You might as well, be a single mom
“Hi my name is Marjorie. This is my first time at one of these things.”
I’m going to take you on a trip into my mind. Sometimes I see things and I turn them into fictional stories. But the facts remain a fact.
Marjorie held her hands in front of her tapping them slowly against each other. She was so nervous she didn’t know where to start. What led her to this meeting was a driving force, one she could no longer ignore. Despite feeling dead inside, otherwise.
“I’ll tell you what it is. I sit and I work. I work all these hours and I don’t get no help. My momma taught me a hard workin’ woman was worth a damn, and I grew up thinkin’ it should be my disposition. I saw everyone around me do it. And I also saw them do nothin’. Nothin’ of the kind or sort, nothin’ to speak of or to show up for except them games on the television. Sippin’ on their beer. Watchin’ whatever it is they watched. Passin’ the time however they liked. So I followed suit. I take my kids to their appointments alone. I work every school event. I go to all the meetings to hear what the teachers got to say about ‘em. I read all the mail. He puts all the mail in front of me, his and mine because he wants me to go through it for ‘em. When we go out he always wanna take my car, never his. We never once took his as far as I can remember.”
“I ain’t never been a healthy eater and neither has he, but he blames me for the kids not eatin’ the way they should, why they don’t have a well cooked well balanced meal in front of ‘em. Have you ever called an insurance company for someone who got into a car accident? You may’ve called for your elderly caretaker, maybe a friend, but have you ever called the car insurance company of someone who had two hands with fingers, ears, and a mouth? Then reported back to ‘em what they said about his car accident. Like a messenger or personal assistant of sorts. You asked me when I first got here how many kids I got and I didn’t answer because some days I’m not quite sure. I got two but I may have three.”
“I don’t know what he does for me but I’m here to find out why. Why in my mind I believe I got to stay with this man. Why I sit and listen when he tells me to come home when I’m havin’ a wonderful time or to come to bed when I’m tryina sit and work. This man who don’t do nothin’ for me as far as I can tell. All he does is take and if I were a bettin’ woman I’d say he’d do it for the rest of his life if he could. Who wouldn’t, if you let ‘em. The thought’s been makin’ me cry at night, I ain’t gettin’ no sleep. Not since I opened my eyes to what’s in front of me. If I am a bad woman for bein’ angry so be it. Let God himself come down and strike me dead I’d rather that than continue livin’ this way.”
Jane stood up and looked directly at Marjorie, realizing it was her mother.
Thank you for reading. There is also an option to support me financially, if you feel so inclined. You can find me at instagram.com/dianeoflight.