therealwil.com

I think I fit the description? How crappy is that? The two worst days in the world. The day the world said I fit the description, and I day I thought I did. This is disappointing enough for me, that I should stop writing immediately, but I will continue.  
“You fit the description,” is the probable cause statement used in law enforcement to stop, question, harass, and even arrest any and every person they want. It’s simply based upon a series of questions answered by victim, witness, picture, or camera recording. Regardless of the describer being medicated, under the influence, or in shock, somebody will draw a picture based upon the memory of a person. Someone will attempt to sketch by words. I am not writing to argue the process all together, but how tall is talk if you are short? How dark is dark in the dark? What color is someone’s eyes with shades on, are all pondering points for a brother. 

In good old western movies, the bad guys wanted dead or alive, were always drawn on posters and posted in towns everywhere by someone with a pencil and a description. Because I watched Django the other day, I know that bounty hunters carried the same posters on horseback from town to town looking for people who look like a picture someone sketched based upon a memory of someone else. Fast forward a few years and we are still rolling with the same concept. I don’t even want to spend the time to investigate how off the drawings were when compared to the criminal when actually caught. Let’s not talk about it. How does it aid others to identify a person with a hoodie, blu-blockers on, and a thick macho man mustache? I know I am dating myself, but my brief experience with a Mr. Potato head will help me to clearly recognize that these items can be quickly interchanged. If the lady in the movie “Carwash,” with unpaid cab fare, can avoid detection by dipping off into the bathroom and changing her dress and wig, then somebody should have figured this out long before I wrote this. In short, I can only assume many have been wrongly accused. I bet you didn’t know Blu-blockers could get you tossed in the paddy wagon.  

That’s not altogether my issue. My real struggle is when I think I fit the description. Now that’s really nuts! You ever get nervous when you are leaving a store and you have to pass through those “are you stealing” detectors? Firstly, I have money and I purchased what I placed in my buggy. Secondly, there is no lapse in my memory where I made a mistake and dropped a bracelet in my purse on accident. Thirdly, Isn’t it funny how the greeter on the way in, becomes the State trooper ready to tackle and take you on the way out? Have a nice day, sounds more like, “What have you stolen?” I know you are probably laughing right now, but we experience this stuff. My point is, I know I paid for what I have in my bag and buggy but still I fit the description.  

In another incident, well let me say it this way, no black should ever be found in the toy section of a shopping center with a hoodie, especially not near the G.I.Joe section. It’s Care Bears for my kids from now on. Unless you can rob people with a Rubic’s cube or Barbie doll, I’m good.  

 I was upset one day when a saw on television, a black man with a red hoodie robbing gas stations. Especially when I was born with one of these characteristics and the other was a wardrobe selection. It can happen just like that. Now this is the part where too much movie watching can kill you. Now in my mind, we go from a peaceful honey bun and orange juice, straight into a high speed chase, jumping stuff, into the interrogation room, the hot lamp, and detective shouting, “We ain’t going nowhere till we get some answers!” (I gotta back up off the caffeine!) Not in their mind, but in my mind! I really hope the state of America improves. If not, the man who designed the hoodie is getting ready to be sued. I just hope he ain’t my cousin. You do remember they sued Steve Martin in “The Jerk.” 

It’s crazy but we out here!! Keep your head up my brother!!