I Am Maxine Shaw

So I was over this nigga’s house, right?—ain’t that how most stories start?? So, I was over this nigga’s house and we were watching Living Single. I had forgotten how funny it was and how much I used to love that show! When I got home, I immediately added it to my Hulu watchlist and started from the beginning. I expected an abundance of laughs. What I didn’t expect, was to see my 35-year old life reflected back to me in the form of Maxine Shaw, Attorney at Law.

It’s almost scary how my life so closely resembles hers. Max was a maneater bachelorette with the occasional “long term” relationship notched into her bedpost, one of which continued to haunt her (remember Greg?) She was passionate about her career goals and put them before any relationship. She was no fan of children and she had style! On top of all of that, Max’s relationship with her mom wasn’t the traditional one.

Max’s vehement reluctance towards a committed relationship is where our kinship begins. Max never kept a man (besides Kyle, of course, but even that was tumultuous) but there were the occasional flings that provided a little excitement and adventure. Max was hard on men. She always put herself first and knew exactly what she wanted from her lovers, but she also wasn’t afraid of a little romance. This could be me imprinting a little onto her, but there was a time or two that I thought Max might be polyamorous based on her lifestyle and the fact that she was rarely jealous. On one occasion, she actually gave Kyle permission to go out with another woman.

There were so many times where I found my life truly imitating the art. I mean, there were moments when I had to honestly ask myself if I had subconsciously modeled my life after The Maverick! Max’s relationship with her mom, for example, felt way too familiar. When she and her mom spoke, it was usually about law and law alone. There were barriers built between the two that had lasted for several years, possibly decades. They each discovered that there were fascinating things about one another when they finally allowed themselves to be vulnerable and open.

Maxine was a risktaker. She was spontaneous, fun-loving, loud and boisterous; goal-driven and in charge of her own power.

I am Maxine Shaw. Mommy issues and all.