(Note: This story is a result of a conversation at our cookout. The one that is a writer of the bunch was talking about school. The writer was having trouble writing about father figures in her stories. The instructor was asking "why?" The father sometimes comes across as a Mr. Spock from Star Trek. This writer knows the father is not like that all the time, but at moments when others would be distressed or overjoyed. Pivotal moments when others emotions would flow freely. He refrained from expressing overly emotions. This story may answer some of those questions that were brought forth.)
The sound of water splashing near him. His eyes are unable to focus. All he sees is white and brown blurry images. He is not sure if he is facing up or down. The only thing he is sure of is the pressure that is pushing hard all around him, the temperature is getting colder and the world is getting noisier. He is struggling and fighting for survival. Then, he hears voices and noises getting real loud. One woman is screaming as the pressure on him is increasing while another is calling for a doctor. Suddenly, he feels himself being shaken about and moving. The movement stopped momentarily. A bright light was shining on him and he felt some gloved hands on his head. A violent crushing force was pushing him and a pulling force at his head. Finally, the pressure was gone. Something soft was around him and it was getting warmer. He was gasping for air and he lets out a cry. With his head swaying side to side and his eyes are still unable to focus. He knows others are around. He tries to orientate himself in their direction They start to laugh and celebrate. Memphis is brought into this world on this summer day of 1960.
Memphis starts his entrance to the world on the toilet. His mother was given an enema before the birth of her son to prep for the delivery, but he was ready to come into the world. It is here he learned his first lesson. The world is full of crap and will not hesitate to crap on you. His mother was honest with Memphis and taught him to be prepared for what is waiting beyond her arms. She jokingly calls him, " her favorite turd". Memphis excepts his entrance into this world and only looks up because how much lower can you go than the sewage. As Memphis grows up, he hears whispers about someone called "The Bastard Child". He never thought about who this child was, but he had a strange feeling. He felt like he knew this child. He had this feeling of connection with the one they spoke of. He didn't really worry about it, but always felt his presence as the adults whispered among themselves. Memphis has brown hair, a dimpled chin, and green eyes. His mom called him her cat because of his eyes. Memphis was one of five children in this family. The house was a three bedroom. So, the rooms had to be shared. He never thought about it until later in life. His dad and older brother shared a room. His sisters shared the second bedroom.Memphis and his mom shared the final room. Was it because Memphis was a bed wetter and older brother didn't like it? This was the sleeping arrangement till he was six. He remembers hearing mom and dad arguing late at night. It got loud and heated some nights. Memphis would pretend to be asleep. Mom would close the bedroom door and lock it. She would slide into bed and gently pull Memphis close to her. She would gently cry as she stroked Memphis's hair. Her tears would gently trickle down onto his neck or sometime his cheek. He would gentle weep and wonder why mom was crying until they both whimpered to sleep. Sometimes he would act like he was just awaken and snuggle against her during those moments and listen to her heart beat. He would then hum or sing a little song, or ask a question to distract her from her pain. They would talk as she hugged him or ran her fingers through his hair. She would give him a gentle smile. She would smile saying, "my cat" and thank him for bringing a smile to her face. She knew he would be there for her.
The year was 1972 when Memphis's world would explode before him. Like debris in a tornado, his life would be tossed and thrown upside down. On this day, he was in the front yard. His mom pulled up in her white "72" SS Impala with a black vinyl roof. She gets out of the car. Her hair is up in the beehive like style. The style for the era. She had a black dress with a red belt, red shoes, a red purse, and red lipstick on. This image is burned into Memphis's mind like picture to a negative. Memphis had a sense that something was about to happen. Something bad. She knelt down and called for Memphis. He ran to her open arms. His mom hugged him tight and tired not to cry. She told Memphis that she cannot come home again and that she would have to find another place to sleep from now on. The hug seem to last an eternity and a firm one at that. Suddenly, she stood up and wiped the tears from her face. She hurriedly walked to her car and said, "I love you". Memphis stood there as tears rolled down his cheeks watching that white Chevy fade into the distance. He stayed in the front yard till sunset hoping she would return. He sat on the front porch under the shade of the oak tree, listening to the traffic pass by, and waiting for the Chevy to pull into the drive. He played with the acorns that had fallen from the towering oak tree. They had fallen like his heart to the ground. He hoped as hard as he could that this was a nightmare and it never happen. As the street lights came on, he slowly walked into the house looking over each shoulder with every step until the door slowly closed. Before he retreated to his bedroom. He would move the window curtain on the door peeking out to the driveway, pausing for a moment and hoping that the white car was there in the drive. She never return to the house, but she did return to his life once things settled down.
(to be continued)
see ya,
Dog gone,
Dogman707
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