13. Lice and Chicken Pox

My hair was thick and long with ribbon curls – the kind of hair women paid lots of money for. I had beautiful natural blond highlights that framed my face my brown face. When Mom took me to Texas at 6 years old, my personal hygiene was completely left up to me. I learned to […]

12. Christmas and Mexico

Christmas rolled around and Mom spent a lot of time and effort buying gifts for Mr. Dennis’ daughter. I’d never met her but apparently she and I liked the same things. Mom laid out Barbie dolls and Barbie clothes, cute shirts, stuffed animals, play food and play money. I helped her wrap the gifts for […]

11. Chucky and Ronnie Visit

I couldn’t believe it! A big gray van pulled into the parking lot on the side of our apartment building. Mr. Ron, Chucky and Ronnie had driven from Moss Bluff, Louisiana to see me and Mom. Mom did not tell me they were coming. It had been almost a year since I’d seen them. I […]

10. October 6, 1990 & New Glasses

School started and I was excited to meet new friends. In the beginning, Mom would bring me to school and drop me off in the front. My classroom was bright and my teacher was friendly. I played with new friends at recess and enjoyed watching Reading Rainbow and eating lunch that I didn’t have to […]

9. Butter on Burns

The summer was coming to an end and as much as I enjoyed dancing around in the house alone and playing dolls, I desperately wanted to play with other kids. Mom’s shifts at the Longhorn Steak House in Corpus Christi were mostly in the afternoon and into the evening, so I would venture outside during […]

8. Sex Stinks

Functioning alcoholics and addicts are the most confusing adults a child can be around. They seem safe for small stints and then the anger from not drinking kicks in or they drink quietly and you can’t figure out who they are or what’s wrong with them but you know something is off. When your parent […]