Black

By Jamie

It was a random mid-day, mid-week ride.  This also meant it wasn't the ease of a Express route.  One thing it made me realize was how grateful I was to have an Express so readily available at my usual commute times.  I got comfortable with my book, prepared to make stops every 2 blocks.  Already on the bus was early 20's American Indian man.  He's the type my mom would be referring to when she stated how good looking Indians were.  His hair like the oily black strands of a vinyl record tied neatly in a low braid, dressed in black from head to toe.  Nice crisp black that had yet to see hundreds of washes turning it to a murky grey.  This was just less than a week after the May Day protest in Seattle, a day that gave a bad name to those who wear all black as  the Columbine shootings in 1999 did for teens wearing trench coats. I guess I'm naive, to have even wondered that.  I'll be the first to tell you I don't understand the Anarchist movement all all...even after I googled it while watching Dancing with the Stars.  Tattoo's on his fingers, but none on his neck.  He looked kind.  He looked strong.  He was like a movie star American Indian he was that good looking.  He probably noticed me staring.  He had to be somewhat used to being looked at, like all the many pretty girls who live on it.  I wondered about his heritage.  His up bringing.  How the stereotypes of American Indian shaped him, was shaping him.  Probably still in college.  Likely making a statement with his all in black attire.  Then the Johnny Cash song, The Man in Black, popped into my head.  Cash was not being vague about the message he was making in his choice of color.  Would Johnny Cash still be wearing black today?  I would guess so.  I'm not always sure we've moved forward as a country since the 1970's when The Man in Black was penned.  A day or two later when I was thinking about the man in black on the bus I pulled up The Man in Black on my iPod.  Then googled the lyrics. A song that is as relative now as ever.  And, God Bless Johnny Cash. 

The Man in Black
Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.