The Struggle

The Move

I woke to the familiar smell of Ma's breakfast. I quickly got ready for school and ran to eat. Ma fixed some scrambled eggs, grilled ham, and grits. I ate up, said bye to Ma, and walked to the bus stop.

This time I got to the bus stop about ten minutes early, so I had time to finish some homework I fell asleep on. At this point I didn't see the purpose of me even doin homework, since this was my last day in Detroit. I did it anyway though, just to make Ma proud.

The bus came and I put up my home work. I said wassup to Black for the last time, and sat in my usual seat. Then I got off the bus and saw the group of kids playin Kodak for the last time.

As the day went by, I turned in all my homework for the last time and said "peace" to all my teachers. Then at the end of the day I said "I'm out yall" to all the people that love to hear me rap. All of them got my autographs since they all believed I was going to be famous. It was nice to know a lot of people had faith in me.

I got back on the bus and rode home. I got to my stop and said my final goodbye to Black. We dapped each other up and I walked a block home.

I got home and Ma had already finished packin most of the stuff, with the help of some of her friends from the hair salon down the street. We loaded everything up in the U-Haul that Ma rented, and I finished packin up some things in my room. I sat on my bed and looked around at my room for one last time, and thought about how my life was about to change.

I hauled all my things out to the truck, and Ma gave me the keys to her car. She was going to drive the U-Haul while I drove the car. We said goodbye to all her friends, put up a for sale sign in the yard, and locked up the house. Everyone waved at us while we drove off. It takes about ten to eleven hours to drive to Alabama, so we stopped in Kentucky and rented a room in a hotel for the night. Then we headed back out on the road.

We finally arrived to our new home.

It was so, raggedy. Like dang I ain really think about the fact that Pa left us with almost nothin. Ma was really excited that she could afford any house at all though, so I tried to act like I liked the old, busted up house.

I went inside and it wasn't too bad. It was really cramped but it could've been worse. The kitchen was too small though, like almost impossible for Ma to cook in.

Ma led me to where my room was, and there wasn't even room for my queen-sized bed. She told me that we would just have to get a twin bed for me, and it took all of God's power to make me not lose it right then in there.

"Ma. You know I'm tall" I said as calmly as I possibly could.
"I know baby, but we'll make it work. Plus I'm sure my Ma got a bigger room for you over there." She walked out the room.
"That's not gonna get me to live there Ma!" I hollered after her. Then I sat down on the floor, with my head in my hands. I couldn't believe this was happening to me and Ma.

We got everything loaded up into the house, and I squeezed my queen-sized bed into my room, despite what Ma said. It fit, but I didn't have room to have anything else in the room. My dresser and night stand barely fit, and I couldn't even open my drawers all the way. I didn't care though. I needed all the room I could get in my bed. Especially when I was tryna have honeys over. I chuckled to myself at the thought of me and my girl cramped in my room.

I left the house and told Ma I wanted to look around, get to know the neighborhood a little better. She told be to be careful and to "gon head". I left the house and walked around the neighborhood. Seeing all the houses made me not feel so bad about mines. Hopefully there was some fine shawties in these houses because they would understand my situation.

I continued down the street and eventually got to what seems like the "main street". Everybody was on the street chillin, ridin, smokin, and it was just lit. I turned right and walked past the groups of people, not wantin to interrupt they little clic. I found where the hangout spots was and where the little store was. Then I found a Kroger, and decided to apply for a job there. I scheduled an appointment to be interviewed by they manager. Then I headed back home. On my way back, I saw an abnormally large group of people noddin they heads and movin they hips and bodies side to side. I decided to go over to 'em to see what they was bout. As I got closer, I heard two niggas rappin. I pushed my way to the center of the ring of people, and saw who they was.

"Free my nigga Colbain
He was just tryna make it rain
Why he gotta be locked
It ain like he got knocked," said the darkskin.
"We just out here tryna make it
But these cops think its okay to hit
Even though we ain do sh**," said the lightskin.
"Over and over again
When will this ever end
We all just men
Tryna make the rules bend," they both sang together.

They was ight. I would've changed the chorus but they was pretty good. "I faded into the background" as they would say, and walked on home. Ma asked me what I found, and I told her everything. She scolded "us teens" on our rap and how it was "devil's music". I tried to explain to her that rap was an art, and it could be used to honor and praise God also, but she told me to "get my but to bed". I kissed her forehead and told her goodnight.

I went to went to my room and shut my door. I got under my covers and put my hands behind my head, thinking about what my first day at this school was gon be like tomorrow. Then before I knew it, I was sleep.