Instance Story

by: Imani Muhammad

 

Travel

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Birth

In Sunrise Hospital at 4:07 a.m on September 29th in the year of 2000 I was born. It was here that my parents had split and had no destination  of getting along. It was here my father decided to stay and my mother decided to go. This was Las Vegas; and my mother was living here for awhile with my father. But things just wasn’t working. So my mother decided to go back home where she grew up. Then where her mother,grandmother,cousins, nieces and nephews, even where her Friends had stayed; and here in Chicago is where she would raise me. So you can say it like the rest of my family says it “ The girl was only in Vegas for a second and then she was off on a plane to Chicago.”

Now... my mother didn’t have a place to stay, for herself, after I was born. So we constantly shifted from my Grandy’s house.

(Which was my mom’s grandmother) and our cousin Kim and Jonathan’s house.      

Then not far from the complications my mother's pain didn’t last very long. ( What I mean by pain, is the separation with my father) So, she fell in love again. Then soon there was me, my mom, and her boyfriend (at the time) Rick.

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Summer

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Since half of my life was across the country and my mother wanted me to go through school in Chicago. My dad made it his mission to keep all his kids together. Even the one across the world. Little o. Me! So as soon as the summer hit. I was on a plane to Las Vegas to see my siblings, father, and stepmother. Now, on this side of my family (on my dad’s side of the family) They don’t call me by my first name. They call me by my middle name. Mecca.

The first summer I can remember in Vegas. Was when I was six; and the last time I was here (from what I can remember at the time)Was when I was born.

On this plane I was all by myself and it was here that I have identified myself to an adventurer because my dad convinced my mom to put me on a plane; and feel a whole new world. Furthermore into my summer I would be with my cousins at my Grandma Betty’s (which was my dad’s mom) and it was here too, they called me Mecca. It was times like these my two oldest siblings from Vegas (Nadia and Najee) would come visit me in Chicago.

I could tell ya times like these, with a house full of kids, and with the summers like Chicago. It's hard to forget those days we would stay up till sunrise.! Running in and out the horse, playing games, and watching movies. While in the day time going walking through Harold Washington Park The Point on 4th of July, going to a museum, Or even to the beach. To enjoy our hours. I mean back then, summer felt so long it felt as if it shouldn’t end. Then it was here I marked myself as an family oriented person because of my Grandma Betty.

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Small Apartment

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A year or two before I was old enough to travel to Las Vegas. My early days as a four year old were pretty vivid.

My mom and I lived in an area with caged gate apartments and not to far from our apartment unit was a beach. In this apartment is where I grew up and grew closer to my mother. She likes to call it “ our small apartment.”

The house contained a large living room, with nothing but one room, a bathroom, and a large kitchen. In this small apartment I attempted to swallow a penny, got upset at my mom for defeating me at coloring competition and locking me in a room to go to sleep. Where we put candles in the only room in the apartment because it was always dark at night. Where I paid attention on how to put my own movie in the DVD player. In Order to watch Lilo and Stitch. Then Rick would come over and spend time with my mom.

It was days like that, that sent my mom abandoning the home because most of the time it was just me, her, and sometimes Rick.

Which means some days when she had to work she’ll drop me off at my great-grandmothers.(for short we call her Grandy) house. Which was fine with me because I loved my Grandy’s breakfast, running around the house yelling because I didn’t want to go asleep, going outdoors to the backyard, and Endlessly watching the Lion King. It was with her I gravitated toward the arts and nature. Or my mom would let me spend time with my grandmother. (I call her nana)Which was good for me to because I loved going to her house trying to read her hebrew language books, disorganizing her papers, having bedtime snacks, becoming addicted to Spongebob, getting lost in Chicago. From train to bus from bus to train. Going to the African Gift store buying clothes because at one point that was her style. Then eating at vegan restaurants or at the Pancake House. It was because of my Nana she had marked about three things in my identity I love food, I’m spiritual and because of her I was born into understanding my roots; and Where I come from. Or my mom and I would hang out at our cousin Kim’s house. Where I spent most of my time harassing my cousin, Jonathan. Or watching disney movies. It was here I grew addicted to fairy tale stories and in love with Christmas. As most of my holidays were with them. See... my mom didn’t like to be alone; and I didn’t fully understand why she did those things until later when I was old enough to understand. But because of her letting me form bonds with different people in my family. It had made me culturalize more of who I am.

