"But one time we were driving through the Mississippi and there was a brotha running up the side of the road and he didn't have any shoes on. He didn't have a shirt on. And I started to drive right by this man and Kweli said, "Stop the car. That brotha might be in trouble."" - Dave Chapelle on Talib Kweli's Keynote Speaker (Quality)
I'm having real trouble with Christmas this year. I love giving gifts. I love doing nice things for the people I care about. Love to see the smiles on their faces, love to know that I got the right thing, something they would never get for themselves or that I got them a quality version of something that they would normally cheap out on. This is usually one of the most enjoyable times of the year for me.
But that damn Lexus commercial comes on and I scream "bah, humbug!" The giant red bow on the black car. The joy in this 40,000 dollar vehicle as a present. Something about the commercial just makes me want to scream, "kiss my ass." I'm not chastising those who enjoy giving and receiving expensive presents. That's not it. It's just that, this year, something about this year, makes me say, "It's not going to be me."
I stopped at the gas station Thursday Night after seeing a movie. Laurel Canyon and Sunset Blvd. The bright lights of hollywood flashing around us. Expensive cars and people in expensive clothes on expensive cell phones filling up their large expensive tanks. All this money money everywhere and a homeless man sat in front of the mini-mart sitting on the concrete eating cheetos and drinking a Pepsi in a tattered green coat and no shoes on. No shoes on. I sat in my car staring at the scene. I watched as people ignored him, turned their noses up at him, refused to assist him in any way. I debated walking over to him and just handing him the 40 bones I had in pocket. I thought about asking him what size shoes he wore and giving him the shoes off my feet if they fit. I thought about coming back the next day with a pair of shoes in his size and hoping to find him. In the end, I drove off and did nothing. I had Christmas shopping to do over the weekend and that 40 bucks would pay for Holiday cards and stamps and.
Holiday Cards and Stamps over shoes for someone who needed them.
What the fuck, dude?
I spend a certain amount of money on the holidays every year. This year, as some of you already know, the plan is to give about half of that to some charities. Today, I'm feeling like maybe 75 percent of that is going to charity. There are folks in need, man.
I'm just feeling like this whole gift giving thing is like some kind of whack ass transaction. You're giving me something so I need to give you something. It's not about the sentiment, the idea behind gifts. I don't give gifts with the idea that you will return something in kind. I appreciate everything I've ever been given but I don't want it to mean that we're involved in some kind of exchange.
And I'm not saying I'm not going to give gifts this year. I am. I will be. I have. But most of my dollars are going elsewhere, kids.
Folks don't have shoes and I'm buying DVD box sets...what?
I don't know.
I'm just trying to figure out how to make this a Happy Holidays and all that, ya know?