Life Lessons From A Lightskin

Welcome To My Life

As us African Americans know, we have very strict parents. Not to brag, I'm light skin. Half and Half. White and black, you get it. Sure, the KKK may give me a pass on the hit list but lemme not brag. Skin color doesn't matter, I still go through the struggle. I'm not talking about the struggle of the streets, I'm talking about the struggle with parents. I know some of us kids have parents who dish out rules that make no sense. I remember I went over to this one kids house when I was 10. We were playing our video games and his mom comes stormin' in the room, weave half hangin' off her head, Acrylic nails on only three fingers, she asked Jerome if he had folded the clothes like she asked. Mind you, I already knew he didn't do this laundry because he had said to me when I came over,

"Steve, I ain't finna do this laundry, my sister will handle that."

I should've stopped him that day and told him to do the laundry, but what's done is done. Jerome said to his mom,

"No I forgot."

LISTEN UP!!! You can't get mad at me when you read my response. I was only 10, I aint know any better. I was just being an honest and truthful citizen. All I remember thinking to myself in this situation was, someone's gonna die. It wasn't going to be Mrs. Smith because she was the one that was about to do the killing, and Jerome was older than me which means he experienced a lot more in life which means that it wouldn't be fair if I died because I wanted to be able to experience the greatness of life as well. Doesn't make the most grammatical sense but shut up. So this is what I did, I turned around with the face that you give someone when they just said something stupid. I said,

"You didn't forget Jerome, remember, you said you don't wanna do it, you said your sister will do it."

I saw liquid run down his leg. I said,

"J-Jerome, you got umm water running down your pants there buddy."

Mrs. Smith put on the nicest smile for me and politely asked me to leave her house. This is when I got a taste of the black people world. Not even a foot out the door and Jerome was getting tossed around the room like a ragdoll. He had no control over his body. He looked like he was having fun. I couldn't help but shut the door and keep listening. What I heard changed my view on black women today.

"WHAT DID I SAY, DIDN'T I SAY HAVE THIS LAUNDRY DONE!!!"

"Yes m-mama"

"SAY IT WITH YA CHEST!!!"

"Y-yes M-mama"

"I SAID SAY IT WITH YA CHEST!!!"

Come on Jerome stop saying it with ya lips and say it with your chest. I went to school the next day and saw Jerome approaching me aggressively. I was just thinking to myself that he need to slow his a** down before he got popped in the chin. The conversation didn't go so smoothly.

Jerome: Why would you snitch on me

Me: Dude your mom asked, I just answered her

Jerome: SHE DIDN'T ASK YOU SHE WAS TALKING TO ME!

I was trying to diffuse the situation the best I could, but I think it was just making him even more upset.

Me: Sir, quiet down, were in school

Jerome: She's my mom, she was talking to me, her son, not you

Me: I'm aware of your relationship status with your mother

Jerome: I don't wanna talk to you anymore, and don't sit at my lunch table anymore

Me: We have assigned tables at lunch Jerome

Jerome: Well I'm going to ask to change my table

Me: Ok, Im late for math

It's a shame we never talked after that but that's how life goes sometimes. You lose people who are important to you. You need to know how to deal with these bumps in life. Sometimes you need someone to talk to. And if you don't have no one to talk to, then keep reading so you can find some words of advice. If you think you got life figured out then still, keep reading, I aint make this book for no reason.