A Man from Another Land: How Finding My Roots Changed My Life

A Man from Another Land: How Finding My Roots Changed My Life by Isaiah Washington Read Free Book Online Page B

Book: A Man from Another Land: How Finding My Roots Changed My Life by Isaiah Washington Read Free Book Online
Authors: Isaiah Washington
Tags: BIO002000
and funny Will Smith type. John was right. I would figure out just how right years laterwhen I found myself in the midst of a Hollywood controversy that spread out of control like a forest fire.
    It is unflinchingly clear to me that there are no coincidences in life. We meet people for a reason and a season. We each
     have a message, a gift, and a purpose to share with the world. It is something that is undeniable and unique to every single
     one of us. For years I have used the words “ironic” or “serendipity” so much that it has become like a running joke I’ve told
     far too many times. I firmly believe that we are all given signs and dreams and put in situations that define who we were
     and who we are to become. All of it points us toward our destiny. All we need to do is listen carefully to the messages and
     follow our dreams. It is in our dreams that we find our true identities and where our destiny awaits.
    Harry Poe had moved to New York City from DC as well. He became the creative director for the CityKids Repertory when Dianne
     Houston left to pursue her writing career in Los Angeles.
    The cost of a New York apartment was, and still is, very expensive. Agreeing that it would be cheaper if we split the cost,
     Harry and I found a place together on Lincoln and Bedford streets in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. There was just
     one problem. I couldn’t have overnight guests. I never knew the reason behind this; it was just one of Harry’s rules. He was
     an extremely private man and I suppose did not want his space invaded by someone he didn’t know or trust.
    I once heard a story that he had been married to a woman who was part of the Washington, DC, bourgeoisie. They were reportedly
     known to throw lavish soirees at their huge home, for DC’s politicos and community elites. The tale was that Harry refused
     to service his wife sexually after they married and rumors of his sexuality prompted her to file for divorce to save face.
     Harry’s sexual orientation was never an issue or a discussionbetween us. I always considered Harry kind of asexual; I never saw him with a man or a woman. Many of Harry’s protégés were
     gay, lesbian, or bisexual, but he had plenty of heterosexual friends and students too. He seemed to love money, people, and
     art far more than sex. I never thought much about whether or not someone was gay. I didn’t really care one way or the other.
     We were all just struggling artists, theater people.
    Harry fancied himself a Renaissance man like Langston Hughes and had delusions of grandeur, always talking about one day getting
     “his mansion.” But as I got to know him, I began to see him as a very lonely and somewhat broken man trying to live vicariously
     through me. He talked about his mistakes as a young actor and how his hubris stalled his career. He never blamed his failures
     on racism; he just chalked them up to poor timing.
    He had some health issues and suffered greatly from an ulcer. Harry was a complicated man. He would constantly remark that
     I wasn’t “his type” and that he couldn’t understand why he was so interested in me and my career. At times he chided me for
     being “too dark” and joked that I should stay out of the sun. This was a huge contradiction to his self-proclaimed African
     High Priest Akan demeanor. But Harry was full of contradictions. He would say, “Isaiah, I am incredibly human. I am probably
     the most human person you will ever know because I know that I am flawed. I know that I am perfect imperfection!”
    I learned so much from Harry, but over time I began to resent his rules. I started spending many nights away from the apartment,
     staying at a girlfriend’s place. I would stop by only to drop off my half of the rent.
    The situation created extreme tension between us. Eventually, we stopped talking and I severed our ties. Our last argument
     was a crisp and philosophical one. Harry accused me of jeopardizing my career

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