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70th in Paxton

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To tell you the truth I don't know how I got to this apartment. But I remember my first day. I got there and when we moved in. It was a much bigger apartment with two bedrooms, a large living room, a small kitchen. Then outside my mother's room she created a computer area. I remember the golden design backboard we had from the old house and I remember her putting the beds together. I remember our seashell bathroom from the old house that she had drafted her to our new apartment. But most importantly, I remember just watching her all busy, in confusion. Over time when it stuck to me that this is where I live now. Days when my mom was on the couch sleep I would occupy myself with something to do. So I would sneak around the quiet house. into the kitchen. Then got me a twinkie or fruit snack. Then walk back to my room quietly and play a word game on my T.V. Or flood my giant room with toys and put up bratz posters all over my rooms wall. It was here I marked myself independent. But I was still young. So when my mom worked I had teenger, from next door, come over and babysit me.

I can tell you right off of my head how I meant the babysitter to. So here it goes: I was on the back porch with nothing to do. My mother told me to not ring on the doorbell next door. But I did anyway and a girl opens the door. But since I was about two feet tall at the time. To me the girl was giant when she opened the door. Ever since then, for a while I would play around with her little brother. Soon afterwards, the parents started talking. Then there was Jackie! Jackie is what I would like to consider my very first babysitter. (Or the only babysitter I could remember at the time)

I could look back on the times that me and Jackie would have our arguments about what my mom told me to wear. When we would walk around the neighborhood with her little brother and her sister Raven.

Those were good times. But fast forwarding now: Jackie and her family kept moving. In progression I was growing up. We had lived in the apartment for two years. Then soon my mother was married to Rick. Then I wasn't going to be the only child anymore.

The first House in the Suburbs

My first time here I can recall a long drive and because I love to like adventure, I fell in love with that long drive. I don’t remember what month it was. But if felt as if it was somewhere between Spring and Summer.

There in our golden car (at the time) stops in front of a medium sized house facing the backyard.

When I first walk in to see the home. The walls were pink. The living room is medium sized. There is a large mirror reflecting the living room. The Kitchen was large and beside the kitchen was an empty area. We created into our dining room. Next to the dining area lead to a room with a fireplace and it was always cold. My mom made that the computer area. Within the kitchen, was a little door that lead you to a large basement! I mean a huge basement! Then, there was a bathroom with a pink tub. Two bedrooms relatively the same size. My room had wooden tile floors. With the same bed I have had all my life. But the furniture was different. I had a coral brown dresser which held my clothes and my TV. Then on the side was the entrance, wooden door. Which matched my closet door. Which held more of my clothes. Then, every now and then, to the side of the bed on the floor. Their would be another mattress. For my step-sister Rekiea (she was Rick’s daughter before me. Therefore she was older) and my baby brother (Richie) was born and he sleeps in my mother's room. So now we all one big happy family.

Better yet the new beginning had a lot of painful experiences. Like the worst sleep over a nine year old could ask for, academically I was struggling, the kids at school were mean, my babysitter Jackie just disappeared and Rekiea and I was arguing all the time over the computer. Not only that the house itself was a problem. It was the plumbing and because of the plumbing it would cause an odor to the house. An odor my mother often complained about because it would irritate my brothers asthma. No only that in winter we had raccoons and that  wasn't cool.

The only thing that came good out of that house was the fact I watched the first African- American with Presidential Election and I went to this day care called Hugs and Love Christian Daycare. It was here I had friends and adults that encouraged me and adored me. These events were the only good things that ever came to my luck when I was living in the suburbs.

Then we moved and I was sad because where we were leaving our first home behind. But the saddest thing off all was the fact that I still had to go that confusing school.

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Across the Unit on 70th in Paxton

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Since we moved out of the house we then moved back to 70th in Paxton. But this time we were

across the unit from my old apartment. Begin back here was great. As most of my childhood was in this neighborhood. But just like time things change.

So I can look back on when I was four years old and it was just me and my mom living in “ our small apartment” I loved to bubble up the sink with dish detergent and pretend I was washing the dishes.

