When I hear someone utter the old saying, "try it, you might like it", I think of when I discovered that I actually like broccoli covered with cheese when I visited my grandmother during the 8th grade. I was forced to eat the vegetable in fear of hurting her feelings, but realized I loved it. Or when I discovered jazz music in my college days. Little did I know I would recently discover something I enjoy, that I had no idea I loved so much, but first a little background.
After I graduated from college, I was recruited by a large company for a position that was too good to pass up. It was a very good job with great pay and the promise for quick advancement. Despite one big hitch, I quickly accepted the job. The hitch? The company was located in the deep south, and I am from Nebraska.
My girlfriend at the time had no intention of moving and I didn't have any friends or family that lived in Atlanta. So basically, I would begin this new chapter of my life all alone. I was bummed that I had to say goodbye to friends and family. It was also tough breaking up with my girlfriend.
Here I was, a new town, a new setting and despite having a terrific job, I felt so out of place. I rented an apartment near downtown Atlanta that was really nice. It was technically out of my range financially, but my parents gave me a nice going away/graduation present and set me up with a hefty account that would make me comfortable money-wise for a good while.
As I was setting up my new apartment, I was also starting my new job. Between my training, coming home after work to buy things to furnish my apartment, my first three weeks were incredibly busy. I didn't have much alone time or a chance to relax. It wasn't until my second month, that I had the opportunity for some free time to just catch my breath.
On the first weekend that I could do something for myself, I decided to enjoy the pool that my apartment featured. Although there were only 50 units, each apartment was large and really impressive. The whole complex featured some impressive amenities, one was a really great pool that looked like something from an expensive resort hotel. It was mid-June in Atlanta; I was needing to cool down and enjoy a dip in our pool.
When I got to the pool, it had just opened at 8am. There was no one else except for one person who was doing laps between the length of the pool. I found a good spot to get a little sun. I thought I might work on my tan before I got into the water.
As I laid back, I gave a little more attention to the man swimming so hard back and forth in the pool. He was a black man and it made me think about how little I have interacted with black people in my past but knew that I would live in an area that had many more people of color than where I came from.
I was not bothered by the fact that in Atlanta I would live with more black people than I ever did, but I also knew it would be different than my small town in Nebraska or in college. At work, there were more white people than black people but everywhere else I went, I could see I was the minority, but I was raised to treat all people with respect.
As I was reflecting on this, the gentleman got out of the pool. I got a better look at him and the first thing I noticed was that he was wearing a speedo swim trunk and it was being pushed to its limit! It didn't leave much to the imagination that he was well-endowed.
The man had a remarkable bulge that really stood out despite that fact that I wasn't trying to look for it. Immediately, I thought back to those times when I had heard that black men were huge. It sounded like a myth or urban legend but from the time I was a teenager I used to hear the stories that black men were well hung.
I was thinking that this man could be prove that myth when I then realized he was walking straight towards me, with that package appearing to swing as he walked! When he came up to me, he smiled and held out his hand.
"Hi, my name is Charles. You're new here aren't you." He said in a friendly manner.
I stood up and shook his hand, "Just moved in last month. My name is Brad, nice to meet you." I responded.
"This place is great, isn't it?" Charles said as he looked around. "It's expensive but worth it, have you tried the hot tub?" He pointed to the hot tub that was on the other side of the pool.
"Not yet." I answered.
"Well after I work out in the exercise room, I love to relax in it." He then pointed out the building that housed a full weight room and Nautilus equipment.
I could see that Charles was very physically fit with muscular arms, legs and even a slight sixpack. His black skin was hairless, it made his athletic attributes stand out more prominently. In fact, if I was to judge him on his body and tight skin, I would guess he was in his thirties or younger, but Charles had a rugged look to his face. Handsome, but certain facial features made me wonder if he was older than his body made him look.
His head was clean shaven, and he didn't have any facial hair, but a few wrinkles suggested he could be in his late 40's or 50's. Still, with a well-defined chest, abs and the arms & legs of a professional athlete, it was hard to call him an old man.
"How long have you lived here Charles?" I asked.
"Three years. Oh, hey call me Sarge. All my friends do." He proceeded to tell me he was a retired Sergeant in the army, serving over 30 years, mostly as a drill instructor at a boot camp.
"You're in your 50's?" I asked stunned.
"57." He replied. I had to tell him how impressed I was that he was in such fantastic shape and that I could only wish to be in such good condition when I am older.
"Well, I swim or jog for over an hour every day, work out every other day and eat clean. Good genes don't hurt either." He responded.
Sarge sat on the patio chair next to me and started a conversation with me that lasted for the next hour. We spoke about ourselves, my new career and how I was from Nebraska. He told me he was divorced and started a security business after he left the military.
I found Sarge to be interesting and easy to talk to. He was so manly and rugged with a deep voice and some of the stories he told about his days training young men for service were fascinating. I told him how different my small town in Nebraska was from Atlanta. Sarge then asked if I knew many black people growing up. I honestly told him only a few in college and that my hometown didn't have any black families living there.