USS Clueless: Earth to Timi

We left Delaware at about 7am or so. I tell my brother that I know the way to Bowie IF he takes 95 South. He informs me that 95 South is going to be jammed, so we'll be taking RT. 301 instead. He said it was quicker. I told him that I don't know anything about 301 & that if we went that route, I'd be out of the loop. He told me that 301 lead right into where we need to go. About an hour into our trip down 301, my brother stops on MD Intersection 301. My little brother says, "Why did you stop here?" My brother informs us that we are picking up Deek (his frat brother). Deek wasn't at 301, so we rode down to 302. He wasn't at 302, so we rode down to 303. We waited for another 20 minutes, finally he showed up 303. He parked his car and got into our car.

He & my brother proceeded to talk about country living. Then, these two decided that they would me a history lesson on Route 301. My brother was telling me that before 95 South came to be, 301 was the ONLY highway that lead down South in our area. I'm looking at him really ticked off because at this point it's 8:30, I'm hungry & I'm like, "You are 29. When did you become so dang on informed?" I wanted to know the REAL reason that Deek came along. My brother said it was for moral support, but my grandmother was of no relation to my oldest brother. So, there was really no emotional attachment there. He only went along to support myself and my other brothers.

So, I wasn't buying the "Deek is coming along for moral support" story. I think they had something else up their sleeves. Deek mentioned AKAs in DC a few times. I never said a word though. I continued to allow my brother & his frat to converse among one another. They talked like girls the whole way. We got across the Bay Bridge, I told my brother that we would be taking Exit 11 into Bowie, MD. He is too engulfed in his conversation to hear me because he drove right passed the exit. I said, "You missed the exit." He said, "No I didn't. I'm heading into Landover. Deek said this is the way." I was pissed. I responded by saying, "Why are you listening to him? We are meeting my aunts in Bowie, THEN we're heading to the funeral home."

My brother goes on to play down the seriousness of him missing the exit. He says, "Oh, we'll just get on the beltway and head back to 95 North. No Biggie." Yes it was a biggie. When we approached Exit 11 to Bowie heading down 301, it was 8:45am. My grandmother's viewing was from 9-11 and the funeral was to be 11-1. Well we didn't get to the funeral until 11:20. Why? Because we got lost on the beltway. What is up with men not following directions? I was so upset that I wanted to cry. My brother started to raise him voice at me when I told him that I didn't know where we were because I was lost. He said, "You told me that you knew the way." I said, "I told you that I knew the way IF you went 95 South. You went an entirely different way & everything is foreign to me." We drive around and around until we ended up at BWI Airport.

I told my brother that if we headed North of BWI, then I'd be able to find Bowie from their. We headed North, and once again, we saw an Exit for Bowie. HE MISSED THE EXIT AGAIN!! I was really upset. I felt tears forming in my eyes, but I didn't let them see me crying. My brother decided to be a stunt devil and back up on the highway to make the turn. I was afraid that we'd get into an accident. He made the exit & we headed down Bowie Laurel Hwy. I told my brother to make a right onto Race Track Rd. He made a left. Then he busted a U-Turn on Racetrack Rd. and headed the other way.

We arrived at my aunt's house, but everyone had left for the funeral & we didn't know how to get there. As we waited in the car for someone to escort us, my brother makes an attempt to pacify. He starts apologizing to me. He said, "Just say it." I said, "Say what?" He said, "Go on and say 'I Told You So.' Get it over with." I looked at him with contempt in my eyes. I responded by saying, "I will not give you the satisfaction of saying that. I'm going to let you sit there and stew in your own guilt for the rest of the trip." I drove to the funeral home in Landover. We missed the viewing & a big chunk of the funeral. I actually did cry when I entered the funeral home. I took my seat next to a cousin, I laid my head on his shoulder and started to cry. I didn't cry because I was sad, I cried because I was angry.

In fact, I believe that I was actually desensitized to the funeral. It didn't move me at all. It was as if someone had placed a casket at the alter of a church service. It didn't settle into my brain that my grandmother was lying in the casket. Perhaps, because I didn't get to view her body & the casket was closed by the time we arrived. My grandfather took it really hard. He had to taken home because he got sick. Watching him made me sad, but that was about it. The funeral procession to the cemetary took forever. I thought we burying her in Georgia somewhere. We arrived at the cemetary, and everyone took their seats. The preacher said a few words, another preacher prayed & then the words, "I commit this body to the ground. Ashes to Ashes & Dust to Dust." When those words were said, I knew that my grandmother was gone.

We headed back to my grandfather's house. It was PACKED with people. I exchanged numbers with some cousins, and then we headed out. My brothers & I went to The Golden Coral in Landover, MD just down the road from FedEx Field (Redskins Stadium for the football inept). I paid for everyone except Cole (my brother) & Deek. I refused to speak to either one of them. My brother was talking to me while we sat down to eat, but I ignored him. Deek attempted to talk to me, but I gave him the "Negro you better get out of my face" look and shut up. My brother asked me how I was holding up. I finally gave in and said, "I'm doing fine."

Those were the only words I spoke to him for the rest of that trip. He kept apologizing and telling me that he hates it when I ignore him, but I wasn't trying to hear that. He made me late for my grandmother's funeral. I don't appreciate that. We dropped Deek back off at 303. Before he got out of the car, he gave me his number. I smiled at him, ripped the number up in his face & handed it back to him. He said, "Damn that's cold." I said, "Isn't it?" I was kind proud of myself after that. I sat in the backseat & I went to sleep.

Later in the evening, after I'd settled in at home, my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but I answered anyway. "Hello may I speak to T.", the voice on the other end blared. I said, "This is she." The man on the other end said, "This is Deek, you're brothers frat. I just wanted to apologize again. We should've taken your feeling into consideration." I listened. I told him that I forgave him. He asked me out for lunch. I politely declined. He said, "You are so mean." I said, "I can be." I hung up the phone. Dang!...I am proud of myself. LOL.