This story takes place in the summer between middle school and high school. As we know the environment at the bowling alley was getting out of hand, or maybe more accurately the rebellious roots of my adolescence were cracking the pavement of reasonable behavior. I scaled back to just bowling league on Saturday mornings. Unc had his own mens league on Thursday nights. Unc and I stayed friends with everybody at the bowling alley. But our adventures with them dwindled to a precious few as lifes' consequences began collecting their debt . It wasn’t long after that when a big local robbery took place. The usual suspects were nowhere to be found. When I entered high school everyone was gone. Where they all landed is not much of a surprise. Learning from my past mistakes, I will do what it has taken me so long to do . That is to keep my big trap shut until the statute of limitations runs out. To me it was the end of an era I'll never forget.By this time I had a steady girl friend already and was headed in another dangerous direction in terms of life decisions. Seeing that the “Bad Life" was becoming irresistible to me, unc decided to give me a preview of what my life might be. Unc convinced my parents to let me go with him for 2 weeks to visit his family. We left on a train to grand central to begin our journey. When we arrived, unc explained to me that where we were going was very different in terms of what I had been used to. It’s one thing to drive through a ghetto or even spend an afternoon there. It’s another thing entirely to live there as the only person of a different color and background. In terms of distance its only 30 blocks from where I was born, but in relation to cultural understanding it may as well be another country. Take also into consideration that the time of this story is 1973. A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live, especially because of social, legal, or economic pressure" This pretty much described where I spent those 2 weeks. Unc explained it to me as a place you spend your whole life getting out of, yet there is always still a little left inside. The term "Ghetto" was originally used to refer to the Venetion ghetto in Venice Italy where Jews were forced to live. The word "ghetto" actually means "foundry" in Italian, a reference to a foundry located on the same island as the area of Jewish confinement. It always struck me relevant that both my father and unc came from oppressed backgrounds and rose above them to recreate themselves as they saw fit.. Not accepting others' preconceived ideas about who and what they might be about. Truly self made men who graciously passed their gifts and experience onto me.So where were we? Oh yea, in the ghetto on vacation. Ironically you couldn't have planned a better life experience for me if you tried. Unc's brother Carlton picks us up at the 125th st station in his brand new..wait for it..Cadillac. Yeah, I know it's a stereotype, cliche or what have you, but at this time at this place for this man it is his freedom. He lives and dies for it. Carlton walks with a cane because of his having a near fatal crash when he fell asleep at the wheel of his last Cadillac.We get in and drive to Morningside Avenue, which is where the Jones clan resides. I'm excited because it's new and I know I'm safe with unc no matter where we are. We walk up 3 long flights of stairs into this tenement building with a potpourri of urban odors. Cabbage and urine vie for my olfactory attention as we walk by various apartments To complement this ambiance there is an equally interesting array of sounds. Blasting, televisions, couples screaming and babies crying set the stage for the birth of my humility. Daddy Carlton opens the door to his apartment. We enter it to find all of the above sensory experiences in concert with one another. Both unc and Carlton take charge in order to get things back to normal. Eleanor appears to be either very sleepy or very drunk. My instincts go with the latter as Carlton shakes her to regain consciousness. I can see this is not a new occurrence at this homestead. Carlton and unc leave the room to talk in private. Lil' Robert comes out with his fingers in his mouth and concern on his face as he looks on. Carlton leaves and unc gets Eleanor up and walking to the bathroom where they have a private little conference. .I put my bags down and sit on an aluminum red vinyl kitchen chair. Bobby looks at me and I wave saying "Hi I'm Jody" Looking scared and traumatized he reaches out a well salivated bunch of fingers to shake saying "I'm Bobby, are you Uncle Gilberts friend that's going to stay in my room with me?" Letting go of the over moist handshake I say" I guess I am. I never hard him called uncle Gilbert before. I call him unc. I 've been doing it since before I can remember." Nodding he smiles and says " Wanna see my room?" I reply " Sure Bobby show me the way." We walk down the hall way to the last room on the right as I wipe my hand ff on my pants.. Just in time, Bobby turns around sweeping his arm in a gesture to show me that he made space for me and to feel welcome. I pat Bobby on his shoulder , which is dry and say " Thanks for inviting me to stay in your room and going to the trouble of bringing an extra mattress in. Which one do you want me to sleep on?." I can see Bobby thinking as he says" I don't know check'em bofe see whith one yous likes best." I nod and step over the nearest one and take the one closest to the wall. Pointing I say " I think I'd like to sleep here. Do you have any pillows?" Bobby shakes his head and says " Yea, that's what I been tellin mama. That's we needs mo piwows.. Maybe if Uncle Gilbert talks to her we get them." Sitting down I laugh and say "Yeah, That's what usually happens. No matter who he talks to." Bobby snorts and a big old glob of snot comes bursting out and exploding like a soap bubble.He wipes most of it with the sleeve of his long