Top 5 Events that I've Attended

 #5 1988 Sam's Birthday Party 

My brother Courtney baby-sat for a woman in Middletown, CT. The woman was a single mom and I remember when she came by the house. Me, Courtney, and our mom rented a house in Hartford that the landlord owned. Sam's mom came by and Courtney must've told her that I was his little brother. The woman said these very words that I will never forget, "You will definitely 😁 be a male influence on my son Sam at his birthday party."

I remember Courtney telling me and mom how he baby-sat Sam for his mom. One time Sam got into an argument with Courtney and Sam used some really bad 😞😔 curse words. Sam tried to even fight Courtney. Courtney picked Sam up and hung him on the coat rack until Sam's mom came home. 

Sam's mom came inside and asked, "What are you two doing?"

Courtney replied, "We're just having a little fun. 😊 

Sam's mom responded, "Carry on."

I got ready and I remember Sam's mom took me and Courtney to Sam's birthday party. Sam had just turned 6. I was 10 and Courtney was 14. Talk about a really cool party, I started chatting with Sam and mentioned to him how Courtney did stuff to me being my big brother. The next thing that I know one of Sam's friend at the party (a girl) said these very words that I will never forget. "You two could be brothers the way that you talk and get along with each other." That shocked me but it was cool 😎 the way that the girl said that. Sam's mom had this really cool game where Sam while blindfolded hit the pinata 🪅 and candy 🍬🍭 fell out.

I can remember the fun we had and the candy we got from that game. I remember when Sam's party was over Sam's mom asked me if I enjoyed it. I remember saying "yes" and telling her that one of Sam's friend said that we could be brothers. Sam's mom face lit up with happiness 😊 and simply responded, "Yes you and Sam could be brothers. Sam needs someone like a brother in his life."

#4 1990 Courtney's Appreciation 

I will never forget the birthday appreciation that mom threw for Courtney's 16th birthday party. My mom had ordered enough food that people could take seconds and thirds home from then Valley's Steakhouse. It was April 4th 1990 and a palm Sunday at that. You want to talk about something that was so well put together and in order, that was how mom did Courtney's Appreciation. I can remember the Shirley Temple drinks, I must've had 10 glasses of Shirley Temples that evening.

Meanwhile, mom kept the whole party quiet. 🤐🤫 She made up the guest list so Courtney wouldn't find out. So many people came out to Courtney's Appreciation. The Mayor of Hartford came by in passing and whoever wasn't able to come donated money. 💰 Sam and his mom came to Courtney's Appreciation. It felt like being at the Grammy Awards the way people had a lot of wonderful things to say about Courtney.

Mr. Steele Courtney's highschool music 🎵 🎶 teacher:

"Courtney borrow our saxophone 🎷 to play out of town at events. We let Courtney use our saxophone because we trust Courtney and we can always depend on Courtney."

Brother Melvin from the church in New York we attended:

"It's amazing how on a Palm Sunday like this how everyone comes together like this to honor Courtney."

This was amazing how the acknowledgement poured out for Courtney. Mom did this because me and Courtney used to get kicked out of the libraries when Courtney was 10 and I was 6 because of me and when Courtney had to deal with Sam acting up real bad one time. Mom gave Courtney a saxophone for his birthday because he had the highschool's saxophone more than they did.

#3 1992 Courtney's Highschool Graduation

When Courtney was born he was 12 LBS 3 Ounces. Courtney was so big that the doctor 🏥 had to brake both of his arms. Courtney was a critical baby and the doctor had to send Courtney to Hartford hospital. The doctor said to mom if Courtney lived he would be a vegetable. Thank the Lord we had such a praying mom who didn't accept evil reports. 

Mom said that Courtney would live and be normal. Courtney was a miracle baby. Courtney had to use a walker. Courtney was a fighter and started walking at 9 months. Courtney got to the place where when he walked he took that walker and threw it because he didn't need it. Courtney also was very smart. 🤓 Courtney read a lot of books and studied from Kindergarten all the way till 12th grade. Courtney was left-handed because of what the doctor had to do when Courtney was born. Courtney made honors and high honors from Kindergarten-12th grade and graduated high school with high honors at 18. Courtney was the only brother whose father came to his highschool graduation. Courtney was considered most likely to succeed and all of his friends looked up to Courtney.

Courtney taught me that if I do good in school and graduate highschool that they will come to my graduation like they did his. Courtney is a realtor and a supervisor at American Airlines and been working for AA for 17 years now.

