Wednesday, March 28, 2012

TIME TO LEAVE (move on)

 Sometimes brotherhood, sisterhood, or familyhood, which ever way you want to call it, it does not work, so you have to  move on, and you don't have to be an adult do that.


                        during my childhood I went through a lot of situations, (like most of us) where I was asked, sometimes  by people, some times by life, to do, or to act, or react, in a sometimes rough way, and that was my case, living in an environment where one parent had to be all I had and sometimes he was not able to cover all our needs, he had to rely on my older sisters, and then later on in my older brother. I think that, I was able to deal better with my situations in the outside world, than with the ones at home. 
                 I love my brother very much, we didn't grow up together (for a few years) and after a while we finally lived  together, we lived through a lot of things, good and bad, and went to the same junior high school.
                Well, I don't know all the cases, but when you are the youngest in the family you always have to deal first with your older family members and then with your parents, and that was my case back when I was in third grade of junior high school (9th grade in other countries) I had too many confrontations with my older brother, we were always fighting, because my Dad was always relying on my older brother for everything and I had to do whatever he said, and he (my older brother)  wanted me to do most of the chores at home, and I was always thinking that, that was not fair for me.
                We went like that for some time until one day (at the time that I just graduated from junior high school) I couldn't put up with him anymore and we got into a fight!!, and I'm glad to say (in a way) that I beat the crap out of him, and then I got out of the house, I left the house just like that (I was 15 years old) went to the bus stop, checked how much money I had, like 5 pesos (no dollar translation please)  and after thinking about it for some time, I decided to go to the one of my classmates from junior high house, with whom I lived basically together for 3 years, while in school, we started at 8:00am, we had a break from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, and then we were off school by 6:30pm Monday to Friday, and Saturday from 8:00am to 11:30am, so, we spend more time together in the school, than us at home.
                     I got there, told him what happened and that I would need some shelter for a few days, he talked to his mom, she agreed (she already knew me) and I started "a new life", in my mind that was it, and me and my friend spent the days playing, running out in the open, where he lived was a lot of green areas, His step  father was a very rough, tall man, kind of old (considering that at that age, anybody is older than you) very quiet man, his face has a look like it he was mad all the time, in the other hand my friend's mom was a very nice lady, always checking on her son, and on me too, She was working at the State University cafeteria, so needless to say, we were eating like kings, I was living a very different life, in a different environment, I was not accustom to be treated like a kid, by a woman, (well I had some moments, back when my Dad used to date).
                 But, nothing last forever, after a few weeks (maybe three) I  don't know how, but my Dad track me down, and got to me at my friend's  house, for this he was accompanied by my godfather (can't remember his name), the vice principal from the Junior high School that I just graduated from (which by the way was my Godfather too) and they talked to my friend's mom, and then his mom called me and told me that my Dad wanted me back home, that everything is going to be fine, that he we'll talk with me and my brother to fix any situations, any problems, and then my friend's step father came up to me, (he hasn't talk to me at all, while being there!) I got kind of scare, and looking the tall guy bending his knees to stay up to my eye level, and telling me, "you got to go back home, your Dad said that everything is going to be fine, but, . . . if nothing changes, you're always welcome here in my house" I almost crap my pants!, my heart was pounding!!, the big rough guy just told me that he was fine with me in his house!!!  that was unbelievable!!
                 I went back home, and things were not the same, my brother wasn't even talking to me, never the less my Dad, he just took me home, and went to work, for about a week he didn't even acknowledged that I was there, so, I saw that I could do it once, and, I did it again!! I run away, and this time it was for good.
                  As you can see, is not the matter of being prepared to move on, I mean, at 15 of age, what kind of preparation a boy can have? right?, well, sometimes situations happen when even stronger countries prepare some other small countries to learn how to defended themselves, and I was in that category, my Dad make me a self efficient child from the beginning!  and I used that to survive in the world out there.
                   One more story down, there's more coming, and at this point I would like to read some of your comments, meanwhile eat your vegetables, stay safe, if you eat to much, don't do it please, until next story, over n' out.


                     


                 

BEING HOME ALONE

In my country leaving a child home alone, is not like the movie (Home alone), it's a natural, normal way of living, and when they leave an adult to take care of us, we wonder, "why?, she can't take care of herself?".
            
                  When I was in fifth grade; about 9 or 10 years of age, may Dad got a job as a furniture sales person in a city that it was about three and a half hours away from home, and he had to be in at a specific time in the morning, so He had to design a plan, create a strategy where my brother and I were taken care of. and what he did was travel over there, taking my older brother (by then he already had finished elementary school) with him, and I was staying home alone for the whole week!! that was so cool!! He (my Dad) used to give me money to cover the whole week, meaning my food, my bus rides to school and some extras.
                  Well, everything went well for a few weeks, or months I don't really remember, but it got to the point where I was spending more money than I was supposed to, so I was kind of starving for some days, because some times by Wednesday , or Thursday I was already out of money, but, then I started using my abilities, self efficient, and rough!,    
                  Some time ago, before any of this took place, my Dad  had bought a shoe shine kit for us, because he didn't like the idea of his kids having to wear dirty shoes, and considering that He didn't have much time to check on us, (because he was always working) we had to create a habit of using that kit, and we did.
                I remember going with my sister to the market, and watching all those kids that used to get around her asking if  she need it help with the basket (the groceries bag), and they all wanted to do it for a small tip that was new to me, I never had to ask any stranger for money.
                After that intermission, on the last two paragraphs, getting back to my story, to make extra money that would keep me safe for the rest of the week I started giving a better use to my shoe shine kit, and to that experience that I had with my sister in the market.  First I tried the market thing, I went to the market, and just like a saw those kids to do, I started going around asking the ladies if they wanted me to help them with the basket  (read back up to find the meaning of basket),  needless to say that with my Charming personality and my educated way of asking them, I had total success! I made good money the first days, so, I had solved my "financial" situation, but like I said somewhere before,  "nothing last for ever",  One of those days, when I just started "working" in the market, there was about 10 kids surrounding me, and one of them a kid not older than 10 years old  (the leader maybe) told me "you had been taking business away from us, this is our territory, if you don't leave right now we are going to kick your ass!!"  ( I don't think that he said  "ass"  but, it looks better in the writing part) and me, being enemy of the violence  (that, and they were too many, more than I could take at that moment)  just left the market alone.
                Then taking the market option out, I started using the shoe shining kit that my Dad got for us, and I started going around in the same area of the market  (just in the out side areas)  doing my shoe shinning thing, and again, money came to me naturally, of course I have to work for it, but I kind of got derailed when I started making money, meaning, I kind of put my education a little bit aside, I was getting too comfortable, and then some day walking on the street I came across to this guy that used to have a shoe shine station, with 3 chairs on it, and he offered me a job, he told me what he could offered me and after that,  I guess that was my second job, after the one selling jello time.
                As you can see, being home alone is not just about been scared of some burglars trying to break in your house, it's about making money too!!, I leave all of you for now, I'll be back with more later, for now eat healthy, stay out of trouble, and if you get in trouble, well, . . . . . . . . who cares?. over n' out.