sleeved green plaid shirt.. Still a good dab of clear mucus on his lip and chin he says " Sorry 'bout that I didn't get you did I? I gets da sniffles alot. Just don't know why that is." Seeing that I better toughen upon my aversion to others bodily fluids, I say " No problemo, you do hit me, I'll be flicking a fresh dug boogey your way . Don't you worry. Maye I'll start getting ready tonight just in case." Grabbing his face as if I hurt him he starts to make some heaving grunting sound between his hands. Just then Eleanor leans in suporting herself on the door jam and sees Bobby and mumbles something I can't quite get. Bobby slowly takes his hands away and begins wiping them on his shirt. From the looks of it one wipe won't be enough. He has what looks like a double palm full of hair gel. Lunging at him Eleanor takes a swipe at Bobby. He runs from her screaming and crying " No mama don' hit me please mama I ain't done nothin wrong.. I ain't done nufing wong." Grabbing him she start slapping and shaking him like he is some sort cushion that needs to be cleaned by beating it.. She hits him with every slurred syllable " Lil' Robert(wack wack) you'e a discussin dishcray zoo dis house. Goz on zan waj up zii may kin dinna (wack wack) sgo on skit boy foe I giz zoo nuza woopin.(wack wack)" Having seen enough of this tender family moment I hurdle both mattrsses in a single bound and slide by Eleanor on my way to a full run. Yelling "Unc! Unc, you better get over here things are way out of control." Running from the kitchen he looks at me with wide eyes seeing if I'm o.k.. I say " Not me! It's Bobby, she's in there having target practice on him and he ain't been anything but nice.. Please unc help him, She's going to kill him, please now!!" Hearing crashes and crying screams Bobby comes runnng out with his shirt torn and scratch marks on his face that are bleeding. He looks at unc and opens his slobbery, snotty and blood filled hand s and drops to his knees in a silent scream." Unc snaps his fingers and points at me saying " Dammit boy I can't be messin' with another womans child. Go get him cleaned up in my room and lock the door . Don't come out till I call you.,. You hear me? " Looking hard at me I nod and go to Bobby.I drop to my knees.and I start telling him what I would want to hear " Bobby it's me Jody, we're going to unc's room and get cleaned up both of us o.k.?" Looking up at me like a wounded animal he scrunches up his face and tries to say ".o.kaah" but blood starts pouring from inside his mouth. I lean over put my arm around him.and pick him up bodily fluid and all . He looks deep into my eyes for that place only children of the secret know to look for. Seeing it, he drops his head and lets me walk him to uncs room. I say " Bobby I know what it feels like. As long as unc and I are here you can believe that's not happening again. Thinking to myself where did that come from? Bobby is trying not to cry, but is heaving up and down almost like he's laughing. We go inside and I sit him on the bed. Taking his face in my hands I lift his head up to look in his eyes. He finally focuses on me and I say in a slow repeating rhythm that matches his breathing. "You did nothing wrong(inhale). It's going to be o.k(exhale). You did nothing wrong it's going to be o.k." Then slower " You... Did...Nothing....Wrong," Long pause " It's ...going ...to...be...o.k. Now say it with me You did nothing wrong , It's going to be o.k. Good" Barely a whisper, but it's a start, I keep this up until he keeps it going without me.I wet towels with warm water and wring them out. Bringing ithem to him I clean his hands. Then taking the warm towel with his hands inside I guide it to his face to start the assessment process..I say," Gentle Bobby , that's it ,nice and slow." He's still mumbling the chant " you bib nub nub ing hong Ebby hing hiss howing hoo hee ho wite." I affirm this by looking into his eyes. It's then that the fire starts to burn in me. I push it down deep inside me for later. Now Bobby needs gentleness ,not more violence. I bring a glass of cold water for him to take sips of if he wants. He justs keeps chanting softer and softer. I lay the glass on the night table. walk over and sit on the bed beside him and rock him to sleep.He lays down holding the towels and my hand until he falls asleep. I take the wet towels and toss them on the bathroom floor.. I sit on the floor with my back against the wall holding my knees and rocking. I hear myself chanting softly " You did nothing wrong Everyhing is going to be alright." Smiling with the knowledge that with unc and I here, they really are. Holy shit what a welcome wagon. I get up and walk to the window and hear screams of others sharing in the same shame filled secret of raging unbridled physical abuse. I say a silent prayer for them, for all of us. My nightmare ended, but thats a story for another time. It's late and Bobby's sound asleep. I decide to join him on the bed. At least it has pillows. Drifting off to sleep i smell something. I know that smell it's smoke, like a fire type smoke. I open the door and see 2 burnt smoldering pots steaming in the sink. Well I guess that was dinner. Everything under control I go back in the room and wait for unc. An hour later I hear the squeak of the front door. I open and peek out to see a guy in his twenty's carrying bags of food . I step out and say "Hey I'm Jody" He turns and says " Carlton, look man I just worked a double at the gas station. So nice to meet you goodnight kid" Well I thought, The welcome wagon justs keeps on coming. Getting pissed off I say to myself " Bring it on ! Bring that weak ass shit right to my door! I'm ready this time.fuckers! I go to the kitchen and get a knife and go to bed with it under my pillow..There's no knife under mine, but I think I'll join little bad ass me for a good nights sleep. Thanks Jody
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