And as I reflect upon the past there is seldom a day that goes by that goes by that he does not cross my mind ... and being older but wiser and more mature I now understand that such moments "... 'be' his spirit speaking directly to or through me ...".
As it is my belief that as a black man, specifically, "... he now be in a much better place ...".
And I remember that on the day that he died I was making plans to travel to NYC in connection with some photographic projects that was submitting to VIBE and Interview magazines when I received a telephone call from my family that Leander had been killed in a car accident.
And while it hurts me to imagine the physical pain that he must have experienced in the accident ... and as I put the receiver down ad with thears in my eyes ... I remember thinking "... but as a black man he now be free ...".
As it had hurt me more to witness his struggles, over the years, and being an older but wiser and more mature black man I had become increasingly aware of the connections between his struggles and the color of his skin.
And after a few moments or minutes or perhaps an hour had passed I came to belief/understand that as a black "... he now 'be' in a much better place ...".
WDC . Friday, 31 Oct '03
