Handshake with a Black American Man

Handshake with a Black American Man
By: Charles Boucher Jr.

A handshake to me
Was one of firmness
In confidence we agree
But whether that handshake shared
With a white or black man
Has all been one and the same
But of the unique experiences
With the black man you see
Ranks of the most free
The first time
I felt a soft touch
In a handshake
Was from a black man
That hired me for a job
At Kennedy Space Center
After that it has become
A need to respect
The agreeing gesture
Of the handshake
Twice I had epiphanies
While experiencing this gesture of agreement
In friendly greeting
In church on Easter Morning
While we were persuaded to shake hands
With our neighbors in the pews
Behind me happened to be
A family of worshipers
A black father and his two sons
The father was shaking hands with others
I offered my hand to his youngest son
It happened so fast
The little man's hand
Worked some kinda jive
All I could do was grin
Another time
After I had been forced to retire
I was doing my monthly routine of running around
The public transportation was my only means
I was waiting downtown
For my ride home you see
It was hot and muggy
Irritating to say the least
Standing at a bus stop
When a thin black man
Darker than most
Rode by on his bicycle
He asked if I had a dollar to spare
Inspired by God in believing
What goes around comes around
Although tight for the green
I took out a dollar
With a line from ZZ Top
Thinking to myself, "Have mercy!"
I said to him,
"I been wait'n on the bus all day!"
As I extended a dollar bill to him
As he peddled by
When he took it from my hand
His middle finger lightly touched mine
Instantly creating an image in my mind
Resembling of the Sistine Chapel
The finger of God
Touching the finger of Adam