"Too many storms have
Passed your way. And you're all washed out
Cause it rained on your parade. Seems nobody cares about you anyway
Now, you're livin' your life
Like a castaway."
_
I woke up lying within Mama's arms, by the shining of the sun, which had been pouring through our window. I got out of the bed and walked into the restroom to release the urine that I would release every morning after waking up. After cleaning myself, I then washed my face, followed by brushing my teeth.
Mama had been up, rumbling through our dresser drawers, with her jet black hair scattered around her head.
"What you doing, Ma?"
"Just looking for my red skinny jeans," she said, never looking up at me. "and my white button downed long sleeve."
As I stood there and watched her ramble on, curiosity began to pour from my skin."Going somewhere?"
"I'm gonna head on over to the store." She pulled out a shirt that looked similar to the one she had been searching for.
This particular day had been a Wednesday, and Mama had usually always been off on Wednesday's. What reason was there for her to visit the store?
"I thought you said you was off today? Why you goin' to the store?"
"Well, you asked me to call your father. Our phone is off, so I'm gonna go use the one at the store."
I hated her being at that store. And, that was because Mr. Omar was least of my favorite people. I couldn't stand him, and I hated the relationship him and my mother had established. "Can't you just borrow Mr. Swisher's or somethin'?"
Mama looked up from the drawer, turned to me, and just by the glistening in her eyes, I knew that there was somethin' she wanted to say, but she knew that I didn't wanna hear it.
"H-he...I don't think he even have a phone. Besides, you want me to get in contact with your father, right?"
"Yeah, but why do you have to use the phone at the store? If you want, I can go next door and ask Mr. Swisher if he has one." I lied. I couldn't look him in his face at that time. I had never felt so bad nor guilty for something like this. It might've not seemed so major, but when Mama shut me down, I had Mr. Swisher. When Mama didn't listen to me, Mr. Swisher heard every word I spoke. And, for me to curse at him, and pretend as if I didn't know him, I had really messed up. "And, if he got one, I'm sure he'll let us use it."
"It's okay, really." Mama moved her head in a motion that showed she disagreed with my plan. "Mr. Omar has no problem with me usin' the store's phone."
Mr. Omar.
That was the name that I hated for mama to use. Ever since I was notified that she'd been helping him out with that damn store. She really shouldn't have been helpin' him at all. I didn't care that those thugs broke in there. He was the owner of the store, it was his property, and he obviously made decent money off of it, if he could afford to get the windows and things replaced almost every two weeks. So, what did he really want with Mama and her money? The money that she barely had, that is.
Mama grabbed a towel from the shelf of the closet next to the restroom, then walked in and took a shower.
I marched on into the kitchen, and opened up the fridge. I didn't want any of the things that had been placed in it, but I was incredibly hungry. Really hungry for a few days in a row and I just couldn't take it no more.
I grabbed the Pillsbury's buttered biscuits and took a pan from the cabinet that had been underneath the sink. I lined up 4 of the biscuits upon the pan, then I used the half stick of butter to smooth and grease down another pan. This pan was much smaller, and I figured I'd use it to bake cookies in. So, I lined up some frozen cookies on the second pan, then I tried to set the oven to 375°. But, of course, It didn't come on.
How could I had forgotten? No hot water meant no access to the stove. We couldn't cook, nor could we wash up in heated water. If only Mama could afford to pay off the Gas bill, things would've been different.
