I am well into my thirties and I have never been to a concert. Never! Never had the desire because it was not my forte’. My closes friends rot and rave about going to live concerts and how much fun it is. Well, I was still not enthused into going after hearing and watching their highlights. They will ridicule me for not going. I JUST DON’T HAVE A DESIRE TO ATTEND! My friend Rayne is a BIG Beyoncé fan and will go anywhere she is having a concert at least three in the nation if she can. She tried getting me to go several times, but I declined even after hearing and seeing some amazing images and how much fun they have at her concerts.

AND NO I still wasn’t impressed into attending. Well, my five closes friends are to due to see her in Miami, Florida the same time I would be home visiting my family in Fort Lauderdale. AGAIN! They tried to get me to go, but I refuse. I am just not a concert person of any sort, in any way, nothing!

It is early Monday morning, my flight leaves at 6:56am, I running behind and praying I don’t miss my flight. I finally got through the gate to get on the plane. I sit down in my seat, buckle up, and pray. Now, It’s time to fly to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and as I finish preparing to nap I get a call from RAYNE! Rayne is our “enforcer!” She really never accepts any answer she isn’t please with, but knowing her for ten years I pretty much figured her out. Rayne, my closes friend asked me again to go to the concert. I told her no! “Rayne, why are you so impulsive in asking me to attend the concert after I said NO a million times?” She explained, “Well, Tasha (another friend of ours) had to pull out because her baby took ill!” Rayne said. “Rayne, I am on the plane. I will let you know once you all arrive into Miami in a few days” I simple explained to her. I had to get her off the phone or she will try and try to convince me to go. Now off to sleep!

Now, I’ve been in Florida for several days hanging by thepoolside and chilling with family and friends. I’ve gotten a phone call from Rayne that they have made into in Florida. An hour later I picked them up from the airport, took them to their hotel, we hung out and I went home to my family and friends. The next day, I got a call from Rayne …AGAIN asking f I can go to the concert. Remember, Rayne will not stop! At this point I was tired and dumbfounded. I said, “Sure!” I really, really didn’t want to go. Plus, it was already paid for, so why not!

The next night was Beyoncé’s concert. Now, I am finally to begin to feel a little amp! The “Beyoncé feel” was getting on me, through me, just all over! I felt different, probably because I didn’t have to pay some hundreds of dollars for a concert and I was going for free. I opt to drive since I was going for free.

Knowing Florida’s traffic one must leave early! Now, I amdriving I-95 South. Traffic was out of this world! I am screaming and nowhere to go. I wanted to pull over, drive west and take the Turnpike, but I was sandwiched in between two large white trucks. Now, I am getting frustrated. My glee is now turning into rage! Finally, I get a pass and the traffic is slowly opening up. Whoosh, I am driving at normally speed and slowly creeping up into faster speed. Not paying attention a cop comes behind me with its happy lights. I screamed and cussed! Man, I was livid!

This 6’4, tall, thin, caramel brown brother walks out and comes to my car with his body slightly looking inside the car. I rolled my eyes up and said, “Hi Officer…!” With no hi’s or hello’s, “Ma’am may I get your registration and driver licenses?” “Well, I be…!” I said under my breath. “Ma’am do you know why I pulled you over…?” I simply replied, “No.” He stutter and that made me even furious! I just put my eyes down because God knows I didn’t want any trouble! “You were going 76miles per hour in 65 mph speed limit.” He said with his helicopter rainbow looking glasses on! I just looked at him and said I was sorry and needed to get to Miami to pick up my friends for Beyoncé Concert. “Ok.” He said.

I am already feeling like crap! Never gotten a speeding ticket, I am an hour late, what else could go wrong. The cop comes to my car and explains why he is giving me this ticket. I cried and cried. Make-up running down and he didn’t seemto give a crap. I took it and rode off! What else could go wrong? Back into heavy traffic! I am fuming!

Made it to the concert late! It was a blast, but the feeling of me getting a ticket lingered deep into my memory all night of the concert, the drive back to Fort Lauderdale, and all the way back to D.C.

Back to D.C. the “Land of Politics!” Back to work! Back to the way of life! Rayne was pleased that I went to the concert! I was please, but not with a $150.00 dollars ticket that I have to pay in a few weeks.

A few months later I was out to brunch with my friends. Now, all my friends are either married or involved. Me, I am single! I had an appointment, so I had to leave early. Rayne came running after me and ask me she would like for me to date one of her husband’s coworker. Rayne’s husband works for the Montgomery Police Department in Maryland. I laughed! I always laughed because for years Rayne has tired to setme up with her husband’s friends. It has always been an epic FAILURE!

She insisted that I date a guy who has been working on the force for years and been with her Husband department for a month. Rayne sold a good deal! She explained that he is from Florida, he’s strong, don’t smoke or drink, no kids, BUT one problem! You know I looked at her with a side-eyed! She says he stutters! “What the fuck! Really Rayne!” I normally don’t curse, but I felt that deep down in my soul.

I felt like my dating years are slowly diminishing! I thought long and hard do I want to talk to this man! I cringed! I want to be with someone, but not with someone who talks eight words every 15 minutes! UGH! I asked for a picture and of course no picture. I asked what are his social handles. He does not have any! I immediately told her HELL NO!

Side note: No picture no date!

Now the drive home had me wondering, do I want to be single for the rest of my life or just try it! I was suspicious, but hell why not!

I called Rayne the next day and I told her to give him my number. It took usa week before we actually spoke because I was scared of what he may look like! He called me for the fifth time. I answered and Yes, he stutters! Not as bad, but you can hear it! He asked me out on a date, I was skeptical because it will be a task trying to eat and listen to him all at the same time.

We met at a local restaurant in D.C. I got there early. He walked in and immediately I wanted to vomit! It was the guy who gave me the damn ticket in Florida. My stress of having a ticket was at its highest level…AGAIN! I wanted to scream. Punch him right in his penis! No sympathy for this black man! He approached me and said, “You look familiar?” I nicely said, “You gave me a ticket on April 16, 2017 when I was heading to Beyoncé’s concert in Hollywood,Florida!” He smiled hard and of course stutter. “I truly apologized for giving you a ticket,” he says. Apologize, apologize I kept saying in my head! APOLOGIZE? I wanted to walk out so bad. I stayed. He did most of the talking and stutter. We went Dutch! He really tried to pay, but I refused. We hugged, went to our separate cars, and drove off. I IMMEDIATLEY called Rayne and cussed her out!

The next day in the afternoon, who calls! Mr. JERK himself! NO, I didn’t answered. It took me two weeks to answer. I finally gave in because I was bored at home!

We spoke, but man it was hard to listen sometimes.

A little about “Mr. Stutter.” His name is James and he moved to Maryland to be the police Deputy Chief and a change from Florida. He was married, but his wife diedof a blood clot in her leg. The day he gave me the ticket was his wife fifth year of passing. Now I feel like the “JERK!”

We dated on and off for a five months and he asked me to official be his “girlfriend” on September 18, 2016.Over a year we traveled, we’ve really gotten to know one another, our families, and had a blast of a time. We were at church, the pastor called him and I to the pulpit. I had a dumb look on my face wondering what happen and there in front of the congregation he proposed on Sunday, September 17, 2017 to be his wife. We got married two months later on Tuesday, November 21, 2017 we were husband and wife! Yes, he gave me my $150.00 for my ticket and more!

*Fictional Story