Chapter 3
HERE TO THERE
After I got out of the mental hospital. I stayed gone out of my mother’s life like she wanted from the start. My uncle Wendell has always tolded me the best thing to do is stay a way from the “crazy bitch” before you really are crazy. The family says she has always been a “selfish egotistic bitch “ In fact the whole family is scared of her still to this day. They always told me the further you are from her the better of you’ll be. So from age 12 to 17 I went here to there sleeping anywhere I could. First I stayed with a family by the name of Hixson’s. I had met Linda Hixson on the school bus and after getting out of the mental hospital I spent every night at her house. Both her parents worked 2 to 3 jobs and never were home and so we never went to school. Just ran the streets. Her parents like me and always said why can’t you be more like her. We had a hang out called double bridges a river where every one went swimming. Everyone would drink but me. Several times the law would take us home. But the law would always say something like they all were involved except the little one I fount her hiding near by or we picked her up where they just left her because she would have no part. In fact everyone new I could not lie. One day Linda, the youngest girl, Amy the oldest girl and I went to the store. We lived in a trailer in a trailer park that had woods with a swampy lake in it that we would walk by on the way to the store. On the way back Amy and Linda said they saw an Alligator or Crocodile in the swampy lake. I did not believe them so they ran home and told their mother and kept on. We all went out side and Linda and Amy kept on telling everyone in the trailer park they saw an Alligator or Crocodile in the swamp. About an hour later a deputy sheriff showed up at our trailer and wanted to talk to the people who say they saw an Alligator or Crocodile. Linda and Amy kept on and the deputy was new and had not been in the department long enough to know about the Hixson’s girls. He went over to look in and around the swamp. The owner of the trailer park was illegally pumping water out of the swamp in to the well because he had problems with the well going dry and when the pump cut off, water would spin up. And just so happen as the rookie deputy walked by, water spud up and scared the mess out of us all. So he called Animal control and they called out the government agencies and with in two hour it looked like Elliot’s house when they came for E.T. Then when the other deputies showed up and realized who had made the report they started secretly asking to speak to the little one, which was I. By then Amy had hide me out because every one new I could not lie. In fact that’s why they wanted to talk to me. One of the deputies came into the bedroom where I was. He said I know there is no Alligator in that swamp but look every body under the sun is out there and if you go out there and tell the truth all of us will look ridiculous. Amy said please you know I am on probation; you have to lie just this once. I could not believe even the deputies wanted me to lie. So I agreed to go talk to the alligator expert about what we saw but only if my face was not on TV. The deputy said they can’t show your face any way because your only 13. So I met the mob of people walked up and point where I remembered the water spud up and said I saw something big, right there, move and water spud up real high. Suddenly the pump cut off and water spud up real high wetting everybody. Everybody ran like hell! And all the officers radioed in to evacuate the area. I screamed “like that!” laughing and ran to our bedroom with my hands on my face so the world would think I was crying and scared and not realize I was laughing. After that helicopters began flying over head and the national guards came out to net out all the near by waters. For the next four day we watch the news coverage on the TV ate chips, drunken cokes, and tried to keep from choking from laughing at all the replays of the water spading and everybody running like hell! And evacuating the area. About five days and 20,000 dollars later the Government concluded that they was no alligator or crocodile in the waters and charged the owner of the trailer park for illegally pumping water into his wells from the swamp.
The next time the deputy picked me up from where Amy and Linda left me while they went and did all the bad stuff they got caught doing. The deputy asked why do you’re sisters always just dump you out here before they do there stupid ness. I said I choose not to do some of the stupid stuff they decide to do, so I get them to drop me off at the game room or here at the swimming whole while they do it. Besides, if they get caught and can’t come get me I know you guys will come take me home. The deputy says what makes you so sure? I done learnt that you’ve done learnt this is where I wait for them while they do there stupid ness and if you want to know the truth I am the only one in the group that will tell it besides what kind of deputy would leave such a sweet little girl out here to get eaten by the Alligators! You are something else, nothing like your sisters. Well, that might be because they are not my sisters I just stay with them. Well, here you are. Thanks for the ride till the next time!
