MY MIND(ON HOLD)

CHAPTER ONE

My mother once said and I quote 'the most quirky and tricky people are the funny ones '. My mother belonged to this group but trust my words, she wasn't any funnier than the woman next door who picked her nose and licked it off her pinky finger nor did she crack any of Kevin Hart's funny jokes. She was tricky and hilarious, those were the perfect two words to describe her and so was Uncle Charles.
Uncle Charles was an uncle any person would desire to have and a closer relative wouldn't dream of having except his wife or maybe his kids and that's because he spoilt her senseless and us his relatives with stinginess .You really had to be close to Uncle Charles to know who he really was, but to sum it all Uncle Charles was STINGY.
I would never forget that day when little old me went up to Uncle Charles for my Christmas treat . Placing a huge smile on my face, I stood to him tugging on his pants until his face was facing directly to me.
"Uncle Charles, when would you be getting me a Christmas present?, you have never really gotten one for me."; I said.
"Oh my little America has never gotten a present from me"
"Let's see"; he mumbled under his breath. It was like he was devising a plan on how to get rid of me.
"Did you get all A's through this year?"; he asked.
That was where he got me. I had always hated school work and being in the kindergarten was like going to spend five hours in turmoil.
"Nope"; l replied with no hint of remorse .
"That's so sad my little America wouldn't be getting a Christmas gift from me"; he fessed.
I hated to admit it, but I was so sad, looking at everyone my eyes focusing on Carli and Rhode. Carli got a luwint LED colorful flashing finger fighting gloves, while Rhode got Cismark cartoon socks, Maine was close to telling the whole world that he got a Fuji film Instax Camera. Uncle Charles gifts were always special, though he was stingy, he always tried to make his family happy only during Christmas and New Year's celebrations at least he was one of those people who believed that Christmas was all about love and giving, but I still had my suspicions that his wife was behind all the Christmas presents.
Nevertheless, Uncle Charles promised that if l was able to ace all my tests and exams with A's through the following year he was to give me a befitting Christmas present. I was so happy that l lost the gingerbread building competition ( it was a family tradition). I always won every year, but I just wanted the year to end so badly. You might be wondering why I was so desperate. The thing was I always thought that if you asked Uncle Charles for anything you wanted on Christmas he wouldn't endeavor to give it to you. So I was going to do anything or go to any length, even if it was to put up with those nosy teachers to get my gift out of him.
Nonetheless, Christmas approached faster than l had ever imagined and I was so grateful for that. I couldn't wait to get his very first present to me out of him. You couldn't say it again. I was desperate.
That day when Mom said that Uncle Charles and his family had arrived, I had been the first person to run up to him and hug him.
"Uncle Charles!!! "; I exclaimed
"America!!! ";he exclaimed blissfully wrapping his arms around me.
"My little America couldn't get enough of me right?, you missed me didn't you?"; he asked.
"You had no idea"; I muttered under my breath.
"I didn't get you, were you saying something?"
"No --- em.... I mean yes, yes l really really missed you Uncle Charles "
"Come on, let's go meet up with the others "; I said hesitantly before dragging him off to the dinning room. I felt so jumpy all through that night. Mom asked me what was wrong and I just told her I was fine even when I was not.
'I can't continue like this'; I thought to myself.
Putting myself together, I walked up to Uncle Charles to start a welcoming conversation with him, so it wouldn't look like I just wanted to get the present out of him ,though I wanted that.
"So how have you been, Uncle Charles?"; I asked.
"Fine I guess"; he answered before giving me a practical look.
'get to the point America '; I said to myself inwardly.
"Guess what?!!"
"What"
"I aced all my tests and exams with A's through out the year "
"Wow? "
The word came out more like a question than an actual exclaimed word.
"You promised to get me a Christmas present "
"Yes? "
"What did you get me? "
"ummmmm about that, I got you a little something "
Right then if smiles could kill l would have died that instant.
"Here"; he said slipping a heavy metal on my palm.
I looked down at the metal on my palm and realized it was a coin. Wait a minute.......
"One cent???!!! "
He gave me one effing cent!!!, after all I had been through to put up with those nosy teachers. There were so many things I wanted to do right then .
"Don't you like it?, I saved it specifically for you "
"Why was it specified for me? "; I asked through gritted teeth.
"Because you are my favorite person "
I knew it was a lie. Uncle Charles gave me one cent because I was little. I was a small girl in his eyes, I was a small girl in everyone's eyes that's why I didn't deserve big gifts.
Right then, a thousand emotions came flooding my veins making me quiver. Mom was in the kitchen cutting apples, but it felt like the knife was calling out to me saying; 'Use me!!, use me, teach him a lesson '. Then again my hand began talking. It was saying something like 'you can be small, but I can be mightier. Trust me I could do mighty things than you could ever imagine '.
That was when it dawned on me that Uncle Charles tricked me . I was so angry and felt betrayed. I felt little.
My dream of having a Darium Premium Art set had been crushed. I was done being little. I was done being that little girl everyone pitied. I did what my hands urged me to do. Yes, I punched Uncle Charles right in his guts.
From then ladies and gentlemen that was how my name changed from America Andrews to Miss Fisty.