Finding Mr. Destra

Connie Cannavacciuolo

"I've always wanted the perfect life, the clean-cut nuclear family, the 'American Dream'. Sadly, we do not always get what we want. My father left my mother when she got pregnant with my brother and I, she's always said he wanted nothing to do with us, Can you ever tell when your parent is trying to his something? My parents were childhood best friends, growing up in the same small neighborhood, of the same small town. It was on the outskirts of Messina, Sicily, and they practically spent every minute together due to the size. That eventually lead them to becoming high school sweethearts, almost making it to adulthood, so you ask, what caused the falling out? Well...we have no idea.
My parents came to New Jersey together, it was their dream to make a better life for their parents and give their future kids the life they always wanted, but all of a sudden my father had flipped and freaked out when finding out about my mother's pregnancy. So, like any other low-life, he wiped himself off the face of the earth. That's why we call him M.I.A, at least that's what my mother refers to him as...when she talks about him. Yep, that's my father, missing in action since day one, well more like negative month nine, but we get by without him. Luckily mother had her modeling career she was able to fall back on after having us, and not to mention I have two of the most wonderful grandparents in the world. So I guess I do have a perfect life, my perfect life.

Oh, I forgot to mention I'm Connie by the way, Concetta Cannavacciuolo. I'm eighteen years old and I go to John F. Kennedy High School, in Paramus, New Jersey, tomorrow's graduation day and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store."