Well now at nine years old I was washing the dishes now as a chore.

This is where I discovered I hate, hate, hate washing the dishes. Then since there was no babysitter I had to take care of my brother by myself. When my mom went to work. So it was here I marked myself as stubborn. Due to the fact I want to do things on my own time, rather than when I am told. Then it was here that those experiences made me responsible and reliable TOO YOUNG it felt like. Then again taking care of my brother made our bond stronger and parts of my identity was starting to be more protective over children. Including my brother.

But I was still going to that school and it wasn't until that long travel between home and school. The city to the suburbs was a pain. I was late almost everyday which made me academically struggle even more.

Then time had kept passed and kept passing and then it was my last day at that school forever!

It was the 4th grade where my life was kind of easier and all the kids decided to grow up. But I ended up transferring out that school to another school closer to home for the second semester.

For the rest of that year my life was pretty good. My mom would drop me off at my Grandys. When 9:00 hit my Grandy would get in her ruby red car and take me down the street to the school. Then when 2:00 clock hit she would pick me up from school.

At This new school everything was good because I made it my goal to start all over again. A fresh clean cut and made it an effort to pay attention and be focused.

Here is where I was acknowledged for my effort and I liked that.

Everyone was decent and I made past my absolute past. But it was still hard to forget it.

Then since I only spent a semester at that school it was soon a whole new school year.

I was still in the apartment across the unit from my previous apartment on 70th in Paxton. But I ended up going to another school which changed my life completely.

Bret Harte Elementary School it was here I discovered my voice as a writer, became an excellent reader, exiled in school, and forgot about the thoughts of my haters as I had one friend that was always with me.

It was in that year everything was awesome. But as Winter came the Chicago weathers were getting colder and if the mice had stayed out all the time they would get frostbite. So they would sneak into our apartment for two reasons our food and our heaters. But my mom couldn’t just let that happen so we decided to get our first family pet (a cat) and her name was Jenny and I loved her,took care of her, and now that Jenny was included in the family their was five of us. Mom, Rick, Richie, Jenny and I. ( If your wondering where is my sister. She  had moved to Iowa over that summer. It was their her mother had reinvented her life. Just as Bret Harte  did mine. We lived in that apart for five years maybe more. Then we moved closer to Bret Harte.

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The Quadas

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More recent than ever is the space I live in now. We moved into the C unit Quads, behind Hype Park High School. When I was in the 7th grade.

My first day here, the structure of the new place was different from what I was used to. It was a two level home. But, then again, the Quad was like an apartment building with people above and below you. So we were on the second floor which means we lived right in the middle. Anyway… our living room was small along with our kitchen. But we had space to make a dining area in both spaces of the house. We also had a guest bathroom downstairs (which was new for me). Then upstairs there was a home bathroom and three rooms for everyone. Similar to the last apartment: just different.

Then, I had discovered that one of my neighbors was a classmate of mine I had been with since the 5th grade; and that was pretty cool. It was my first time having a neighbor as a classmate from school.

At this time in my life, which was at 13 years old, I could practically walk around the neighborhood and to school. But walking by myself was new for me. I can remember that at one point my brother and my cousin (Jordyn) was all going to, the same school together; and we would walk everyday to school. Depending on how we felt the walk was two long or too short. Mostly long because we were all a couple of lazy kids. Who were used to living in mildly rough neighborhoods. With parnets who would drive us everywhere we went.So you can image walking at this time was pretty tiring. Then on our way back from school we all would walk to my mother's job which was not far from our Quad. But was literally down the street.

Moving into the new neighborhood opened my eyes to a big difference between Paxton and here. Everything here was a lot safer.Plus there were certain services around the neighborhood that kept the kids off the streets. Such as Jackson Park, schools in the neighborhood, and YMCA community services. Then not far from 63rd street would be a basketball court and a beach. It was here I discovered the adventure around me. 8th grade came and I figured out how to take the bus to school and had a key to go straight home. Rather than waiting on my mom to drop me off. Even now that I’ve graduated. My High School; is still close to the neighborhood.

By now I’ve been living in the Quads for two years and it has been some amazing years. Due to the fact that I am old enough, to find my own journey throughout the city of Chicago.