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Lionel Douglass
The Big Trip
“Thinking back on how it all started”
What type of person becomes one of America’s biggest Icons you may ask well let me share a bit about who I am. My ?rst truly big adventure was t...view moreThe Big Trip
“Thinking back on how it all started”
What type of person becomes one of America’s biggest Icons you may ask well let me share a bit about who I am. My ?rst truly big adventure was traveling to California for “SWS” which is: Sunshine, Women and Soul Train. And boy, I must say, I found all three to be beyond my wildest small-town dreams. Unfortunately, my life between leaving my hometown of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, up to my life inside the Bigbird costume will have to wait. But let me tell you, living life in the world I was introduced to, and the experiences I had as a single, young, black, talented, wet-behind-the-ears and everywhere else 18-year-old was unlike any other.
My experiences during the ’70s and ’80s with the world were the most incredible times ever. I say it’s only by the grace of God that I’m around to tell these stories today because I was exposed to many different life-altering things. For example, people handing me a joint, weed, grass, marijuana or whatever you want to call it was handed to me as readily as handing me a stick of gum. The alcohol that everyone seemed to be enjoying was everywhere. Cocaine would sit on table’s like mounds of ?our ready to bake a cake free for whom ever wanted some.
It was by God’s grace, along with my mother and family upbringing, as well as enough self-pride to say, “No!” which saved me. It freed me from the consequences that can come from indulging in such activities? I truly learned the power of saying, “No.” It does work. I said, “No!” so often, and with such conviction that people started saying “No!” for me. I take pride in that. It’s something that stands out as much as any other great accomplishment and I have gained a certain respect from others that has carried over to today.
Well let’s not forget to mention the abundance of free sex, and for a young man of 18 years, this was the hardest one to resist. For us, the AIDS epidemic hadn’t hit home. Again GOD was in my corner, he worked with me, and showed me that sex could be just as addicting as all of the other actions.
But I was caught, it only takes one weak moment, and I had one. And that was when I truly learned the meaning of “with every action is a reaction and consequence.” It came with irresponsible sexual behavior. I had a baby. At the young age of twenty-four and with no mental preparation or anything else as far as preparation was concerned. It might have been the worst thing in the world for some, and it truly can be a time stand-still event, but I accepted my new role followed the proper steps, did what I knew I could do, and did a lot of praying and started the journey down a new road.
I’m just grateful for mothers and fathers. My mother and father stepped up and took Jevon in as if she was their own child, and gave her a home and a family life like I had. Yes, it wasn’t what we wanted, and sure marrying Jevon’s mother, making our own family would’ve been ideal, but like I’ve said about my life, as people we must make decisions and pray that we are making the choices that will better everyone’s life. Not everyone will understand our decisions but later with the will of God they will get a chance to see the love that people give and try to make things better for themselves or others. It’s not that I did not ponder to make a family life and still hold a career in showbiz,it was just very difficult.
However just like me, Jevon grew up imagining how different her life should or could have been. She was a little more boisterous than I was, and she had a bit more anger than I did. One reason might have been that I was still a part of her life, but not a big enough part for her. In her head, she didn’t live with me and there wasn’t a reason that would have made any difference at her young age as to why not. She may have been angry with me because she felt I had destroyed her life and in some sense abandoned her and had taken her from her mother and us as a family so as a child it may havview less
Books by Lionel Douglass
Feathers of Color: What Was It Like Playing the Famous Bigbird: An American Icon