Your eyes, My Poetry

Chapter 3

Solange and Jordan would be bringing the chicken and hotdogs, and my moms friend from church would be bringing potato salad and chips, so all my family (Wallace and I) had to bring was the crabs and potatoes.

Early that morning around 8, Wallace, Juelz, Shan, and me went to the grocery store to pick up the order I had placed for the crabs. I didn't want to spoil my appetite any so I was trying to hold off on eating anything until the food was all done.

"Bee, that food isn't going to be done till prolly noon or whatever. Shan suppose to not eat until then,?" Wallace asked.

I looked down at her. He was right; I didn't protest when they decided to stop by the McDonalds that was right next to the grocery store. I wasn't much of a fan of the breakfast menu there, it always gave me gas, but I was sure my husband would get enough for me as well.

"Yes, can I get 4 sausage mcmuffins meals? Orange juice for the drinks," he said.

"Mommy, is Destiny gonna be at gruhmuh Teen-Ah house?" Shan asked me.

"I don't know baby. I don't know if Kelly and Quentin are coming."

We pulled off from McDonalds talking who all was supposed to be at this 4th of July get together at my moms place. Wallace said he was going to buy a football from the store right next to the grocery store so that they could get a football game going at the house. I sat in the car with my daughter so we could finish our breakfast.

"Don't be long yall," I said.

When we finished eating our breakfast we walked hand in hand into the grocery store so we could pick up the crabs. Unfortunately, the man at the counter said that they had not received the shipment yet, because their driver was running late.

I thought to speak my mind about them not calling to let me know they were behind schedule, but I was a lot more conscious of the things I did because I knew I had an impressionable child looking at my every move. She was always acting out what she saw me doing. Always trying to talk like me. Wallace didn't curse so if any profanity ever came from her mouth, then I knew I would be the one she was copying.

I guess this was another way being a parent made you better. Had this been 6 years ago, I would have surely told the slackers behind the counter off. Things had changed though.

"So...do you have a time table for when you will have the crabs? I mean, this was why I pre-ordered them."

"Should be like another 20 minutes. He said he is close to the store. When he arrives, we'll get it right out to you," he said.

I grabbed Shan's hand and began to talk towards the magazine section so I could check out the latest Ebony. On the way out of the seafood department, I felt my stomach start hurting. It was a mix of growling and pain. That familiar feeling that signaled that my stomach was going through some changes. I had to handle my business, so I ventured off course into an empty aisle.

I checked both ends of the aisle as if I was about to cross a road, and when I saw no one coming, I let my gas out. Shit, I had to! Sausage always made my stomach act up.

When it came out, Shan seemed startled. She looked at me with the screw face. I was cracking up.

"Excuse you, Shantelle," I grinned.

"Eww. That was YOU mommy!" she snapped at me.

I laughed until I was snorting, and kept moving down the aisle. Then I felt like I needed to let some more out. So I ducked into another empty aisle. My little girl was on to my ways now. She was grinning at me.