Liberosis

Rides

I had dug my hands in the holes of the gate. Staring at the cars that were feet below me. My knuckles immediately started hurting. They really tried making this gate climb proof.

"Shit." I exasperated.

Where was I? Oh yeah.

I remembered as a kid running around with my mom all the time how much I truly depended on her.

I mean gosh she was the main person there. Even when my father would come it wouldn't feel like he was ever there.

Because he wasn't. Three years gone in the military. Always gone for my birthday and my brothers.

That was later I life I suppose.

Until the time my mother wasn't either. Her and my father decided they wanted to go on a trip and not take their children.

My uncle was already living with us so I guess you could say he babysat the whole time. But what a bad job he did at it. My uncle means the best but during those days of not having my mother I think was the worst.

Like I said she went on a trip and left me and my brother with my uncle plus all his friends.

One morning I was starving.

There was no meal to be eaten. Because my mother wasn't there to make it.

There was no breakfast.

Both me and my brother were up and starving.

My uncle was laying on the couch. With a head full of hair. I remember at the time he had an Afro.

Which was a bit odd because his hair was as curly as mine.

But he'd pick it out. I don't know what he was trying to prove looking like that. But he did it and girls digged it.

I remember shaking him several times. Jumping on him. Screaming to wake up.

"We're hungry, Uncle!"

He wouldn't budge.

He was a hard sleeper. Nothing was gonna wake him up no matter what. I'm surprised I didn't think he was dead. Since the way he was acting he looked like a corpse.

But he'd move a bit then fall back to sleep. There was nothing gonna wake him up.

So it was time for me; little four year old to be an adult. I grabbed my brother and sat him in the chair.

He looked clueless per usual. Wondering what the hell was going on I guess. I went to the fridge looking for anything to eat whatsoever. I wouldn't dare go to the stove.

I wasn't that grown.

What I did find were green grapes. The only grapes I would eat ever. My mother once bought red grapes and they tasted so nasty I wouldn't dare ever eat it again. That's another thing.

My mother had two picky eaters.

Everything I ate my brother hated. Everything my brother ate I hated.

We were complete opposites except for our egg addiction.

He liked vanilla.
I liked chocolate.

I liked Elmo.
He liked Barney.

Complete opposites. But like I was saying.

I had picked a couple out ready to eat for me and my brother. But before putting it in my mouth I remembered what my mother told me, "always wash the grapes before eating."