FINDING IT OUT ON MY OWN

"Every time I tell you something, you have to hear it from about three more people first before you believe it. Do you think I am stupid or something?" My mother always says this to me. It is not that I don't listen, I just have to try things for myself. If someone gives me a solution, I am not going to take it unless they could explain where it came from. When I was little,I was told not to eat my food right away. I should wait until it was cool. I was a greedy child. When I got hungry, I ate. One Saturday afternoon we were having my favorite for lunch. Black puddin' & Souse. I couldn't wait to take a bite into those pickeled pig feet and the sweet potatoes. Without saying my grace, I took the fork and dived straight into the black puddin'. As I carried the fork from the plate to my mouth all I could think about was how good it would taste. My father sat across the table eating his food and drinking a nice cold Plus. My mother, well she sat with her hand folded across her breast. Her faced was turned up. She was waiting for me to place that hot fork in her mouth.

I raised the fork up from the plate. By the time my hand reached the ninety degree angle, I could care less of what my mother or father would say. I was hungry. I bent my neck over to meet my fork half way. I opened my mouth so wide as though I was performing for a huge audience. That's what it felt like. I stuck the fork in my mouth and obviously, I burned myself. It hurt so much that I was unable to cry. I ran to my father with the food falling out of my mouth. He continued to ignore me like he had been doing for the past couple of minutes. I took one quick glance at my mother and ran into the bedroom to my older cousin. She didn't know what was going on but she choose to ignore me also. I went into the room and cried until I finally got some attention. "You don't listen to anything I say and expect to run in my arms everytime something goes wrong?" My mother was very upset.

We went for a walk and sat under the coconut tree. The cool breeze that blew off of the sea brought goose bumps to my skin. We enjoyed the weather for about a half an hour and went back inside. I wanted some desert. The yellow custard and red jiggly jello sat on the table and stared me right in my eye. My eyes started to water. "Mom" I started to ask her for a bowl with some desert but I decided it would not have been the best thing to do.

I had to learn from my mistakes. My stubborn days were about to be ceased. Finding everthing out on my own was not he way to go.


email me @ Charlene2000