My Life Read Count : 88

Category : Diary/Journal

Sub Category : N/A

As a child growing up in Cleveland, Ohio my mother provided the best that she could for my sister and I. I don't recall having the finest things, but one thing was for sure we had everything we needed and wanted to survive. My biological father was a glimpse of my memory, I recall him being a very well- groomed black man that knew how to cook, but he was struggling with a drug addiction that he couldn't kick. Even though my sister and I had different fathers she always called my father "daddy". One day while my sister was at school I remember my mother and father arguing so bad that he tried to kidnap me and held me at knife point. My mother somehow was able to gain control of the situation because I remember being placed in a closet to hide and was told to be very quite. I could hear my mothers voice and my dad was screaming at her then another man voice came into the room it was Sam my stepfather now. Of course scared and nosey I peeped out of the closet to see what was taking place, Sam was carrying a two by four looking like "Hacksaw" Jim Duggans from wrestling. I closed the door in fear of being seen when I was told to stay put, I heard glass breaking and all of a sudden running. My mother came to the closet and the way she hugged me I could tell that day that she would do anything and everything to protect me. It was a mothers love that caused her to react in such a way, still to this day I don't know why or what my biological father intentions were for wanting to kidnap me. When I was released from my mothers arms I was able to see the damage that was caused to the home I once known by the fighting and the glass that was broken, keep in mind we lived in a two story home so when I heard that my father jumped out of the window I couldn't help, but wonder was he okay?  I believe that bought my mother closer to Sam that day because it wasn't too long after they got married and we moved south. 

I wasn't too happy about moving, thinking about leaving all of my friends and family behind made me sad and homesick. How could I become homesick and we were just getting on the highway?  No matter how my mother tried to make it seem that it was for the best I still didn't want to leave Cleveland, Ohio, my home, my life that was just beginning. Upon our arrival to Meridian, Mississippi, I recall it being gloomy and sad for I was use to the city lights and traffic. There was a very big difference we moved into a smaller home, I called it a shack compared to what I was use to, but once again my mother made it home and we never lacked anything. The schools were boring, the kids weren't as friendly as my friends back home and the weather wasn't the same. I begin to miss the snow and my friends, even though I made friends easily, I wanted my old friends back. We moved into a nicer home, the people seemed nicer and the kids were even friendlier. As they played in the streets I remember having to do yard work, cutting grass, racking leaves, cleaning the house, painting, roofing anything that my stepfather did, I was forced to do, as well. I was taught to work not play, during the summer when everyone was going on vacation or having fun, I was made to work. I was working our family BBQ restaurant from open to close, going to church and more chores. My stepfather would introduce me to his female companions as his daughter and that would drive me crazy because I knew that he was married to my mother, but he was cheating on her. How could I as a child even tell the woman that birthed me, protected and loved me unconditionally that the man she loved, the man she trusted and married was cheating on her? On my thirteenth birthday my mother was on the telephone she called me to the phone, but she refused to tell me who was on the other end as I said hello a man stated "Hey baby girl" the only person ever called me "baby girl" was my biological father. I began to frown as I reluctantly said hello, he asked if I was enjoying my day then he asked me to send him some of my birthday money. That was the moment I handed my mother the phone back and walked back to my room. Now with everything that I have been through thus far I have managed to maintain good grades, tried out for the basketball team and found a writing outlet. 

My family never had a family reunion, gather, celebrated holidays well speaking of holidays when Thanksgiving rolled around we were cooking meals for those that didn't have meals to cook or delivering food to those that didn't have food. It was the same thing for Christmas, my sister and I was out passing out gifts to the nursing homes and families that had less than we did. People use to say "I know you! You that girl that came to our house and gave us that food" or I saw you on the back of that truck with the food and stuff.

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