Grown...

"Grown and Sexy" retired from the "Official Black Folks Guide to the Proper Use of Slang". But the term "grown-ass____, dog" should stay. Although, it too, is often over-used, some grown fool is always going to try to talk to another grown fool like they are an idiot or a baby.

I was the lucky one today.


This morning, at 7:45 AM, while the birds were chirpping and I was having sweet dreams about this guy I like, I was subject to situation that required roll -out of this particular phrase--right here in beautiful downtown Shaker Heights.

What happened to make me use it, was a brawl waiting to happen.

This morning my parents had an argument, like they have been doing for 30 years come my birthday. And in the same fashion as it has always been, a little disagreement turns into my father's "I do...and you don't do...shit" speech.


So you know, I'm grown. If I don't want to sit around (excuse me, lay around--cause a sista had a good hour left before she had to get ready for "chetch.")and listen to other "grown people's" bullshit. Then by definition of the word, I damn well don't have to.

I got up and I went outside. Had a cup of coffee and tried to rid myself of the rude awakening that occured. As I am not a morning person, you can expect as I was trying to find my Zen space, a whole lot of cussing was going on in my head.

But see-that is when "folks just can't leave other folks alone" happened. As I went inside to get my keys, Pop almighty tried to pull me in. If I were my brother, I would have told him where to go and how to get there, with no remorse.

Alas. I am not. I'm the good one. Never curse around them. I do what they tell me--even if I dont want to.

However, when this man said to me " You're a grown ass woman. What the hell are you outside for. Bring your ass in the house--people argue." in his "outside voice"...

Boy--it took all I had not to say "listen here muufucca, I'm a grown ass women dog."

My voice got a little louder, and as I held back all the "muuffuccas" in my head, I had flashbacks of standing in the same spot trying to prove my "growness" at 19, thinking to myself "I can't believe this! I am damn near 30 and feel like I gotta stand here and defend my adulthood"

Though I didn't curse--that does not mean that I did not scream on him. What I did tell him was that I wasn't about to be brought into his "bullcrap" and that since I'm grown--I'm gonna do what I "darn well" want to which is be outside.

So take that !!

and then I had to turn and walk away. 'Cause Pop Almighty (to know him is to love him--if you don't belong to him) kept going.

After this morning--I fully understand the need to tell a muufucca that you are a "grown--ass _____" , cause some folks want to play you like you are a child. So, though overused--I vote to keep it in the game.