The True Meaning Of Affection

-Adoration is a powerful emotion. It can lead you to actions you never imagined. It can be directed toward any person, place, or thing: 

Andrea and Kenneth were cool, but after a couple of years, Kenneth became too controlling. He didn’t want her going anywhere without him. His alcoholism was a problem for Andrea, so she didn’t care to be seen in public with him. And he was abusive. 

One year, we were all going to attend our 10-year high school reunion together, but Kenneth didn’t want to go. He didn’t want Andrea to go either, but she went anyway. It was being held at a club. Andrea and I were sitting at the bar when Kenneth entered the club fully loaded. I saw him first. I grabbed her and ducked under the table. 

“Girl, what are you doing?” she asked.

“Kenneth just walked in with his grown-man pajamas and house slippers on, scanning the room looking for your azz,” I said. “Let’s just stay down here until he leaves.”

I could clearly see him and his movements. The security team approached him and said that he had to leave because of his attire. He scanned the room one more time before he shook away from them and left the club. We came from under the table and enjoyed the evening with our fellow classmates. That night, I realized that being attached to someone can make you do some crazy shyt. 

-Idolization can be very intense to the point of causing harm to another human being:

Corey Baylor and Annette Harris grew up in a housing project in Watts. Their parents were best friends and also from the same project. Corey and Annette had been best friends since birth. They were even high school sweethearts, and Corey was balling out of control (selling drugs). He kept her dressed nice from head to toe and gave her whatever her heart desired. They were together all the time, except when they had separate classes and when they slept at night. Everyone knew how much they adored each other. They were inseparable. But Annette started to feel different; She wanted a change. 

Although Corey was the desire of her life, Annette was curious about the other side. “Could the grass possibly be greener?” she thought. She yearned for the attention she received from other guys at her high school. A few of them were vying for her consideration for Valentine’s Day, the Homecoming Dance, and the Prom. But she would never accept their advances; Corey was the only one for her. She just wanted to have fun, but Corey didn’t see it that way, and his jealousy started to show. 

After about a year, their relationship was rocky. Annette decided to move out, but Corey didn’t like that idea. He cared for her dearly and would stop at nothing to keep her for himself. They argued while she packed her bags. When she went to the closet and knelt down to grab a couple of boxes of boots, he walked up behind her and shot her in the back of the head. Then he turned the gun on himself. 

-Kindness is getting a pedicure by your favorite nail lady who takes pride in her work. 

Although she’s quick, she is proficient as she trims your toenails and scrubs your feet. You can feel the passion in how she massages the sugar scrub on your calves all the way down to your toes, and then she gently rinses off your legs. She then applies a warm towel to your feet. She removes the towel, wipes down your legs to your feet, and prepares to paint your toes in any color and design you like. When she is done, she genuinely thanks you for being a loyal customer…That’s priceless.

-Strong enthusiasm or liking for anything, worshipper of books: 

I am devoted to books! Especially cookbooks. I have many different cookbooks from around the world. I have been collecting Betty Crocker and Pillsbury recipe booklets for years, along with other inspiring cookbooks. I even have some cookbooks that are very dear to me.

My grandmother was born in 1910. She had cookbooks dating back from 1889 and 1890, as well as others dating from 1928, 1930, and 1949. I have them all. The pages are very delicate and browned around the edges. I keep them in the same bag she gave them to me in. 

I have all of Stephen King's books that I collected when I was younger. I also have a collection of Christian-themed books called Left Behind. The movie was good, but the book is always better because it provides more details.

I like to walk into a room full of books and feel right at home. My feelings for Barnes & Noble are immeasurable. They treat you with kindness and serve you in the coffee-drinking area of the store.

I am simply compassionate about books. I like the way they smell and feel when I touch them. My favorite is the Bible, which is sacred to me.

-Religion: Man’s attitude of reverent devotion towards God:

My grandmother had a passion for God and considered herself his child. She worshipped him day and night. She studied her scriptures all week to prepare for Sunday’s lesson. She had a fondness for looking nice in the pulpit. My grandmother idolized preaching the gospel. That old lady got a joy out of it.  

