All Men Are Created Equal?

May 15, 1962

Dear Diary,

My name is Abigail Lane. I am 14 years old and living in New Orleans, Louisiana. I live in a rather large home just outside the city limit. Its nice to live in a quiet neighborhood, nothing ever happens here. And its right across from my best friend and her family.

I have never owned a journal before. Its weird to see my thoughts written down on paper. My dad got this for my birthday. Said I need to practice my grammar before I go to college. 

I am smart but I don't think I'll ever get to college. It just doesn't work like that. Women don't get the chance to do things men get to do. There are exceptions but its not as common as I hope it would be. I wish that'll change before my time is over.

Things haven't been very quiet ever since mom gave birth to my little snot brother, Robert, in the middle of April. All he does is cry and cry! Forget about trying to sleep because he'll scream until someone plays with him.

My older brother tells, Jack, says he'll stop eventually. But he said that I never stopped! I just about hit him. We used to fight all the time when he lived with us but I would always kick his butt.

Jack moved away about a year and a half ago with his fiance. They moved all the way to Tallahassee so he could move up in the company he's working for. I say he moved to another state just to get away from me. He couldn't take his little sister beating him up!

Jack and Cierra eventually got married two weeks ago. We went to the wedding and it turned out to be a disaster. A disaster for my parents at least.But in my opinion, I found it absolutely hilarious!

Robert was a brand new baby so my mom was panicing about every little thing. During the ceremony, you could hear her through the entire thing. The priest even asked my mom to leave with the child. She did but she found a way to sneak back in. And the talking started all over again but the ceremony was almost over. I was snickering the whole time.

At the party, my mom and dad were showing off Robert to anyone within ten feet of them. They even introduced him to a couple twice. While they were busy forgeting about me, I was talking to a boy my age from Cierra's side of the fmaily.

Oliver Cady was Cierra's nephew. He was really tall for his age but that's good since I'm tall too. He had dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. His eyes were bluer than a blueberry! Oliver was just as bored as I was. We both love sports and reading.

As we were talking, my dad wanted to dance with his daughter in law. He ended up tripping on the trim of Cierra's dress and face planted in the ground. My mom handed Robert off to one of Jack's friends and ran over to help my dad. In the process of picking him up, she managed to step on his hand and fall on her butt. Oliver and I were dying of laughter!

As it was getting late and the tiki torches were being lit, Oliver took me down to the beach. It was so perfect as the sun was setting. Before we went back to the party, we shared our addresses and phone numbers. I really wanted to talk to him again!

And I remember word-for-word what he said next. He turned to me and brushed a piece of long brown hair behind my ear. He took me hand and said, "I want to remember this night forever." He leaned forward and kissed my cheek!

Since then we have been writing like crazy! My best friend Mandy says my fingers will fall off if I don't stop writing.

Mandy is like my guardian angel. She always has my back whenever I need her. We share everything with each other. I swear we could be separated sisters. But the only thing that keeps me from saying that is the fact she is black and I'm white.

But no matter what people think, Mandy and I are both boy crazy teenage girls. No matter what our skin color is. And we will always be best friends!

My dad is really racist but has since changed his ways ever since I became friends with Mandy. My mother tolerates Mandy.

I met Mandy when she first came to my school which was all white but is mixed now. She was being cornered by a couple white boys older than us. I went over and screamed at those guys to get a life. Mandy and I have been friends since.

My clock says its one in the morning and I have school tomorrow. I better put you away Diary. I'll come up with a name for you tomorrow.

Goodnight...