Romario Vassell (RV) and Guy Bryant (GB)
RV: What were you feeling when you brought your first kid home?
GB: Nervous. I was nervous because I lived alone at that point, and he was a kid that nobody wanted to take because of his behaviors. He got in a fight and he appeared at my house. It was late so I called and let them know he was with me and I agreed to take him.
RV: How did your family react when you became a foster parent?
GB: They thought I was out of my mind. They were like, ”You live alone so long,” and My ex-wife was like, ”I don’t know about this.” ”You just so set in your ways.” I said, ”I can do this.” She said, ”I know you can if you put your mind to it,”
RV: The first time I met you Pop, I think it was at the office.
GB: I remember that you came in and you were disheveled. You were you were still in the shelter And I presented to you coming into foster care. And at first you were hesitant
RV: ‘Cause I didn’t know how foster care was, I’ve heard crazy stories.
GB: but then you were like, ”ah’ right.” And it was definitely one of the best decisions I made in foster care.
RV: Definitely.
GB: You know every time I turned around there was a kid who needed a place to stay. And I felt like, it’s so simple. If you have the space in your home and heart, you just do it. You don’t really think about it. One point I had nine kids in my house, and I had to move to a bigger apartment.
GB: The old kids still have their keys. And you know, usually everybody is in the house on Sundays.
RV: Old kids, new kids.
GB: I usually cook a lot. Last Sunday’s dinner was barbecued chicken, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese…
RV: The macaroni was good.
GB: Collard greens, cornbread. I try to cook enough to last a day or two, but that never works out that way,
RV: [Laughs]
GB: What has changed since you started living with me?
RV: If I feel down and like I’m cornered, I have someone I can reach out to and talk to. And that’s what I really love.
GB: Whatever you’ve learned from me I want you to teach it to someone else. Because that’s what’s important to me.
RV: How do you want to be remembered?
GB: As Pop.
RV: Okay.
GB: That says it all to me. That I can be somebody’s pop without being biologically connected to them.
RV: Well, you know you’re mine.
GB: Yeah, I know I am. And I love you to death.
