The Blackout, Basketball, and the Blessing

I’m not sure if the world has heard yet, but Spain completely blacked out on Monday.

I was already moving slow—my strawberry season had started (if you know, you know)— but the blackout made everything calm.
Calming in that low-key terrifying, “I don’t know what’s going on” kind of way.

It reminded me of 2020: quiet skies, no traffic. Except this time, there was no death, no panic, no isolation.

Unlike in the U.S., where everyone would’ve stormed the banks, grocery stores, gas stations— stocking up like the world was ending— the Spanish (or at least the Catalans) were frolicking.
Out in the streets. Laughing. Sunbathing. Playing. Yes, honey I’m being for real. 

And me?
I did what the Catalans do when in Catalonia—
laid in the grass, watching my neighbors play White Men Can’t Jump-style basketball.

No lie—when it first happened, the order of my thoughts went like this:

1. “Girl, did you pay your light bill?”
   Of course you did. They take it straight from your bank account, here. Rolls eyes.

2. “Oh shit, it’s a cyberattack. We under attack.”
   Then: “OMG, I’m not in Mississippi.… I’m in this white ass country with all these white people. Fck. 

3. “Why don’t I have more canned foods?”

4. “Fck it.”

I texted my family: I love y’all. Then I picked up a book, grabbed some dates, and laid out in my sunroom until my neighbors came to get me.

Later that evening, when I could no longer deny my hunger, I went out looking for food and trees (again, if you know, you know)— with no cash and hope that maybe somewhere, electricity had been restored. I crossed through the park and ran into one of the African boys who always chills there. He saw me and said:

“Where are you going?”

I said:
“Looking for food, haven’t you heard about what’s going on, you not freaked out?”

He smiled and replied:
“Empress, you are funny. The African lady is bringing some soon—for everyone. You just need five euros.”

I looked down as I recalled that I didn’t have cash and then he added:
“My sista, I got you.”

And in that moment, I had a thought:

Girl, you’re Black.
You will always survive.
You are guided by ancestors who endured more than you can comprehend—
Your community is deep and rooted no matter where you are in the world. 

And all I could think was:
Thank God I’m Black.

📸 @GabrielleZimmerman