The period as a result of my trigger the night before while checking participation in our discussion group. The discussion group has some rules: be respectful to other opinions and express yours respectfully, make a post and reply to a post, when responding make sure to support your opinion with something from the article or audio clip. I noticed that although the participation in the discussions was pretty good, no one actually followed that last one - Point - Proof - Discussion! I came into class prepared to set them straight and that moving forward, anything less, would not be acceptable.
So there I was. At the front of the room, giving an awesome understanding about the essentials of providing support for your point in an academic setting. Waaa, Waaaa, Waaa! The stares that I get back let me know that they got it but they weren't buying it. Just as I was about to move on, a disruption in the back caught my attention:
"Ask her, ask her!"
"What would you like to ask me?"
"Miss, is it true that dolphins have raped people?"
Before I could even express an emotion....
"I heard that's true!"
"Dolphins are one of the few animals, like humans, that have sex for pleasure."
"Yeah, I seen that of WorldHipHop."
WELL...The flood gates opened. I just couldn't control myself. I started clowning the entire premise. The jokes were just flowing like rain. The kids were killing themselves laughing, like deep belly laughs. People were trying to stop others from making any noise so they could make sure to hear my next singer:
"What the Dolphin gunna do, hold me down with his fins? Boy get outta here!"
"What they gunna do? Oh, while I'm swimming by them, they start saying, 'hay, how you dooooinnnn'?"
We were howling!
Next thing another one found a Youtube video of a Dolphin seemingly humpin' some women. Another dude found something on Wikipedia that stated 14 people annually are sexually assaulted by Dolphins. 14!!!!!!!! And that they have been known to "gang rape".
And then it happened. All of a sudden, without even really being conscious of it, I hit them straight across the head. Out loud, I started to count - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 ,7 ,8! Eight separate young people found a source for their point that Dolphins had sexually assaulted people. 8!
"Are you kidding me? You all were able to support the crazy and insane but when I asked you to do that in a discussion, you acted confused as though it was something you couldn't do."
They tried to say that I tricked them but with ease admitted how much fun we had in learning a great lesson.
It was like magic and in that moment
they got,
I got it,
I was free.
And every time I remember this great day, I will be free again because I was my vision fulfilled. I am my vision fulfilled. Empowerment through Laughter!
What is life preparing you to DO?
(even my momma gave me a high five for well done when I told her this story)
"If my life wasn't funny, it would be real!" - Carrie Fisher