"And we have known and believed the passion that God hath to us. God is kindness; and he that dwelleth in kindness dwelleth in God, and God in him," 1 John 4:16.

-Devotion without compensation, volunteering

“Hey man, have you seen Ms. Kay up here yet? I’m hungry.”

“Naw, man, she ain’t made it yet. A few of us are waiting for her. I wonder what’s on the menu this morning; I’m starving.”

A few minutes later, a cream-colored Caddy pulled up. Inside was a woman named Ms. Kay, who had lived in the neighborhood all her life. Everyone knew her. 

“Hey y’all, I got breakfast burritos this morning with orange juice,” she says.

And here they come, gathering around the car to receive their blessing. Ms. Kay had a passion for it! She made thirty burritos and bought thirty orange juices to pass out. She admired the look on their faces when she pulled up at the gas station where they all hung out.

Ms. Kay yearned to feed the homeless people in the community. She didn’t have much money, and she was on disability. But she managed to cook for the unfortunate people on the streets. 

As long as her bills were paid, there was food in the house for the month, and she had her “medicinal medicine,” she could survive. She would also have enough money to buy extra food to feed the homeless. They ate what she ate. If she had meatloaf that evening for dinner, she made enough to serve about twenty plates. She would hustle breakfast burritos to the construction workers who were working on a building next to her house. She would take that money and buy dinner to make for herself and the homeless that evening. She got a joy out of it. The holidays were her favorites.

Ms. Kay doted on Thanksgiving and Christmas. She adored making shopping lists and buying everything for her holiday meals, both for her homeless family and for her family at home. Although she only made one meal, she made enough extra to pass out at least 25 dinners. She would always buy an extra turkey and ham for her homeless family and double up on the sides so everyone would have enough. 

One year, her car was down, and she had no other transportation. She made about thirty breakfast burritos, caught the bus to the gas station that she always frequented, and sat with her homeless family, and they all ate breakfast burritos. Another time, she called an Uber to take her to that same gas station. She had prepared ten pork chop dinners with cabbage and mashed potatoes. She caught the pork chops on sale, so she bought three packs. The Uber driver was nice. He waited for her to pass out the dinners, which didn’t take long at all. When he brought her back home, she went inside and made him a nice dinner plate to go. He was so grateful. 

Ms. Kay strongly believed that food brought folks together. She could have solved war conflicts with her fried chicken. She once had a rude, ugly neighbor who didn’t like anyone, including himself. If I were as ugly as he was, I would be mad too. She thought he could have improved his self-esteem if he kept himself groomed better. Anyway, she thought of him one holiday and decided to make him a nice fried chicken dinner plate, including a dessert tray and a small pitcher of homemade lemonade. She bought the matching plate and tray at Dollar Tree to make a nice presentation. 

As she rang the doorbell, she felt a little nervous. No one likes rejection, so she didn’t know how he would react. 

“HELLO!” he yelled as he opened the door.

She said, “Hello, I wanted to bring you dinner and introduce myself, I’m your neigh-”

“Oh, I know who you are,” he said, cutting her off. “I can smell your food all up and down the street. I haven’t had a decent meal since my wife died. It sure smells good,” he said in a much calmer voice. “I’ll make sure to get your dishes back to you. Thank you.”

“Oh no, those are yours to keep, and you’re welcome,” she replied. 

They exchanged names, and then she went back home. She felt sorry for him because he didn’t have any kids. A few days later, she became his in-home care provider. She only cleaned his house and prepared his meals, but he became a member of the family, and that was priceless.

-To be infatuated with, become a stalker: 

Knocking on the door. Kim answers. “Hey girl, what are you up to?” she says.

Walking into the house. “Nothing too much. Just looking for some dope. Is your guy up yet?” Elisha asks.

Kim says, “I just left there. He’s gone for the day, but I know someone who has something. He lives by McDonald’s off of Long Beach Blvd.”

“Ok,” Elisha responded. “Are you ready to go?”

“Let me put on some shoes,” she says.

They get in the car and drive to the man’s house. Kim knocks on the door. He opens it, looking like he just woke up—after all, it was only 8 a.m. 

“Hey,” he says and opens the door for them to come inside.

Kim says, “Let me holla at you real quick.”

