I had finally drifted off to sleep when the phone rang. It was my mother, she sounded concerned. I told her where I was and I could hear my father in the background yelling to stay where I was that he was coming to get me. My mother told him where I was and said that I was lying. He thought I was at one of my friends, that I would never do such a thing.
I told my mother about my brakes and of how much money I had left and that could she send me some money so I could continue with my trip to Texas. Of course I knew the answer, no. My father was coming to bring me back home. So I guess I thought I had no other choice than to give her the details of where I was.
The next morning I went looking around Jackson. I started thinking about getting a job. I thought with the little money I had left I could buy a sleeping bag and some snacks. Go to a campground and live while I worked for a couple weeks. I’d be able to get the brakes fixed and have enough gas money to make it to my Mimi’s. I knew that I would make my father really mad when he would arrive at the motel to discover that I was gone. I could just imagine the look on his face after he came all that way.
As I walked along I thought more about it. I decided to head back to the motel. I thought long and hard about joining the Marines as soon as I could. I’d get as far away from home as I could. I’d start a new life. Besides, my father was an ex sailor. The navy hated the Marines.
I ate supper at a place called The Pit. I had a slab of ribs that were out of sight. They were really hot too. The meat just came off the bone. They were served with two slices of white bread and some potato salad. I ate it all like I had never ate before.
I went back to the motel and crashed. I awoke to the sound of someone beating on the door. It was my father and my uncle Jude. I unlocked the door and they kicked it in and I went flying across the room. My uncle was standing over me laughing at me. My dad got in my face, I thought I was done for. He picked me and put me up against the wall and slapped me. I cussed at him and I pushed back. that made him really mad he smacked me and I fell to the floor. He looked down at me and told me to just stay there, then he jumped on the bed and claimed it for his own. My uncle took the chair. I asked where I was supposed to sleep? On the floor I heard. I asked for a blanket, but Jude took it and they told me to shut up and go to sleep.
As I lay there on the floor I thought about making a break for it. Hell I came this far I could make it all on my own. I got up slowly after a couple hours and I thought they were asleep. But I guess they were just waiting for me to try something. My uncle caught me going toward the door. I didn’t sleep a wink. Daylight took its time coming. At this point I thought my life as I knew it was over. I could not dream of what the day would be like.
