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I would really like some honest comments on this...I wrote it a while back, and I would like some feedback on it...Thanks in advance...
Life was good
Sitting in the backseat, I smiled as we drove along.
Dad was in a grumpy mood this morning, but I knew he
would be better when we got to the circus place. We
were almost there, so I kept quiet hoping he wouldn't
notice me until we got there. He always said, "keep
quiet if you know what's good for you." I didn't always
know what was good for me, but I knew on these
mornings it was best to stay clear of him until he
cheered up. I wondered why he had brought me along.
Was it because he liked to take me for rides with him?
Or because I was lying on the floor in the hall and
he almost tripped over me? Oh well, at least I got to
go and the other kids had to stay home. I knew I would
probably get a bag of chips or something. It was worth
it. I wondered if we were going to make it this time. Last
time we had gone, the car had broken down and we walked
to the circus place. That was a long walk, dad hollering
at me to hurry up and me running as fast as I could.
He could sure walk fast when he had a mind to.
At least I got a soda and a bag of chips that time.
I wondered why we drove this old jalopy when all the
kids I knew had newer cars. Dad said he liked this old
Chrysler, but I didn't like to be seen in it. All the
kids made fun of me. School was the worst. I would get
teased about everything from our old car to the
clothes I wore. Mom would tell me the patches on my
knees were cause I played on them all day, but the
other kids clothes didn't have patches. They would
laugh and point and sing, "peter patches, peter
patches". I would just ignore them but I really wished
I didn't have to wear them. Tomorrow was going to be
different though, we had just moved to another place
last night. My dad liked to move at night, he said it
wasn't so hot as trying to move in the day. All I know
is that every time we had to move, it meant a new school
and new friends and maybe this time it would be different.
Maybe this time I would find some friends that wouldn't
tease me. I started thinking we lived close enough to the
school that I could probably walk so no one would have to
see our car. And if I could help around the new place,
maybe I could stall mom until Monday making me go to
school. Then by the time I was ready to go, I would
have gotten my new pair of pants. Then no one would
know and maybe they would like me.
Just then, dad hollered "You stupid idiot" at some guy
that had pulled his car in front of us. I guess the
guy didn't know that dad hadn't been to the circus
place yet. We were almost there. Boy would I be happy
when we got there. Dad turned at me and said, "what are
you smiling at?" I said nothing, then he gave me a
little smile back. I didn't know half the time if he
was serious or just kidding when he said that. Today
wasn't any different, but he actually smiled before we
got to the circus place....
When we got there, Swifty and Carol were standing out
on the corner by the light pole. Dad told me they were
holding it up. It always made me laugh. Every time
Carol and Swifty would see me, they would ask my dad
who that handsome young man was that he had with
him. I knew they knew my name by now though. Dad asked
the ladies if the ringmaster was there and they said
yes. Good I thought, I remember once he wasn't, and
boy was my dad mad. We drove all over town looking for
him and I missed school that day. Hmm maybe it wasn't
such a bad thing after all.
The door to the circus place was old and screechy.
There was garbage lying all around on the ground in
front and on the sides. There was a lady that had a
little tent with a shopping cart on the one side. One
time I wanted to go see her tent but dad wouldn't let
me, said she was crazy. She didn't seem crazy to me
though she seemed nice. The other side is where Swifty
and Carol would park and talk to their man friends.
They were always talking to someone different, and
they never made fun of them. I was thinking I wished I
had that many friends. When we went inside, the hall
was empty all the way down to the big stairwell.
Usually there were three or four people sitting on the
ground talking to each other, but not today. The
ringmaster was up stairs, and that's where we would be
going. I kicked a couple of cans that were lying on the floor,
and dad hollered at me to stop. We got to the top of the
stairs and there he was. Sitting behind his desk, he always
smiled when he saw me with my dad. He was an older man,
dark skinned, and whenever he smiled, I could see his two gold
front teeth. He turned to his little fridge and got me a soda.
Then he grabbed a bag of chips and said "cartoons are on,
you can go sit on the couch and watch them." I took my
stuff and went and sat down. He asked my dad how many,
and my dad said four. The man handed my dad four colored
balloons, and a black bag. Dad walked to the back room
and I knew I would be watching cartoons for a while.
I didn't mind though, I had everything I needed right here.
When dad came out, he was smiling like always. He gave
the bag back to the ringmaster and said thanks. We
went down the stairs and got in the car and left. I smiled
cause I had gotten breakfast and I knew I wasn't going
to get yelled at for at least a couple of hours.
Life was good.
__________________
And as she plays,
her sweet song of laughter
floats through the air
and warms my heart
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