How Loud Can I Cry (on hold)

hlcic chapter 2

                                          New Beginnings

                             Chapter 2

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of sausage, bacon, grits and eggs. I wanted to run straight to the kitchen, even thou I didn’t know where it was, all I had to do is follow that good cooking smell. My big brother was up before me pretending he was micheal Jackson, dancing, trying to do the moon walk that’s when he almost bust his butt; as he slid in the wall, good for him. cause he always messing with me.

    The foster mother was in the kitchen, she must of heard me or heard my big brother footsteps, because she was standing right next to me, saying good morning with her hand on her hip. My big brother said good morning, she told my big brother to go wash his hands and face and told him breakfast was ready.  She walked him to where the kitchen was and made a him a plate. I was just standing there. She stopped  what she was doing to help me to the bathroom, so I could wash my hands and face and brush my teeth. She helped wash my face and put some Vaseline in her hands and mixed it and put it on my face. I went  to look for my little brother I wanted to do what the lady did for me to my little brother. But she told me to wait here.

 When she came back she was holding plastic shoes in her hands, two colors, light blue and clear ones they were called jelly fishes. She also had a another pair called chinese shoes. The chinese shoes were more like slippers, they were black and had a black strap that went across when you buckle them.  She asked me, which one I liked, I pointed to the light blue ones.  She picked up the clothes which she had laid in the chair before handing me the shoes. and helped me get ready.

    I was so happy, so happy I had a smile on my face bigger than the sun.

 The foster mother sat me at the table tucked a napkin in front of my shirt, and push my chair as close as she could get it to the table which did no good, cause I still spilled most of my food on the floor, and the rest was some where in my hair, she said.  I’ll be right back. The foster mother had gotten my little brother ready with his shinny face. She had clean me up, and me and my little brother waited til everyone was ready. My sister and my other brothers ate and were dress finally.  Now we were ready to go. 

       We dropped my brothers off first and Mr. ross stayed with them.   Ms. Ross went to the beauty parlor with me and my sister.

Once at the beauty parlor, there, my sister had to get all her hair cut off because the beautician said the comb couldn’t go through my sister hair. It was all notted and her hair was so uneven.

 My sister took it well thou, didn’t even wear a scarf.  As soon as we reached home my big brother started cracking jokes at my sister. My sister gave my big brother one good look and he went the other way.

The foster mother asked me if I wanted to be in a wedding I had no idea what that was. The wedding was the following Saturday.  

      The foster family were  church goers, she explained to us, we had to go to church because that’s what this family do. She let us know that we would be attending church  tomorrow and being that we didn’t have Sunday clothes  Mr. and Mrs. Ross took us to TSS, at the mall  called Roosevelt Field in Garden City. Way before there was gap and way before there was an old navy. Abraham and Strauss and  Wool Worth was other stores we had pass on our way home.

       As we headed home, my big brother whispered, and said I  hope we don’t have to call them mom and dad. The foster mother turn around and said no, you can call me Mrs. ross and my husband Mr. ross. The look on my brother face told it all " dag she can hear". By the time we made it to the house it was late, there was food left over from the night before, so we ate what was left, and went straight to bed.  

      I don’t ever remember, having been to a church prior to being here. It was clear we would have to go to Sunday School,  but right before regular service would start, my sister would take me to the store and by nowalaters, gum and barbacue corn chips. The foster mother would give us money to put in the basket for collection and tithes. But instead, my sister would spend it on candy. As soon as we were  at the counter she would ask me for my money. I would only give her half of mine, cause I like putting money in the basket.  As time went on we attended regular service. This one time we were in church my sister was smacking, chewing  gum I was practicing making bubbles, hitting my sister asking her to show me how to make a bigger bubble. The next bubble that i made came covered my entire face and the gum had got  stuck to part of pony tail. The foster mother was behind the pastor and she could see everything we were doing. She came down to us and told us if we blew another bubble we would not like what was going to happen and at the same time pinching us. She told me and my sister to give her the rest of the candy and gum we had. My sister lied and told her she didn't have any more. Once the foster mother left my sister she would bend down, stick the nowalaters in her mouth and stick her tongue out, so that I could see she was eating candy. I said oh I'm gonna tell.... my sister said if you tell. I'm tell you wet the bed. I said I don't care. tell, I rolled  my eyes  and I stuck my tonue out at her. 

 Most of the time my sister and I got along. When me and my sister came from church, my sister and I would change our church clothes and play church. I would be the pastor and she would be the congregation. We would switch now and then. I love being the pastor, I would ball my hand up like I had a mike and preach the sermon of the day at least I tried to.

  School was far from our thoughts, but it was two weeks away. We was told we would be attending Franklin Elementary School which wasn’t far from the house, no bus needed. We would all walk to school together.

 The next day, the foster mother had  taken us to get school clothes.  lee jeans and jordach was out. Pro- keds and converse was the hottest sneakers. All my brothers wanted them and they wanted them bad. 

     Most of the time before we had to begin school. We would play outside in the backyard because we wasn't allowed to  play in the house. Something about me and dirt. I would play in it, eat it, and sometimes  make mud pies. The dirt on my pants near my knees was so dirty  the foster mother would cut my pants to shorts, because she couldn’t get the dirt out of them.

After tracking so much dirt in the house the foster mother decided  to buy these plastic mats, so when we come in from playing, we wouldn’t track dirt in the house. We weren’t able to use the front door because that’s where the living room was and she made sure we wasn’t messing that up, she made it clear. No playing in the house!! And make sure you walk on those mats I just bought!