Bio

Excerpt from my book 'A Life In The Day Of...' Narrator This was an obvious attempt to try to scare me. He didn’t have to say that because I was already scared! To further put fear in me he placed me in cuffs and put me in the squad car! He asked me where I lived, which was around the corner, and drove me to my house. That ride seemed like it took forever! I knew this beating was going to be the ‘Godfather of all beatings!’ Officer “Are your parents home (he asked)?” Me “Yes.” The officer took the cuffs off and escorted me to the door. My Mother answered… Diann “Officer (she said extremely frightened)?” Police “Ma’am, is he your son?” Diann “Yes, he is. What did he do (she asked nervously)?” By this time my Father came to the door… Officer “He was caught stealing from Sunnydale’s and he also had weapons on him.” He showed them the nunchukas and knife… John/Diann “What?!” Officer “Since you live around the corner and he’s a minor I just brought him over to you, but these are serious actions. You might wanna take care of this now before he does worse things than stealing juices. Next time he might use those weapons he’s carrying around.” Diann “Thank you, officer. I’ll deal with the situation right now!” I knew exactly what that meant! The officer left and my Mother closed the door. My Father was leaving out to go to work but before he left he said to me… John “You know what to do, boy, go in the room and take off your clothes (he said calmly). I’ll see you baby (he said to my Mother as he kissed her and left for work).” Diann “Bye, John. I can’t believe this shit!” John “Well, you know what to do. See ya, baby!” My Mother slammed the door and locked it. I went to my bedroom and stripped to my underwear. I didn’t get regular beatings with a belt. My parents used whatever was available! My Mother beat me with a blackjack once because she said that it leaves bruises on the inside of the skin so no one can see them. I was really nervous this time. I had never stolen anything in my life before so I knew this was going to be a bad beating! Now I’m not saying that I didn’t deserve to get beat, in fact I deserved to get my ass whooped! When Malcolm and Horace got busted I should have looked at that as a sign, but I let wanting to be cool influence my actions and I needed to take responsibility! But, the punishment should fit the crime! My Mother and Father always crossed the line between discipline and abuse. To them there was no difference! A little smack across the lips because a child said something disrespectful is discipline, breaking that child’s jaw IS ABUSE! This time I was about to get my jaw broke and I didn’t deserve that at all! I laid on the bed and braced for what was about to happen. While I was waiting I heard my Mother fussing and moving things around like she’s looking frantically for something! Then she finally came to my room and she turned out the lights. This, of course, frightened me even more because I didn’t know what she was going to beat me with and I couldn’t see the blows coming! All I seen was her figure in the dark raise up a long thin object! With the first hit I quickly realized it was a pipe! She was beating me with a METAL PIPE! The pipe made the most horrifying sound when she swung it - SCHWIIINNG! She struck me over and over with that pipe! All over my body! I curled up like a baby and protected my head! I jumped back and tried to hide under the covers, but she pulled the covers off of me and beat me even harder, taunting me as she struck me! I felt my body getting cold and numb! I yelled at the top of my lungs for her to stop! I pleaded and pleaded and apologized until my voice was hoarse! I couldn’t cry anymore! At this point I was just whimpering! The beating lasted for several minutes and just when I thought it was over she grabbed me by my feet and yanked my onto the hardwood floor! I landed head first! She continued beating and taunting me! I tried to pull myself up on the bed but when she seen that she took the pipe and beat my fingers until they were broken, bleeding and the skin was hanging off! The beating continued for several more minutes! It seemed like hours! All I could do was lay there and get beat, I couldn’t even whimper or move anymore! My voice was totally gone and all of my tears were dried up! Finally, she got tired of beating me. Exhausted, frustrated and out of breath she then said to me… Diann “I better not EVER catch you stealing again! Next time I’ll use my motherfuckin' blackjack! And you sleep your ass on the floor because that’s where criminals belong, motherfucker! And don’t you move from that spot!” She then left my room. I was laid out on the floor, shaking and shivering uncontrollably! I thought it would never end. My body had withstood so much punishment that it went into shock! My body was numb and I couldn’t feel anymore pain, but I was relieved that the torture was over! After lying on the floor for about 10 minutes my Mother called for me… Diann “Di-Shing, bring your ass here!” I struggled to rise to my feet, but my body was extremely weak! I fell a couple of times trying to stand, but my Mother was very impatient… Diann “Don’t make me call your ass again!” I made it to my feet but fell again! My legs and back had no strength to hold me up so I did the only thing I could which was to crawl to the kitchen! When I reached there I held on to the wall and with my, apparently broken hand, pulled myself to my feet… Me “Yes.” She was on the phone speaking to someone about what just happened… Diann “Here! Your grandmother wants to talk to you!” She handed me the phone. I looked at my body in the light. My arms, legs, and torso were extremely bruised! My body was red, purple, blue and black and was bleeding! I had cuts and bruises all over and the bleeding wouldn’t stop! My hands couldn’t stop shaking! I was hot like I burned with a fever! This was the worse beating I had ever gotten! I tried to hold the phone, but my hands were too weak to hold it! I kept dropping the phone. My Mother became frustrated with me and said… Diann “Di-Shing pick up that fucking phone, you hear!” I tried again to pick up the phone. My wrist and fingers were limp and couldn’t form a grip! I used both hands and pushed the phone in between my ear and my shoulders. My grandmother heard me on the phone and began talking to me… Alma “Di-Shing (she called calmly and softly)?” Me (Still whimpering) “Yes, granny?” Alma “Why did you steal those things?” Me “I don’t know (I answered as I struggled to keep the phone to my ear).” Alma “What is one of God’s Commandments? Thou Shalt Not Steal, right?” Me “Yes.” Alma “Okay, I want you to close your eyes now because we’re gonna pray, okay?” Me “Okay.” And we prayed together and I felt a little better for that moment. Listening to my Grandmother’s soothing voice took me away another place for the moment and I was happy in that place…for that moment.