NOVEMBER MUST BE "NATIONAL HEADLOCK MONTH"

Sometimes you gotta put a N***a in a headlock to let them know "I'm Him" A Bedtime Story by Shawn William

When I was 15 years old, I was 3 inches taller than my Father. One day, I was feeling myself and felt the need to let him know that I was sick of his s**t. I wasn't cleaning up my room, I'll drink all of the OJ and if I felt like missing the toilet, "So da' fuq what! Deal with it old man". Now of course I didn't say that to his face, but I did say "No!' and walked up on him.

Now, my father is one of the nicest men you'll ever meet in your life. A happy, humble and solid man who works hard and provides for his family. He's never beat or spanked me, doesn't drink and the only curse words he'd say was "Son of a gun" and "Dog gone it". My father is definitely going to the VIP section of heaven when it's his time. So after I told him "No" with my bird chest poked out, my father leaned in like Kobe did Shaq

and asked "Excuse me?" This was my chance to rethink what I said, apologize to the man who put a roof over my head and live to see another day, but I'm a March 28th, Aries which means I don't have sense, so I looked him dead in the face and said "No!", next thing I saw was the ceiling because my father put me in a chokehold. Ya'll, I never knew my Daddy was that damn strong. He had "Jim Crow" strength. It seemed like he was releasing pinned up anger and frustration from the 70's & 80's. For every time he couldn't catch a cab, got denied at the bank, when Al Davis moved the Raiders to LA, or my mom drove 10,000 miles with the check engine light on he released all that out on my head and neck.

All I could hear was "Uhhh, huh. Now what?". "Now what?","Now let me go Daddy because I'm blacking out". My father held me for another 10 seconds, let me go and gave me "If you feel froggy, then leap" look and I told him

...because that day I realized that my Father was no punk b****.

And that's probably what King learned about T.I., he ain't no punk b****

And what Rudy Gobert learned about Draymond Green

and thousands of Sons and dudes who got son'd all around the world find out about their Fathers, friends and advisories.

My Father, T.I. and Draymond didn't want to hurt us, they just wanted to let us know "I'm Him" and not to EVER forget it.

One day. this beautiful kid in the picture with me. A child who I do not spank or hit, My child with a smile and laugh that will warm your soul, one day will get enough height and courage to look me in the eyes, with a bird chest ready to test his "Old man", and like my Father and probably his Father before, I will put him in a headlock and let the lil Ninja know that "I'm him"

But unlike my father, I'll curse him the f**k out because I'm a "March 28th Aries"

Shawn William is a Grammy Nominated Spoken Word Artist and Published Author, who is only trying to achieve fame so he can meet Ari Lennox and have lemon pepper chicken wings and vodka with Traycee Ellis-Ross.