I stayed with the Hixson’s for about a year. I then stayed with a third removed cousin in Gadsden, Alabama. I stayed there for about a year too until I went deaf due to malnutrition. I had needed tubes in by hears as a young child but my mother was either high or asleep, so it never got done. So when I got sick my mucus would drain in my ears and since I was malnutrition the infection was worse than usual and both my eardrums busted leaving me deaf for about a month. The reason I suffer malnutrition was because all I had to eat there was potatoes, which we grew in the fields. I had tried to go to school while I lived in Alabama but I got in a fight because I was mixed. The kids where hitting and pulling my hair calling me high yellow, cream nigger, and spic so I quit.
My third remove cousin asked a friend of her if I could stay with them since she could not afford to feed me. I stayed with the Bowen’s for about a year. They were poor too but we always had food because we always fount rabbits, turtle, squirrel, and possum. Well, I went with out when they ate possum. I ate turtle, rabbit, and squirrel but possum, I never got that hungry. The Bowen’s were American Indian and people would get me mixed up with their daughter Cristina because we looked so much alike. My nickname was Black hair. That nickname was given to me by a young man who lived down the road whom’s father owned a limozine service. I can remember him giving us a ride in his limozine to the store. People would stare to see who was getting out of this limozin. I still wonder what they must have thought to see two dirty, bare footed, girls with old wore out cut off shorts get out then go buy a box of 99 cents little Debbie nutty buddies with a hand full of pennies. At least up on top of look out mountain where we lived they were a lot of American Indians and when I lived with them I was assumed Indian and my race was never that much of and issue. One day I called the telephone company and asked how much a Chicago Phone book was. The operator told me 65 dollars. So I sold my Nintendo for 75 dollars and had a Chicago phone book sent to my house. I looked up all the people who had the last name of the x-con Italian my mother claimed was my father. They were about 20 people listed so I decided to call collect and do a person-to-person collect call. The collect call was for Joe from Joe’s daughter. The first one said I had the wrong number. The second said that Joe was deceased. I hung up the phone and started to cry. The Bowen’s asked what happen I said they said he is deceased. Then they all asked me what that meant I then said I thank it means he is dead. I sat and cried for about 2 minutes when Christy said call back who knows you might have sisters and brothers. So I call back but this time direct and said I believe I am the daughter of Joe. They said that Joe was not dead but he was something else. The man on the phone said he was Joe’s brother and that he could give me his sister’s number that he did not want to get involved. So I hung up with him and called his sister. His sister said Her daughter lived in Florence Alabama and was having surgery Thursday and just so happens to be coming to Alabama this Wednesday and that she could stop by to meet me. So Wednesday I meet her at a store then had her follow us up to where we lived. She had a new car, wore nice Clothes and talked funny. Then when she saw something move in a cage beside where I stood she asked what was in the cage I said a turtle she said a turtle? I said yeah that’s our supper. It was about the size of an end table. She seemed mad so I asked what’s wrong? She said where are your shoes don’t you have any shoes! Where is you’re mother! I want to talk to you’re mother! She said go get some clothes and some shoes if you have any! And wash your face you are going with me! I ran in to the house crying and cried on Christy’s and my bed. Later she came in and sat on the bed with me and said look I know you don’t know me but now I know you exist and know how you live, things are going to be different for you. I said Hey! I live fine this is the best place I have ever lived. Then Gene said Look you are only 14. No yesterday was my birthday I am 15! Ok 15 your birth certificate has my brother listed as your biological father their fore I am legally you Aunt and you’re closes kin their fore I have legal means to take you but I rather you go with me on good terms look I have a three story house you will have your own bed room. I said so! She then continued you could go to school. Do you go to school now? I said No. She mumbled A course not.
