've managed NOT to remember her name... but was such a small world moment with random acts of kindness and paying it forward written all over it. I'll never forget that moment. 

On to dinner, Carl, Vince, and I ate at Tamarind Thai Restaurant (WWW.TAMARINDSUSHI.COM). We enjoyed tempura, shrimp fried rice, a wonderful shrimp dish with delicious sauce, and - of course - the conversation. Chicago Carl knows the owner Brian, who was a wonderful host for the night. And apparently, Miss Jennifer Hudson likes THAI as she recently dined at the restaurant... and here's the picture to prove it.

Afterwards, Carl and I went to Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club (www.kitkatchicago.com), where Itika and Eddie met us. A drag queen performed two sets - one as classic Marilyn Monroe; the other as Shakira. She was beautiful, but had nothing on Itika, who is making me so proud these days as she continues to work her magic - so the world can see. In addition to some wonderful pursuits on which she's getting ready to embark (in the TV world), her awesome, model looks are being seen more and more. From the billboards of Ebony Fashion Fair for which she is featured as a model for one of the line's cream products to her friend Tiffany's vintage clothing website (www.thegarmentroom.com), she's doing it.

And so is her friend Tiffany about whom I've written in a previous entry. (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2007/1/15/-but-i-need-a-friend.html) Next month, Tiffany is coming to New York City with her trunk show. See details below. Meanwhile, REMEMBER HER NAME. It's ITIKA!!!!