Lache Brown Edited Draft 2nd Period

I Don't Want To Be Like My Momma

“Mom what are you doing today?” I asked my mom. “Oh you know baby the usual” said my mom. “But I thought you and my new daddy were taking me to school today.” I replied. “I m sorry, but something came up and I’ll see you when I get back Okay Daejah,” was the last I ever heard from my mom." Alright mom." I said as I headed out the door for school. I am 13 years old and an only child who has a mother that is on drugs. She brings home different men every night whom she tells me is my father . We live in a small house on Sheldon Street. . Every day I have a new daddy. My mother would always leave the house to go to get high, but this time, instead of going to school, I followed her. She went to this alley with the man she told me was my father on Tuesday. He pulled out a little clear plastic bag filled with Crack, and handed it to my mother. She sat on a near by crate, pulled out a piece of paper, emptied the contents of the bag onto the paper and sniffed it all up into both of her nostrils. Watching my mother degrade herself like that just tore me up me inside. Then a little blue car pulled up and she hopped in and disappeared. So I turned around and continued my way to school.
While at school all I could think about was what I witnessed my mother doing and what she would say about it when I got home. I was anxiously waiting for the last bell to ring so I could hurry home. I began to count down the seconds in my head, five,four,three,two,one,Ding,Ding. Yes time to leave. I waisted no time getting home. It took me 8 minutes exactly when it would usually take 12 minutes. When I walked through the door my mother wasn't there. So I waited and waited until it was 8oclock. Then I began to get hungry so I decided to fix myself a cup of noodles while I waited for my mom. Usually she would make sure that she was there before I got home but this time she wasn't. I ate my noodles and fell asleep on the couch still waiting for my mother to return home. When I woke up it was 7:00 am and time for me to get ready for school. When I was in the shower it dawned on me that I would never see my mother again. I began to cry my eyes out because I didn't know what to do. I kept thinking how would I survive without a mother or a father. Should I go to the police and tell them about my mothers addiction and now she's missing, and that she has a stash of Crack upstairs under her bed. I just didn't know what to do. I thought about how every night I would pray that my mother would stop using drugs and get better, but it just wasn't working. So I cleaned myself up and finished getting ready for school. I went to school that day very sad. I was in class thinking did she take an overdose, did the man in the blue car kidnap her, and is she okay. Today school went by fast and before I knew it I was back at home lying on the couch in tears. Then all of a sudden there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” I asked as I walked to the door. “Is your mother home?” the man said. “No, she hasn't been here for 2 days now,” I said as I opened the door,. “Why who wants to know?” “Its Nasir” said the man. “Has my momma invited you over here to get high?” “No, but we did get High together on a regular, hey can I use you bathroom?” “Okay but only because you know my mother.” I said as I let him in and showed him to the bathroom. When he returned he asked me how old am I as he was pulling a bag of crack out of his pocket. By being used to my mother doing crack in front of me, it didn't really bother me that Nasir was about to get high. “I'm 14 why?” “I was just wondering if you did crack like your mom.” “No I don't and for your information I wouldn't want to be like my mom. I feel bad for what she is doing with her life but no one has ever tried to help her because she's a crack head.” i said as I began to get upset. I turned to watch the TV when Nasir pinned me down to the chair and tried to kiss me. I liked the attention but i knew what he was doing was wrong and I pushed him away. He then went for my pants but I wasn't putting up without a fight. When he finally gave up I was shaking and scared because I didn't know what he would try next. “Why are you scared I know I'm not the first man that came in here for your mother and tried to rape you!” said Nasir “I thought you were into the same things your mother is into.” “Well I'm not and no man has ever tried to rape me.” Then Nair began walking towards me saying “Oh yeah not until today” and he tried to force my pants down again. I began crying and said “Look I'm not ready to have sex and I never want to be like my mother especially if this is what she does but I do have a stash of crack upstairs under my mothers bed. You can have it if you promise to leave me alone and never come back.” Nasir didn't even say a word he was up the steps in a hurry and then darted out of the door saying “I will be back.” It is dark outside and its time for me to go to bed because I have school in the morning. I cried myself to sleep because i was scared of what just happened and I just couldn't believe that I really wasn't going to be able to see my mother ever again. On my way to school the next morning I watched my surroundings because i was scared that Nasir would try to get me. I walked as fast as I could. When I arrived at school and i went into homeroom the teacher said that the counselor wants to see me. I was scared because i didn't know if she had found out about me staying by myself or about Nasir or even about my mother being a crack head. I went to see the counselor. When I got to her office she said “Come in Daejah, have a seat.” I said “Ms.Aniyah may I ask why am I here?” “Yes. My brother Nasir told me that you were living at home by yourself and that your mother has a drug addiction and she has disappeared, is this true?” I began to cry and said “Yes Ms. Aniyah it is true but did your brother also tell you what he did to me?” “No, he didn't, did he hurt you?” “Not bad but he tried to rape me and he told me that he would be back for me” “Oh he did so has anyone else been by the house and how long has your mother been gone?” “3 days and no nobody else has came by.” “ Okay I want you to go to class and after school i want you to wait for me.” “Okay but why am I waiting for you?” “Because you are coming to live with me.” “Thank you Ms.Aniyah, i don't know how long it would be before i run out of cup of noodles.” I went back to class and felt a little relieved the rest of that day. After school Ms.Aniyah took me by my house to get my clothes and things and to lock up the house. My stay with Ms.Aniyah was fun,loving and caring. She cared for me as if I was her own daughter. I guess she felt bad for me. She motivated me to stay focused and to keep going in the right direction so that I wouldn't end up like my momma. It is because of Ms.Aniyah that I went on to college and got my degree as a social worker. Since then I have helped Nasir stop using drugs and clean himself up. Now he works for SEPTA. Ms.Aniyah also helped me locate my mom but when i spoke two words to her she said “daughter, i don't have any kids” and i just walked away. She look terrible and there was nothing i could do to help. She didn't even remember me. But thats okay, I am proud of my self because I didn't turn out like my crack head momma.