Christy walked in and said look! Go with her. I said what, now you! Christy said you do not want to be like me. I said you have to have sex to end up pregnant like you and I don’t have sex so I can’t end up like you. Then Christy ‘s sister Cheney said here is you’re chance to have it all a family and a chance to be somebody. I said well, I couldn’t go with out my dog. She said a dog? So I went and got my puppy I had got yesterday for my birthday. She said Ooh how cute then looked at me and said ok than it is a deal! And I huge every one good bye took my few clothes I owned and left with The sister of an x-con who was said to be my father to Chicago.
On the way to Chicago, we stop at the International house of Pancakes. I couldn’t believe that I was eating at International house of Pancakes. I thought only rich folks eat there. I remember Gene, Joe’s sister asking if I had any questions and that, if I did to feel free to ask. She meant about the family, but I thought she meant any question, so I asked her was it true that if you have your cousin’s baby it will be retarded. She looked at me funny. Why do you ask that? Because Christina is pregnant by her cousin and I’ve been wondering but couldn’t asked any of them they might have gotten mad. She looked at me funny again but this time harder and said now you fount you’re family you don’t need to worry about them any more. Have you thought about what you might want to study once you go to school? I said no how about I get a job instead. She said that might not be a bad Idea that I could work at McDonalds while she help me study for my GED. I said they want let me take my GED until I am 17 done tried and that’s 1 year 362 days from now. She said well, then that’s 1 year and 362 days to study. I looked out the window as I rolled by eyes. Then said too bad you can’t just lie about my age and say I am older than I am. She said you have to show Id; by the way do you have any Id? I said no, shoot up on the mountain most people don’t even have license, no longer Id. Why not? Cheney and Christy just ain’t never went, the others lost there’s. She asked why didn’t they report them lost and go gets some more? I said well, I always assumed the police made reports when they took them and figured that once they took them for being drunk they don’t give them back. She then said how about you do not talk about any those people when we get to Chicago, people up here are a lot different than down there and you don’t want people think you’re weird. This is your chance to make a fresh start and leave all that mess behind. I said don’t worry I know doing it with your cousin sounds crazy. She asked me you have never, you know, I said well, not since I was 12. Now that I am big enough to out smart them. She said what do you mean I said well I never let a man get me alone. I never had a man try to do-it to me in front of people. Besides If they do get me alone I’ll act like I like it, you know kiss him and stuff then say I got to go really bad and if I wait I’ll probably pee-pee on it then when I am in the bathroom climb out the window and hall ass. I have lost a lot of clothes that way. She said you mean you climb out the window naked! I busted out laughing No! I just go find somewhere else to live and not go back not even for my clothes. The Bowen’s is the only house somebody ain’t never tried to do-it to me. See, most men think I only about 11 or 12 She said you do look younger than you are. Then I said well, see if I see a man look at me funny like he wants to do-it with me. I act dumber than I am so I can trick him and get away if I need to. N-o-o-o-o you don’t have to worry about me getting pregnant. First they got to out smart me then fight like hell! Before I was 12 I was easy but know I am a hard catch. She then said don’t you think you ought to sleep it is along way to Chicago.
Later, I woke up in front of a house in a neiborhood that looked like the neiborhood on the TV show “Who’s the boss”. When Gene told me to stay here in the car for a while until she talked to her husband. I then asked what do you think he’ll say? She said I have no idea. So, I sat in the car for about an hour when Gene came out with a slim middle age fellow. I remembered the man came up and looked in the window then I hear him ask you sure she is 15 she looks more about 11 or 12, as they unloaded by bags from the trunk. I looked at her birth certificate she is 15 and Joe is listed as the father said Gene. You did not learn with Josephine did you he said. I could not just leave her there she was filthy, bare footed and my God they had this turtle, this huge turtle in a cage to eat. She thinks we are rich, I guess to her we are. They then shut the trunk door, started walking toward the house when Gene said well, are you coming. I jumped out and went in side. First, there was a walk-in room they called foyer or something like that. To the right there was about three steps going down in to a big room and on the other side of that room was stairs going up to another level of house and on the other side of the stairs was a big dinning room that went to a smaller dinner room that was connected to the kitchen that went to a big day room that went back to the foyer. The left side of the foyer was a door to a garage bigger than any house I had ever lived in. But we went to the doorway straight a head then went down stairs to where her son was playing a guitar in the basement. This basement was bigger than the garage, they had a wine seller and when I saw two-twenty four cases of coke in the floor of the wine seller was when I really fell-out. I thought Christy would never believe this. Then suddenly I busted out with I have got to see the upstairs! Man yaw folks are stacked! When all of a sudden the son started laughing. Then Gene told me to stay down here with her son so her and her husband could talk.