#2 1997 My Highschool Graduation 

I spent my elementary school from Kindergarten- 2nd Grade being taken out of teachers classes because they tried to say that I was slow or couldn't learn like the other kids in class and just proved teachers wrong when they doubted me. I never knew that I would be proving doubters wrong even as an adult.

My journey in school had me going through a lot of adversity and overcoming it. I missed making honor roll in highschool by one letter grade but I knew it was because I didn't apply myself more. When I did get good grades I made sure I did when it really mattered the most. At 19 I graduated highschool with 112 classmates. I work at the Post Office and been here for a little over 5 years now. I enjoy working behind the scenes scanning packages, feeding and sweeping the mail and getting the mail ready for the carriers to deliver.

#1 1997 Marisa's College Graduation

Ms. Mercedes who my mom knew from hairdressing school back in the 80's used to do my mom's hair. Ms. Mercedes has a daughter Marisa and a son Chris. When we were little me and Courtney used to go to East Hartford where Ms. Mercedes, Marisa, and Chris lived at. We used to bring food home. 

Anyway, Ms. Mercedes invited my mom and me to Marisa's College Graduation at UCONN in Storrs. Not sure what I was going to do I had a chance to see Marisa get her Bachelor's Degree. Seeing Marisa walk across that stage inspired me to go to Community college and I got my Associates Degree at Capital Community college. After Marisa's graduation Ms. Mercedes had a party for Marisa at her house in Windsor. Marisa's brother Chris went on to get his Bachelor's Degree in 1999 at a college in Philadelphia, PA. Marisa is in Long Beach, CA and is very successful. Chris is in Hartford and is married and have a daughter with his wife.

Those are my Top 5 events that I attended.

Trying to get over the heated argument I had with my now deceased brother Troy

 For those of you who had brothers whether younger or older than you, us brothers argue, fight, and it may take 2 weeks-till a month for us to start speaking to one another. Anyway it was December 15th 2023. I went to management in Newington to mail them a door key 🗝️ and mailbox key. My brother Courtney had helped me moved the last of my stuff out of the 3 bedroom 2 bathroom to the dumpster in Bloomfield.

I became an East Hartford resident on November 9th 2023. I sent Troy a text message letting him know how he & Paula hurt me when me and our mom stayed with them in Orlando, FL in 1998, 2000, and 2003. The last time that I went to that part of Florida was in 2003 and was to go to my cousin Ebony's high school graduation. 🎓 I didn't specifically go into the years that me and mom stayed with Troy and Paula but the episodes because I remember them very well.

Troy sent me a text saying something like this. "Paul I don't understand what you are saying. You need to just grow up and forgive me for the things that I said to you that offended you. This is the last time that I'm apologizing to you!" Troy then called me and had given me a scathing response but not before asking me how I was doing and if everything is good. I mainly listened to Troy tell me things like he doesn't remember everything that he said and that he doesn't make promises that he doesn't keep. My whole reason was to just address the issue about Troy belittling me saying things like, "If I ever get out on my own that I would fall flat on my face or I wouldn't leave home until I was forty." I mentioned to Troy that he said discouraging and encouraging things and that it was really tough to understand where he was coming from with his comments directed at me.

Troy took it upon himself to call me on the phone and come at me aggressively. That was the last straw for me. I read all of my one very long text to Troy to 3 co-workers and one to my mom's classmate from Capital Community College (these were all women) and they all said that I said nothing wrong nor was I aggressive at the text that I sent Troy. Troy ended the heated argument when I mentioned to Troy how Troy and our mom shut me down when I tried to tell him how I didn't like staying in Orlando in 2003 with Troy and Paula. Troy said these very words to me. "Paul you're leaving it up to me if you want me to be your big brother and look out for you. Here is what I will do for you since you said that I shut you down. I don't have to call you, I don't have to write you, and I don't have to keep in touch with you!" 

I had had enough of Troy talking to me like I was his child or one of his dogs that Troy and Paula own. I simply said, "That is fine with me." After I got off the phone with Troy I blocked his number and didn't unblock Troy's number until after I learned that Troy passed on February 1st 2025. Courtney has reached out to me and asked if I want to go to Troy's funeral and I'm explaining to Courtney that this is going to take some serious getting over this. I had to call out sick Tuesday and Wednesday from work. I'm waiting to get my plated ID card in the mail because of the temporary paper copy that I'm forced to use until then. I recently transferred over my direct deposit from M&T bank to Nashville Post Office Credit Union and I'm awaiting if I'm eligible for an early as 2 days before the pay period type of direct deposit.