They walk into the back room for a few minutes. He was a tall, dark-skinned brother with big brown, bashful eyes. Very nice-looking. He and Kim enter the room, and he calls Elisha to the back. 

“What do you need?” He asked, his voice deep and sexy.

She told him what she wanted, got her goodies, and they left. They go back to Kim’s house for a few, then Elisha leaves again. She goes back to that man’s house and knocks on the door.

He answers the door, looking shocked that she had returned without Kim. 

“Hello,” he says, standing back so she could enter the house. He closes the door. “How are you? I’m Floyd.”

“I’m good, and I’m Elisha,” she says. I want to get something, but I don’t have anywhere to smoke. Can I take a hit before I go?”

That was the beginning of a bad relationship. Elisha stayed and partied with him for a couple of days before she returned home and changed clothes. She came back with an overnight bag. Things were okay until he started tripping. 

Floyd had some serious mental health issues, but he cared deeply for Elisha. He didn’t want to let her out of his sight. When he would leave the house, he would lock the deadbolt locks so she couldn’t leave and take the receiver off the phone so she couldn’t make any calls. There was no way for her to leave because he adored her. He cared about the fact that he was in control once she got high because the dope made her weak, and she didn’t like confrontation, so she went along with whatever he said. But there would come a day when she would finally break away from him. 

That day finally came. On this particular day, he left to go get another package. While he was gone, she got dressed and put her things through the barred window. When he got back, he came in and forgot to lock the door. He got buck-naked and took a hit of dope. Right before he blew the smoke out, she jumped up and ran out of the door. But he was on her azz.

She ran to the car, jumped in, and locked the door. He jumped on top of the hood, shouting at her to get out of the car, but she wouldn’t. She just sat there praying that he would go back into the house, which he finally did. She jumped out of the car, ran to the window to get her things, and left. That’s when the stalking began.

He would park down the street from the house and wait for her to come outside. She didn’t realize he was following her until she and her sisters were at the VFW one night. They were dancing to the last song when her sister said, 

“What if Floyd is parked outside when we leave?” and started laughing. 

“Girl, please, he ain’t thinking about me,” Elisha replied. 

They proceeded toward the exit, but there was a long line of people trying to get out. When they got to the front, Floyd had the front door blocked. They walked past him and ran to the car. They made it to the house safely that night. The next morning and a few days after that, he parked down the street, watching the house. Whenever she and her sisters left the house, he followed them. Her grandfather was getting fed up with Floyd stalking her.

Early the next morning, Elisha’s grandfather told her to come with him to the store. When she got in the car, he told her to lie down in the back seat. He drove past Floyd, and he didn’t see her, so they kept going. After a few minutes, he told her she could sit up. She wondered why they were going in a different direction, but she didn’t say anything. 

Soon, they arrived at LAX. They walked inside the departure area, and he told her to look on the board and pick a place to stay for a couple of months so he wouldn’t kill Floyd. She decided to go to Arkansas to visit some old friends. Her grandfather gave her some money and promised to send more when she got settled. 

After a few months, she came home. Floyd was no longer around. She was finally safe in her own neighborhood. 

-An intense emotion of affection, warmth, fondness, and regard towards a person or a thing. Troy’s mother, Moms:

Lisa was a young girl in the seventh grade who lived with her grandparents. She got into an altercation with a boy at school and stabbed him with a steak knife. The school decided to send her to another school district, which was the next town over, where her father lived with his mean-azz wife. She moved in with them for a year, and it wasn’t nice.

If she had known she was moving to hell, she wouldn’t have gone. But she was a child, and there she was. The following Monday, she went to her new school. There, she met a boy who was fighting three other boys, and she jumped in to help. They became good friends after that. 

He took her to his house one day and introduced her to his family. He had nice parents and cool siblings. But his mother was super sweet. She showed she cared the first time she met her. I guess she could tell that Lisa was a troubled teen because she hung out with her son, who was always into shyt, but she never judged her, and that’s why she grew to adore her so much. As time moved on, they remained friends, and she got closer to his mother. After she lost her eldest son, she and Lisa clicked, and they spoke on the phone all the time for hours. And they still do to this day.