I stared at him a while then said well can you play? He said what do you want to hear I said do you know” county folks can survive”? HE laughs a little then said No. I said how about “ family Tradition” He said no. So I said how about any thing from Alabama. He said Yeah. I said I know all of Alabama! What is it you know? He said you! We both busted out laughing. Then I said naw really! HE said how about “ I love Rocking Roll,” I said ain’t that the girl in all black leather who screams a lot? He said it goes like this I love rocking Roll put another dime in the jukebox baby. Then I sung into the microphone while he played the guitar” I luv rackin rowl put nuda dime in the jute box baby” at the same time his wife, his mother Gene, his father and his daughter was coming down the stairs into the basement. Everyone started laughing. I said sound to bunch like a hillbilly to sang that don’t I? Just a little they said with a laugh. Gene then said that tomorrow was fathers day and that the family was having a brunch at a restaurant and that her son’s wife had agreed to let me borrow a dress and shoes. I said aw man not a dress. Then I said a brunch what’s a brunch? Gene said its called brunch because it is at 10am a late breakfast or an early lunch. Then I said well you do know I don’t have any money so I want be eating too much lunch or breakfast, since I spent all my money on the Chicago phonebook to find all yaw. Gene then said it is all you can eat for one price and don’t worry; you can pay us back when you get a job. I then said well in that case I’ll eat my breakfast lunch and supper and get more for my money in fact I want even eat to night so I’ll have more room in my belly for tomorrow. That’s what I always do on Christmas and Thanksgiving cause ain’t to many days you get to eat good. Gene then took me up stairs to show me a bedroom where I would be sleeping and I was in the bathroom when I hear Gene and her son’s wife talking. I heard her son’s wife say have you told her everything? Then Gene said no, she just got here and she is just a little girl beside she already has had it bad enough. I‘ll tell her later. I then came out of the bathroom and went to my own bedroom and went to sleep.
The next morning when I woke up, the women folk or as they say gals, were ready to play dress up. First, I was given some shampoo, conditioner and some kind of body shampoo. I had never heard of body shampoo but man it smelt good. Then they put me in a dress, a ton of make- up, jewelry, and toped me off with some smell good stuff called perfume (fumes that make the cat purr). Then it was time to do the hair after they brushed out by hair they just stared at me and said is all that natural. I said why? Does it look like a wig? They said No, why do you pull all that up! I said cause it makes me sweat and gets in my face. Besides it is nappy, looks like nigger hair! Gene said Hey we don’t talk like that! Who ever told you that? My Granny. Everyone said your what? I said my granny. Then Gene said her Grandmother. While everyone else was saying how cute Granny was I told Gene my paw- paw said we are nothing but wops and Josephine is my spic sister. Then I heard someone say how did she know about Josephine. Someone said I thought you said you weren’t going to tell her yet. Suddenly Gene said I didn’t! Gene then asked me how I knew about Josephine. I told her my mother had talked about her and that she was one year older than her. Gene then said wait your mother is younger than Josephine. That’s what she said. So how old is your mother know? About 35 I said. Do you know how old Joe is No but I figure old my birth certificate said he was born in 1935. Gene then said try 1932. I said so he like 60, oh man he is old! he is older than my paw-paw. Gene then said that’s enough, let’s go eat!
