"You are not a porn star. You need to take your coon ass back to Seattle".

"You are not a porn star. You need to take your coon ass back to Seattle". Was the message I received while on one of my visits to San Francisco two years ago. There are two base emotions, fear (anger, envy, resentment, hate) and love (compassion, empathy, faith, hope, joy, respect). I thanked him for taking the time out of his busy schedule to write me.

I might have met him in passing. Or he might have been put off for my failure to respond to text messages in the past. The latter happens most often. I have posed the question many times. "Is it better to understand or be understood?" With an open mind does the heart follow. I thanked him for reminding me of what life can look like if I allow fear to once more rule my house. I would not wish such an existence on anyone.

I felt nothing but compassion for him. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

I will walk softly.

Buster Sly/Sylvester Lee Neal