بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
الإخوان المسلمين السلام_عليكم
!!!AS-SALAAM ‘ALAIKUM
I went to Leimert for the first time in a long time yesterday. (I had to go to The LARGEST Black Bank in America and, as usual, I was way too early.)
So, also as usual, I went to Leimert to kickit until opening.
First, the park is open. I was not going to go until I saw the gates open.
It is so sad now. It’s just like Armstrong Park in New Orleans.
Those sneaky devils used park retrofitting as an excuse just to put a gate around our park, so now the entire park feels and looks like Alcatraz.
I’m sure they only fenced us in to assuage the unwarranted cowardice of all the devils who will be commuting on the new Crenshaw Line – if it ever opens. 
It was scheduled to OPEN back in 2018. They have effectually, destroyed our Beloved neighborhood and chained up our most revered Hallmark, ostensibly to ease their commute.
Anyway, everytime I would go to Armstrong Park – I would always get a strong cautionary sense of foreboding due to:
- The steel gate surrounding the entire park
- This country’s recent history of slavery
- The South will rise again” mentality still very prevalent judging by the number of bumper stickers and confederate flags
- My own thorough knowledge of the murderous nature of the devil caucasians, I still think, “One Sunday, when we’re all gathered in the park, they are going to lock the gates, put chains on us and try and bring back bondage.”
NOW, I GET THE SAME FEELING AT OUR PARK IN L.A.
There was a Sister in a security guard jacket standing right next to the open gate, so naturally, I thought they were filming or some special private, probably government event, was in the works.
I got off anyway.
Turned out, the Sister was just waiting on another bus, so I did a little jig and plopped in the new grass.
I kinda felt like I always do – a trailblazer. Apparently, since the park has been locked up and now has a menacing ten-foot gate around her, my fellow “park bench people” seem to have forgotten that parks are for “picnicking” for lack of a better term.
You are SUPPOSED to sit on the grass. But everybody else was on the benches or OUTSIDE the gate and looking at me like I was from another planet.
But I get that all the time.
I just shined them on, and opened my favorite newspaper – THE LOS ANGELES STANDARD – and began to devour its contents.
As the bus stop cleared of the laymen, I surmised that the bank was probably open now (I hate to resort to looking at the time – preferring to estimate the time by the location of the Sun [or Stars] or by the activity of the people and animals around me).
So, since rush hour was over, I packed up and began my trek to the bank.
One cannot visit Leimert without perusing the new shops and I was thrilled when I came upon
An apothecary is the historical name for people – or their laboratories – where they develop and administer their own medicines. Traditionally containing herbs, roots, powders, barks and other natural remedies, used to make teas, baths or poultices.
I paused for a minute at the door to determine if I could listen to the music they were playing.
But a snobby patron turned up his nose at me and opined, “Somebody is behind you.“
I was kinda forced to enter after that.
I was not disappointed.
The huge glass jars intrigued me, containing herbs and roots with such exotic names as “Yohimbe Bark” and “Marrubium Vulgare.”
I immediately took out my notebook, marking the third time I regretted dumping my iPod – I don’t even try to own a phone anymore. I always get frustrated about one thing or another, typically something having to do with music or the lack thereof – and end up tossing them in the Pacific. But I thought maybe I could do an iPOD, since there’s no phone. Idk, made more sense in the iStore.
But, I’m sure I made whoever came to the bus stop after me and found it a very happy person. 🙂 Anyway, The other two times were when I was lucky enough to bear witness to 1) a strikingly beautiful sunSET and 2) a particularly extraordinary sunRISE. 🙂
I also immediately regretted the fact that I had come BEFORE I went to the bank. Although, in truth, I probably would not have been lucky enough to visit the store at all, had I not been so early.
Anyway, the music was the only thing.
It irks me to no end that my fellow Brothers and Sisters do not share my aversion to the devil Caucasian race.
Some days I have to make it a point to “STAY OUT OF JAIL, HAKIMAH!” or “DON’T GO TO JAIL, HAKIMAH.”