When we got to the restaurant It was a down right hoe down Italian style. I had never been to an Italian restaurant. They had so much food and music. Some of the other families gotta feeling good and started dancing and singing in Italian. I was just watching thinking what would my Paw- paw think about this, it is wop city. Then this guy I had saw yesterday at Gene’s said they really brought out the little senorena out in you. Then I said in a southern draw Yeah they beat me with the ugly stick, almost put my eye out, and shoot like to gas be to death with fumes that make cats purr. Then top it off had me ware these shoes. Putting my foot between his legs showing him my blister. I did not notice my dress had slide up to my thigh until Gene pull it back down and said put your leg down. When I looked up every man in the place was looking at my leg and the women looking at their husbands. When all of a sudden the guy that had said they really brought the senorena out in me graped me up and started dancing with me saying you can take off the overalls and put on a dress but you are all country, as he swung me around. Gene said oh my god she doesn’t even have shoes on. When somebody said you mean you just notice, she went about four times to the buffet barefooted. Gene put her hand over her face, and then said well either nobody notices or nobody cares. By the time we got through dancing it was about 1:00 so I went back to the buffet again, sat down and said now I know why yaw call it brunch! Everyone laughed. I wondered why but then figured it was all that vino or wine they had drunk. When I got thru eating I said well I thank I got my money worth or rather Gene’s money worth. Everyone just laughed.
A few days later after that I went to work at McDonalds in Arlington Heights where all the Mexicans lived. I for the first time had got to socialize. One day I asked Gene if I could stay after work sometime to hang out with some friends. She said yes but to call and tell her I would be late. I said but I get off at 3:00 you do not get off until 5:00. She said then for me to live a message. The very next day I stayed over and left a message on the phone. “ I am staying over to hang with some friends” I stayed until 7:00 when one of the drive- thru persons said your aunt just called asking for you? I said what did you tell her? He said I told her you weren’t here. I said why did you tell her that! He said, “ I did not know what to say? I said how about the truth! Then suddenly a friend from work said come on lets go! Put your bicycle in my car I’ll take you. By the time I had got to the house everybody under the sun was there and they wanted to know where I had been? I said at McDonalds. Gene said “do not lie to me” I said ‘But I am not lying” Gene slapped me I ran like hell out the door and never went back. I guess I deserved it but I figured I better go before they beat the mess out me. Still to this day I never saw her again or saw the Italian ex-con to do a blood test. Besides everybody says I looked more Mexican than Italian except by grandmother, who thinks I am quote “A Creamed Nigger”
After that I went home to stay with my mother for a while but that only lasted a little while. My mother woke up that New Year’s morning and said that her new years revolution was to get me out of her life for good. So I walked to my Aunts house down the street and told her. She said “ you know how your momma is!” then took me to a shelter, which I liked because nobody was mean there and I liked studding the bible. I was the only street kid that actually like curfew and bible study. I did not fully understand the bible but I like the idea of everyone being good to each other. I went back and forth from the shelter and home for about 6 months. My mother and father blamed me for them loosing their house because the hospital from my head injury had garnished his wages, it got so bad that we would go mouths with only eating fruit and vegetables that Atlanta Farmers Market threw in the trash. My Stepfather told me several times it would have been cheaper, for me to have died. I went back and forth from the local shelter until one beating was so bad. My stepfather had beaten me with a vacuum. After two weeks past I for got and wore short to a GED class. The police took pictures and the DFCS took me to the shelter and order me not to return to my home. While I was there this time I join Job Corp. And was sent to North Carolina. When I got there they gave me a placement test. I placed
I passed the entire entrance exam except English. I went to school in the morning and picked grapes in the after noon. I did this for 3 Semesters but was unable to continue in the University of Georgia due to the in ability to pass the English entrance exam. I was already up set because I had only one more shot to pass the exam plus my mother said I owed her for letting me stay at her house while I went to school. I refuse to give her my Grant money for her drugs and transferred to Gadsden State where there was a low English requirement. Due to the fact it had the low English requirement and had an intense English class for non-English speaking students. 85 % of students were foreign.
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