blkcloud  

    I had a dream once I move here in Dallas Texas back in 1986 a black young man at the age of 26 following a dream like most America at a young age.  I was from a small town most people call it country name Wichita Kansas a black young man coming from a family of ten, five brothers and 5 sisters the first an baby boy going attending college, my dream to make it in this world and to help my family.  I attended Wichita State University majoring in Music; however following my teacher advice to attended one of Dallas Texas fineness community college to continue my education in music.  Well following that advice I graduated from Cedar Valley College with an associate degree in Music of fine Art in Recording Engineer.  A year later after graduating finally found a job at the Crystal Clear Sound Studio as an intern, I wasn't getting paid for duplicating tapes but the arrange was every five hours I work, I earn an hour of free studio time; which mean I can bring in anyone I want into record them.  However; there were two part-time intern positions I had the afternoon and another person had the morning shift and we both duplicated tapes.

     Then I face racism wasn't sure what racism was because I grew up with white friends they spend the night at my house and I spend the night at their house, I was puzzles. The boss at crystal clear studio decided to open up a full time position being a recording engineer. I thought I would get the job on the fact that I attended college and gradated.  The other intern was a white candidate who hasn’t attended college but about to in the summer he end up getting the position.
A course; who ever got the position the other intern has to leave.   I was puzzles wondering was this racism.  I didn't protested I was I eve not knowing what was happening.

     Mean while; while I was working at crystal clear sound before the open position.  I was working for Wachovia lock box working there for four years got promoted twice set in management meeting till a new supervisor was hired from an other branch from out of town for some reason in my opinion didn't like me.  He started giving more loaded paper work stop having me attending management meeting and started having attitude with me again I ignored the fact could this be racism.  However; I found myself at the unemployment line.

   Then there is DR.PEPPER/SEVENUP CO. here in Dallas, Texas work there for four years.  I start out working at the warehouse; my position was data entry working through a Temp. agency after six months working, I was approach by the foreman of warehouse wondering if I would take a position in shipping and receiving at the Dr. pepper/seven-up headquarter. The job would be mine if I stay and be train by an elder employee who would be retiring in a year.  I hang with the job for a year and was hired for the position.  The elder employee didn't have a supervisor to look over his shoulder and I thought I wouldn't need one either.  But with a black man in a position where he doesn't have to answer to no one except the director was great.   However that didn't happen from day one when the elder white guy started training me there was this other white guy who position was janitor for Dr.pepper/seven-up co. who goes around fixing things.  I assume he had a problem seeing a black man having the position where he doesn't have to answer to anyone.  However once the elder white guy left he warn me about the janitor. The janitor end up beening foreman of shipping and receiving his position was to assisted me when I I’m over loaded a course when I was I couldn't get any help.  His respond was he has to do his janitor job first before he can help me.  I wonder how this guy pull this off and can't read, write like a child; quick school in high school and barely can read end up being my foreman.  However; we never see eye too eye till the day he did my performance review which was bad and I wonder how can he score me poorly when he mostly wasn't around to assisted me in my work.

     Damn here we go again racism; after four year of working at Dr.Pepper/Seven-up co. my foreman had to show me a picture that he was frame for vice president of the company.  This picture was 6ft by 2ft. in the picture was six black nude kids on a farm climbing over a wooden fence.  On that side of the fence was a pond of muggy water at the bottom of the picture it stated last one in is a nigga.  I could have went off but I decided to go through the proper channel did that work, no that when hell begin, that when my life change three months of hell.  At the end the end they won I fight off ever game they came at me with.  The biggest in the last was as a shipping receiving clerk, I was the only one doing that position well one morning I went in and the boss (director) had me doing another position working for the mail room that had five employee. My job for that day was to run to the post office and the warehouse and pickup mail; while my foreman suppose to do my job.  I was go from 9am till 4:30pm when I came back to my office their was UPS and fed package every where my desk wasn't was no where to be seen just cover up with boxes.  Well that broke the camel back, I losted and was about to take a life, but instead I resigned.  I ask myself where my friends were my co-worker who could have talked me out of resigning.  As I think about my witness that saw the picture but decline that they never saw a picture such as I described man what a feeling for two co-workers smoking buddies and coffee break buddies turn against you. 

     Before this entire nightmare started, Dr.pepper/seven-up had an online bulletin board where you can discuss your situation are place your comment.  My comment was describing how my attorney and dr.pepper/seven-up attorney and human resource want me to turn the other cheek I couldn't do that.  I told them the only way was if I received an apology from my foreman and couldn't get that and also have my director to perform my performance and still couldn't get that.  After posting and describing the picture on the online, I was sent home with paid for two weeks company say I was stress out till this day 2008 it still hunts me.  After I was sent home a co worker came and visits me and brought me stack of email which I had no idea that the bulletin board is connected to every dr.pepper/seven-up branches in the countries.  However; I was very disappointed that the News media; the NAACP and radio wouldn't touch my story.  After two years past a women here in Dallas, Texas left an voice mail she work write article magazine and want to discuss and hear my story after six attempts calling her back, I kept getting respond at here home that she not here.  I begin to wondering if she was told not to touch the story.  Beside my story there was big problem that other black America was having at the company.

   After that event I often wonder is there a big X on my life.  I haven't been able to fine a fulltime job since 1997 struggling every day of my life.  Missing out on the american dream I'm about to be 48 years old coming April 29, 2008.  I refused to bring a child in this world,  missing out on having a family.  I finally got  assisted for housing after struggling trying to keep a roof over my head for the past 11 years.  I have live by the law,  I have no crimal record never been to jail except for 3 weeks ago for minor traffic ticket...having no insurance and inspection sticker being out on my car.  I can tell more story but it would take a book to write from caring for the youth one that took his life because he was looking for love from his family. Story why police want to posion a dog who only perfect in life was to bring join to my family and kids to have it life taken, but police say they didn't do it,  but why on christmas day would the police department bring a big christmas basket with a apology note.  These just some of the things as a black man I need to share with anyone who would listen.  I had been carrying this on my shoulder for years and pretty much tired carrying it around.

But I will keep my head above water and still live because I too have a dream.