I have to tell myself this repeatedly on certain days depending on my tolerance level because I am easily provoked.
They have a monitor playing a YT playlist and everybody I saw was a devil. But I gave the proprietor the best thing I could ever give him – an admonition (and website 🙂 ) to read MESSAGE TO THE BLACKMAN.
But that explains why I was hesitant at the door. I’m like Miles. I can tell when a “musician” is a devil by the way he/she plays/sings. I just get this creepy feeling all over, like “something is terribly wrong here.” Before I left, I told the proprietor, “that devil in the video is making your store smell like wet dog!”
There was another Brother in the store, who recognized that I was probably more adept in The Knowledge of Herbology than the average person, so he stuck me like I was playing center.
But I shook him.
Also, when I was making my purchase at the counter, my ink pen fell on the floor. So, being the properly trained M.G.T. that I am, I took it as an opportunity to teach a Lesson. I am often afforded that opportunity and sacrosanctly approach the divine task. Instead of bending over in this store where there were only three males and myself, I made “Mr. Prissy Snob” recognize and casually reminded him that despite his attempts, he will NEVER OutDiva a true Diva and sweetly asked if he could be a gentleman and retrieve my inkpen for me.
He seemed to ponder refusing but whoever raised him taught him respect. 🙂
Of particular interest to me were some intricately carved African walking sticks. Sometimes I feel like “QUEEN MOTHER” and the sticks really went with that whole persona, but I prefer my Black Golf Umbrella. It’s like an INDUSTRIAL ART. It’s beautiful but multipurposeful. Not only can I use it for walking but it triples as a “sun shade” and an umbrella.
Also, the body butters were decidedly above par. As one who used to make them, I can attest to their superiour quality. They had one of my favorite scents and after viewing them all, I opened one container and the aroma was intoxicating.
I may go back and purchase it, despite the fact that I prefer olive oil for moisturizing my skin and scented body oils for perfume.
I asked the proprietor if he could procure the body oil in my favorite scent and he assured me he could.
My shadow expressed an interest in the Ginger Powder and I advised him, if he wanted to be natural, it’s best to purchase the actual ginger root, grate it and make your own tea. There is no telling what process they put that poor ginger through to powderize it.
He wasn’t up to the task, so I said it was good to patronize the store anyway.
I also must mention that to accompany the teas, the store offers their very own signature line of my favorite beverage – HONEY!!! I have written endless articles on the many-hued drink of Paradise, so when I saw their line, I was speechless.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I just did backflips internally and outwardly unfazed, looked over the selections. 🙂
If I had the money, I would have purchased some then along with a few of the barks, just for my own apothecary – not that I needed any right then – but I always keep honey and the barks would be good for my medicine bag. I like to be prepared.
But I did purchase a reusable tea strainer for only $2.00, about a $4 difference from the $6 they charge at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, where I usually purchase mine. So, I am very pleased.
I was also impressed by their fantastic array of crystals. My interest in crystals is very sporadic but not desultory, so I always keep a Rose Quartz on me. Due to the extemporaneous nature of my visit to the apothecary, my research and practice of reiki was decidedly unseasonable. Yet there was something about the crystals being in this Black-owned apothecary that was so fresh.
You ever heard of or been introduced to or faced with something that is so extreme or so BOMB that it is scary?
My son’s barber, I know I’ve written this before, but he told me and Hakim, who was about 6 or 7 at the time, that he was “scary smart.” Not that he was afraid of him, it was just that he had no place in his brain to categorize him, and when confronted with that kind of novelty unprepared and completely without warning, it can be unsettling.
Thus, how I felt when I saw the crystal display…
It was so dramatically beautiful, it was breathtaking and I was somewhat overwhelmed. Next time I will be ready, In Sha Allah (If it Pleases Allah).
When you get a chance, pop in. I can guarantee if you are not fascinated by the array of medicinal and therapeutic offerings, you will at the very least, be intrigued.
As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum!!!
Homemaking For The Black Muslim Woman Journal ™ 