Kismet – Travel Diaries: Unexplainable & Powerful Bonds Created When Traveling
Travel has become a hinderance since the pandemic and it’s because people have lost all their common sense and home training. Though travel has become scary, I still appreciate what it brings and provides. On my most recent trip from Denver to LA, I had something unusual happen to me.
Travel Kismet… You Ain’t Even Know It
“Got a hundred acres I live on, you ain’t even know it.”
U.O.E.N.O. Rocko (feat Rick Ross, Future)
I always try to travel dressed up. One, because I actually enjoy dressing nice. Two, because I never know who I am going to run into during my travels. It may be a business opportunity that will put me in touch with my next client. I want people to say “I need to know who the hell that is.”
It’s no secret. I know I’m an above average human being (in terms of height and weight). I know that I’m 6’2”, with an athletic build, and intelligent demeanor. I know I stick out like a sore thumb so i love to lean into that and let it play to my advantage.
I’m either flying Delta or Southwest the majority of the time. These airlines give me the least amount of trouble and I am a creature of habit. This Delta flight might’ve been the best I’ve ever taken.
Before I get on the plane, I make sure that I’m situated to make the trip to my seat easy and painless.
In this specific instance, I was sitting in 1st class in seat 1A (window seat all day) and had no seat in front of me, so my bag would have to go in the overhead compartment.
I took out my current read, Dilla Time by Dan Charnas and my iPad containing my other book, BloodBrothers by Richard Price.
Upon placing my bag overhead, I then slide into my seat past an older black man. He was grubbing on his food and had a bag in his lap but was able to let me pass. I placed my book on the center console and plopped down into my seat.
This older gentleman saw my book and commented “great book.”
I replied that it was a great book so far, being that I was approximately halfway into/through with it.
He asked me smaller pointed questions a little later about what I actually liked about it.
“I really like music and those that contribute to it.” I said. “I like producers and engineers, the people behind the music that help mold and shape it into what it is. The people outside of the artists. I think in a former life I was a musician or something. Can’t quite put my finger on it but I’m sure it was something of that nature.”
I said this with a laugh and got slightly embarrassed that I actually told someone about having a life before this one. Not too many people believe you live multiple lives but I beg to differ.
He nodded, we continued getting settled into our seats.
Now, I’m always down to talk and connect with my fellow book worms, but the way he asked the questions was a little “off.” The thing I like about meeting other reading enthusiasts is that people don’t ask you about a book if they aren’t a reader. It’s really counterintuitive honestly.
He asked the question as if he was trying to dig deeper into me as a person and why I would be reading this book if I didn’t have any musical background.
(yes, I deduced this pretty quickly since i’m an observant person. It’s the psychologist in me.)
This man looked a little bit familiar but I also couldn’t really place him. I thought he had something to do with sports but in all honesty I gave up.
He shook my hand and introduced himself.
”My name is Chuck.” He said.
”Drew.” I confidently said back.
We continued conversation as the plane took off. Hitting on topics from music to sports, hip hop to the Knicks most recent thrilling playoff win against the 76ers, mentoring to money, and occupations to hometowns.
He was from New York and I was from Denver.
I really had to find out who he was once he voiced his occupation.
He asked me what I did for a living and I told him I was a life and performance coach for student-athletes and professional athletes. But when I asked him what he did for a living he nonchalantly said “I lecture about music.”
I thought to myself… Shiiiiit, let me get that job! That’s something I would love to do.
But in order to do this job, you have to have a wealth of knowledge or experience about music! And that’s what really peaked my interest. That this dude had to have these things or be a producer or engineer of some sort.
No wonder why he asked me about what I liked about the book. He also told me that he knows J.Dilla’s mother and that she is a wonderful woman.
So now the wheels are really turning. But the conversation was just flowing. It wasn’t us pressing the issue or it getting awkward between us. It seemed more like a teacher and student sharing a conversation.
