“What did I do?”“What did you do? Well, for starters, you used your face to stop a cafeteria door from swinging open.”

“How about a rain check?' She smiles, but I know it's not real because it doesn't crinkle her eyes. 'Sure. Some other time.'I nod and grab my car keys. Before I flip the light on in the grage, she's behind me, tugging on my backpack.'You want to go to school? Fine. But you're not driving. Give me the key.''I'm okay, Mom, really. I'll see you tonight.' I plant a quick kiss on her cheek and turn to the door again. 'That's nice. Give it to me.' She holds out her hand.I clench the key in my fist. 'You practically shoved that car down my throat Monday, and now youre taking the key. What did I do?''What did you do? Well, for starters, you used your face to stop a cafeteria door from swinging open.”

“He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?”She sighed. “I suppose.”“You suppose?”“What do you want? A medal?”“For starters. A trophy would be nice, too.”She smiled. “What do you think you're holding right now?”

“What did you do?” This time the question tears from my throat like a growl. I throw myself toward him… “What did you do?” I scream. “You die, I die too…I asked you not to do this. You made your decision. These are the repercussions.”

“Something EvilI said, "Ikstein stands outside the door for a long time before he knocks. Did you suspect that? Did you suspect that he stands there listening to what we say before he knocks?" She said, "Did you know you're crazy?" I said, "I'm not crazy. The expression on his face, when I open the door, is giddy and squirmy. As if he'd been doing something evil, like listening outside our door before he knocked." She said, "That's Ikstein's expression. Why do you invite him here? Leave the door open. He won't be able to listen to us. You won't make yourself crazy imagining it." I said, "Brilliant, but he isn't due for an hour and I won't sit here with the door open." She said, "I hate to listen to you talk this way. I won't be involved in your lunatic friendships." She opened the door. Ikstein stood there, giddy and squirmy.”

“I apply the warrior energy to the blues by tapping into the ancient job of the griot class.That wasn’t a job you did because someone said you had to do it;you did it because that’s what you did.It was your right as a person.In terms of warriorship,you had to stand up and do what was right,what you were born to do……In warriorship you have to be very present,very aware of where you are,where you’ve been and where you’re going.Part of what a warrior does,the compassion and generosity of warriorship,is to get the door open and hold it open for other people to come through.That means the warrior is often out there alone.Sometimes the door closes behind you and you don’t know it happened.Then you have to stop,put the guitar down,go back and get a wedge,and get the door open again,so..people can hear the music. You can’t be afraid,no matter what’s going on.”Taj MahalAutobiography of A Bluesman”