He got up to retrieve his bag from the overhead shortly after we leveled off reaching the proper altitude.
He handed me a card for an app he was talking about earlier and then another card with his contact information on it. The card held an email, a twitter and instagram handle. I read through everything briefly then turned to him.
I calmly stated “you’re Thee Chuck D.?”
He shook his head up and down assuredly and I let out a chuckle.
Meet Chuck D. Of Public Enemy
That was it, I was sitting right by hip hop royalty and couldn’t really place him. I also didn’t want to be wrong. If I saw Chuck D’s face on an interview and then they flashed his name underneath, I would know it was him. But put him next to me in a fitted cap and a mask around his neck and I was left to my own devices.
After that, I could finally release all the weight I had been carrying up to this point because I finally knew who he was. Like I know the name Chuck D. From Public Enemy! Cool, this is the reason you know so much about this music stuff. Because you are a pioneer of it and those that came before you.
So we continued to talk the remainder of the flight and I let him know I played football professionally in Atlanta. We just continued to talk about a few things we were passionate about and experts in.
It’s funny because as we were sitting there, he did a majority of the talking. When we got towards the end of the flight, he said that he was talking too much and he didn’t know why he was talking so much when he was a listener.
I retorted “I’m a listener as well. So when you put two listeners by each other, someone is going to end up talking more. But also I don’t mind at all. I’m soaking up all this knowledge.”
After we landed we shook hands, and off we both went into the LAX airport.
Man, I just met Chuck D.
Moral of the Story
Essentially, what I aim to do is to get us to communicate and operate in a way that can open the universe to us. Normally, I wouldn’t talk to someone the whole plane ride because I’m not a talkative person and plus I wanted to knock out a large chunk of reading on this flight.
But once we began rapping (no pun intended) I really felt a nice aura coming from Chuck. I felt his conversation was genuine and it was exactly what I was supposed to be doing in that moment.
Think about it.
Two black men sitting next to each other in 1st class. I had checked the flight right before I boarded and the seat next to me was actually empty. The only seat in 1st class that was avaliable.
Also,
I’m not 100% sure because I didn’t really look behind me during the flight, but we were the only black people in 1st class as well (might’ve been).
That has to be God working. Putting you right where you need to be. God’s wink is what I usually refer to it as.
I learned that he was on this flight because of a delay and mechanical issue with his previous flight. Causing him to miss his connection in Denver.
He was supposed to lecture at Cal Poly Humboldt in Northern California that evening but his missed flight was the only plane to that region for the day.
Humboldt is about a 4-5 hour drive from San Francisco. That should let you know how secluded it is.
So although he says he didn’t have to lecture that day, I definitely enjoyed the lecture he gave me during that two hour flight.
These are the interactions that matter. We cannot be afraid to live in this world because it is a beautiful and awesome place.
We cannot continue to walk around with our head in our phones as if the world and people don’t exist.
Even if I wasn’t talking to an influential person like Chuck D., when the opportunity comes to get to know someone you’re sitting beside for a flight, take it.
Be vulnerable.
Ask questions.
Laugh.
Converse (not conversate).
These types of things help us get better as humans to handle situations that are thrown our way. Our youth are struggling to do things like this, a simple conversation with another human being. The majority don’t want to do things like this. For young men, this is a MUST. The world will chew you up and spit you out without an ability like this.
It’s how you will get ahead.
It’s how you will make connections.
It’s how you will grow into an even better man.
So for my young men, step into spaces with the intent to be noticed. Carry yourself with confidence so that others can respect you and want that confidence to rub off on them.
Allow them to see you are someone worth knowing and being involved in their life or business. I can’t tell you the countless people I’ve met in life from a simple conversation that have become fruitful over my lifetime.
Continue to branch outside of your comfort zone so that you can grow from each interaction. Growth doesn’t come from doing things you are comfortable with. Growth comes from being uncomfortable. Something you should never forget in your lifetime.
STAY HEALTHY
DD